I'm looking at getting a wooden playset (one of those with a rock wall, swings, slide, and small clubhouse up top) and I was wondering what type of lumber I should be looking for. Not so much the type of tree it came from but the treatment of the lumber after it was cut up. Should I find a set that is made from pressure treated wood or a non treated wood? I would guess that pressure treated wood would last longer and be less maintenance but is that safe for kids to play on for hours at a time? If I went with the non-treated wood, I'd apply a deck sealant to the pieces as I'd build it.
Outdoor kids playset – type of lumber use/look for
child-safetylumberplay-structures
Related Topic
- Wood – How to connect two bed legs to make a bunk bed from two regular beds
- Repairing / refurbishing cedar swing set
- Wood – What’s the right type of lumber to construct a small TV platform
- Need Tree Platform Build Advice
- Should raw timber be treated for use as in-ground posts
- Wood – Rebuilding fence – lumber questions
- Flooring – Playhouse flooring options
Best Answer
You won't want to use pressure treated wood in any application where people will be touching the wood often, especially children. Cedar is a good wood for outdoor applications, and is often used in playhouses and swing sets. If you've got really deep pockets, Teak is a very good choice for outdoor applications. Teak is often used in higher end patio furniture, because is is very low maintenance and stands up well to weather, due to its high oil content much like cedar.
You could probably get away with any type of wood (even pine), but you'd have to seal it yearly and replace pieces if they did start to rot.