We love questions regarding our vinyl commercial playgrounds. Here are some of the most common questions about vinyl playgrounds.

“What is a vinyl playground”

A vinyl playground is simply a swing set that is made out of wood that is slipped into a vinyl sleeve. You get both the durability and flexibility of a wood playset and vinyl’s longevity and maintenance-free qualities!

“What are the benefits of adding a vinyl sleeve to a wooden playground?”

There are four major advantages:

1) No Splinters – I am a wimp when it comes to having splinters extracted from my flesh, and most of the kids I know are not much better.
2) Longevity – Vinyl playgrounds last longer than wood ones but also look better while doing it.
3) Protection from the Elements – Vinyl shrugs off the sun’s rays, protecting the internal wood from damage.
4) Cost – Generally, vinyl playgrounds are cheaper than similarly sized metal playgrounds. Of course, there are exceptions.

“Does a vinyl swing set squeak?”

Yes, you will hear a bit of squeaking when children swing on the swing beam. You can use a bit of WD40 to minimize the squeaking.

“Does a vinyl playground crack in the cold?”

Short answer, no. The longer answer, it can if you are trying to screw something into the vinyl sleeve in the extreme cold. If you are doing any maintenance requiring pressure on the vinyl, wait for warmer weather or predrill your holes.

“Does a vinyl playground stain?”

No, vinyl doesn’t stain. If you weed whack around it, you will see grass “stains” on the vinyl, but you can clean those off. Be careful when spraying yard chemicals in the area, as some yard chemicals can drift on the wind and interact with the vinyl.

“What do you use to clean the vinyl playground?”

A simple cleaner such as, no pun intended, Simple Green is a great choice. Using a soaking agent like Wet&Forget is a great option if you have heavy algae build-up or deeper dirt. Also, gentle pressure should take care of most dirt. Be sure to follow all the cleaning chemical’s label instructions: some cleaning agents require “No Entry” zones after applying them for a set amount of time.

“Can I weed whack against the vinyl playground?”

Assuming you are using a string weed whacker, whack away! You only need to exercise caution around the end caps at the bottom of the swing beam’s A-frame. Should you break one of those end caps, reach out to us, and we can ship them out without a problem!

“What color options do I have for the vinyl on my playground?”

You can choose between white vinyl with gray decking or ivory vinyl with brown decking. Bright white makes the set pop, while ivory vinyl looks classic. Ivory also hides dirt a bit better. Bright white look great in an urban setting or next to the water, while ivory vinyl blends into a more rural setting better.

“Does a vinyl swing set get hot in the sun?”

Let me speak out of both sides of my mouth. On the one hand, things like the slides get hot in direct sunlight. However, I have clambered all over these sets in some nasty hot weather and don’t remember the vinyl as hot. That could be because you really don’t come in contact with the vinyl very much during play. Regardless, if the vinyl is too hot, I can guarantee it is too hot to play outside safely.

“Is a vinyl playground worth the extra cost over a wood one?”

That is for you to decide. However, there is a reason we offered a shorter warranty on our wood sets than our vinyl sets. Vinyl sets last longer and look better doing it. Also, they require significantly less maintenance.

“What maintenance does a vinyl playground require?”

While routine maintenance for a commercial playground is important. Be sure to check your hardware for any loose pieces and inspect the playground regularly. However, a vinyl playground does not require as much maintenance compared to a wooden playground.

You can go to our FAQ Page for more common questions!

Hopefully, we covered all the questions you could think up about our vinyl playgrounds. But if we missed one, feel free to contact our commercial playground team! They are standing by to help you out on your playground purchasing journey!