The screams echoed through the house as my wife, her face tense, bit down on her lip as she deftly maneuvered the tweezer into position. I grasped my child’s hand, his eyes wide with fright as the tweezers tugged at the splinter. The high-pitched wails started again till my wife shot me an angry look and said, “Oh, stop it, it’s just a splinter! Be a good example to the kids!”
Yeah, not my proudest moment. I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to splinters. And my wife doesn’t have a lot of sympathy.
So what does the above story have to do with vinyl swing sets?
Vinyl swing sets have many advantages over traditional wooden swing sets. In this blog post, we will explore several reasons why vinyl swing sets are just plain down better than wooden swing sets. And yes, we will start with splinter free.
Splinter Free
I got my fear of splinters at an early age. I remember my mom seizing my hand and examining a splinter I had hidden from her for a few days. Now it was red and inflamed. She declared it had to come out, and I should wait for her in her bedroom while she collected her gear.
I sat there on the bed, gazing at my splinter and thinking my life was just about over before it really had a chance to begin. My mother, foreshadowing my wife, didn’t have a lot of patience with my wails and shrieks either.
King Swings vinyl swing sets don’t have splinters. Period. There is no exposed wood. It is all covered with a silky smooth vinyl sleeve or a polyboard cap. You can slide your hands all day on the railing and not pick up a splinter. Unlike a wood swing set that can develop rough patches or just randomly run you through with a splinter, a vinyl swing set remains smooth.
And King Swings playsets are decked with Trex decking. No splinters there, either! Our climbing walls use Trex decking and metal handrails so you can climb without a sudden, stabbing pain.
With a vinyl swing set, there is no need for the tweezer/hydrogen peroxide treatment, no need for chasing down an escaping child who doesn’t want operated on, and no extra drama.
Maintenance Free
It’s a Saturday night; the game starts in about 20 minutes, and you are soaked through with sweat. Of course, it has to be the hottest day of the year, and of course, your kid happened to be within earshot when you cracked your head on the bottom of the playset, and now he won’t stop repeating a certain phrase. Your spouse gave you that look that says you are in trouble.
All you want is to be done resealing and restaining this stupid swing set and getting inside to shower, get a cold drink, and watch the game.
Meanwhile, your neighbor grins from his Adirondack chair, a cold drink dappled with condensation in his hand, and his feet kicked up on a prop. You can hear the pregame chatter on his TV. He keeps glancing at his stupid vinyl swing set, which he hasn’t touched all year, and it still looks great.
He told you to get a vinyl swing set, but you opted for a wood one because you wanted to save a bit of cash, but now, with sweat in your eyes and annoyance in your heart as you watch your neighbor get up and head inside, you regret your decision. The game is starting, and you still aren’t done.
Vinyl swing sets require no maintenance. When selling wood sets, we recommend resealing them every 1-2 years and restaining them every 2-3 years. For a vinyl swing set, we just would say, “Just set it and forget it.”
Now, of course, if you want to keep it looking great, a yearly pressure wash will help, but that doesn’t affect the longevity of your vinyl swing set’s life. No need to reseal or restrain it to prolong its life; the vinyl swing set can withstand cold and heat. Plus, there is no exposed wood for carpenter bees to get at!
Longevity
A vinyl swing set has a longer life span than a wood swing set. Do you know how you can prove that? Check out most swing set companies’ warranties on their wood sets and compare them to our vinyl swing set warranty.
When we sold wooden swing sets, we offered a five-year warranty on the swing set. Our vinyl swing sets enjoy an additional year of warranty because they are the better product. By the way, if you want to see our warranty, click here: the warranty.
Why would companies offer better warranties if a vinyl swing set wasn’t better than a wood swing set? The simple fact is that swing set manufacturers can offer stronger warranties on vinyl swing sets because vinyl swing sets are better!
Why do vinyl swing sets last longer? That vinyl sleeve protects the underlying wood against every swing set’s greatest enemies: the elements and insects. Sun can beat down on the vinyl sleeve with very little effect, and the plastic covering will thwart carpenter bees.
Vinyl Swing Sets are Better than Wood Swing Sets
When it comes down to it, a vinyl swing set with a protective, silky smooth vinyl sleeve is better than a wood swing set. When it comes to swing sets, you get what you pay for. Yes, a vinyl swing set costs more, but think of the benefits. With a vinyl swing set, you get zero splinters and virtually zero maintenance, and it will last longer. A vinyl swing set is just better than a wood swing set.
King Swings has been making swing sets for over thirty years and is now based in Parkesburg, PA. We only offer vinyl swing sets as we believe they are the better product. If you have any questions, call our team at 717-687-8210.
Dad to three kids, Justin knows how important it is for children to get lots of physical exercise. His time as a school teacher reinforced that idea. He is passionate about creating fun, enjoyable playgrounds that are safe but full of learning opportunities.
Read More Justin Doutrich