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We're thinking of having someone design and build a swingset for our kids. We live near Akron. Anyone here know someone who does that?

Did you try this place ?

Kids world

I've considered doing it in the past as it's really just straight-forward cuts and bolts, but I've never actually done it.

Unless you are looking for something very specific that isn't commercially available, however, you are probably best served going with places like that link above. In the end, no matter how elaborate or not it is, to the kids it's still gonna be their awesome childhood memory place -- even if it's a "crappy" 1970's metal tubing A-framed swingset. No matter what, they'll have a blast and get tons of hours out of it

I'm just wondering if you can get custom for cheaper than some of the prefab ones. Probably not, but worth a shot.

swingset or playscape?

if a swingset, I highly suggest looking online and getting a 12 foot set. you can buy the parts and instructions are easy (simply gettting the lumber, drilling holes, and putting the bolts in). obviously, need at least 2 people to get the job done though.

if you are doing a playscape/treehouse type of deal, then going with the pre-made stuff is always going to be cheaper. however, it also isn't going to last as long and won't have as many cool features.

my father-in-law and I built a pirate ship (with crow's nest) treehouse with an 8-foot enclosed slide for the kids. it's a beautiful thing, but it requires quite a bit of framing. so, if you aren't comfortable with carpentry, you'd want to hire someone to do it. and, contractors aren't cheap.

That's a solid distinction, and a great suggestion if it is *just* an actual swingset and not a playscape/playset with all sorts of added things.


Putting up a regular old swingset is super easy.

Many years ago (18+), before the extreme elaborate ones came about, I helped a friend build a pre-fab wooden playset for his kids, and we added a custom built "fort" to one end of it where the prefab just had a ladder to get up and down.

It wasn't difficult from either side, although, the custom took more time, since we were measuring, cutting, drilling and bolting all on site. But in the end the things was really cool. Way better than the 6' tubular metal one I had as a kid

Something to keep in mind with wooden sets, typically the area that rots first is the base where it is in contact with the ground. it should be pressure treated wood, but even then there are different types of treatment (some for outdoor weather, and some for regular contact with moisture/water.

My recommendation is to seal the bottom 12"(or 10-12" above the surface) of any posts contacting the ground, or embedded into the ground.

Regular maintenance and inspection is still important to ensure a long useful life.

We are trying to raise money at the church for a nice and safe swingset and playground for our children, but we have poor congregation (Although Wonderful) so please pray that the Lord will provide our children with a nice and safe play area ... Blessings

Many years ago, I built a custom swing set using 6 x 6 pressure treated lumber (a simple inverted U) and sinking it into the ground about 3 feet. It was simplistic construction but was exceedingly strong. 4 x 1/2 inch bolts to tie the top to the vertical at each end if i recall). I built a 3 foot by 3 foot box to support the climb up ladder and used a yellow slide at one end to other end to anchor the set. The slide box was anchored to the 6 x 6 to tie that together.

The key is to be able to anchor it into the ground. 3 feet minimum.

It was solid.

I built one with 4 swing stations and a fort years ago from a plan/parts list from Carter Lumber.....I had to do all of the cutting and drilling. It sat in our yard for 10+ years, a friend's for 5 and now it's at his son's house. Disassembled and moved twice and still going strong.

and make sure that the ground around those anchors doesn't make standing water around them after rain or they will rot at the ground-level.