A wooden swing set will last for years if looked after properly. However, as these playground structures are left outdoors for the entire year, inevitably there will be times when it requires some upkeep.
The wood can sustain some damage, the metal hardware may rust, and the stain/paint could be cracking or fading.
If your wooden swing set is looking worse for wear, you should probably get onto some restoration work before it is completely out of repair.
Wooden swing sets are costly, so it’s worth caring for your wooden swing set before you need to replace it due to disrepair.
Before you decide that a swing set is too worn out, think about the possibility of performing a restoration that will give a swing set new life!
This is the type of garden project that can be completed in a few weekends and the great news is that it won’t cost a lot of money!
What to Expect? What you will need to review as a primary condition, are the installation of the wood, the metal (in potential attempting rust), and plastics. So without further ado, here’s how to restore a wooden swing set.
Step 1: Assess the swing set
Prior to purchasing, you will want to closely audit the swing set from the top of to bottom.
Inspect the areas where the stain or paint is worn, inspect the hardware (yes, each screw and nail) and inspect for cracks or any other damage.
Once you have the damage or repairs documented, you can develop a plan of action.
Step 2: Price it up
To avoid any unpleasant surprises, it’s best to get a cost estimate of your repairs ahead of time.
Develop a list of what new tools or equipment you will need and how much the replacement parts and hardware will be.
Don’t forget to estimate the cost of painting or staining a new coat.
Step 3: Start by replacing metal
Let’s begin by replacing all of the metal on your wood swing set.
When you looked at your swing set, you were making a note of rusty, loose or missing nails and screws. Now is the time to buy replacement nails, screws and bolts.
However, you probably won’t be able to replace these pieces with the same hole size and thickness as the original because the holes will have stretched.
This goes for handles or any other type of metal that is loose, rusty or missing.
This is also the same for anything else that has metal hardware. However, keep in mind that if the metal is loose, rusty or missing, then you need to replace the metal.
Lastly, when you buy replacement hardware, make sure the metal is galvanized hardware so you can use it outdoors without worrying about rusting or corroding.
Step 4: Deal with the slide and anything plastic
A worn-out slide doesn’t look great but don’t worry – it can be painted!
There is a special paint that is designed specifically for plastics.
First, make sure it is clean of all dirt. A pressure washer is best for this. Material on the slide is not good to paint over and you want to make sure it is well free from any bits before painting!
Once clean, the slide will need to be sanded. A 60 grit will be your best friend for this. It is important to sand because plastic is slippery (and we want a slide to be slippery!).
Plastic paint needs a rough surface to bond or it will peel.
Once the scuffing is done, you still have one more step to do before painting.
All of the surfaces need to be wiped down with a solvent like Xylene or Solvide.
Once this step is done, you are ready to paint.
Don’t forget – make sure the paint is specifically designed to be used for plastics as well as UV resistant so it will not fade.
You can get both smooth or textured plastic paint. Go smooth on a surface that will be a slide and textured for anything that requires climbing or gripping.
Make sure you read the instructions carefully as you will likely need to do two coats.
Step 5: Remove the old wood paint or finish
If you own a swing set made of wood that is painted or stained, you will want to take an electric sander to remove this layer.
You can sand it by hand, but beware that it takes a lot of time!
Begin with your rough grit sandpaper, and then once you get the stain or paint off, you can use a finer grit.
If the swing set is painted, you should peel off the loose paint and use a paint stripper before sanding.
Step 6: Deal with metal stairs or chains
If your wooden swing set has metal parts, it is now time to fix these.
Typically, outdoor equipment with metal parts is galvanized and won’t rust.
However, if your metal parts are painted, you may want to refresh it a little. If your swing set has any rust, this needs to be addressed quickly due to the possibility of tetanus.
If your swing set has rust, you will need to get some rough sandpaper (40 grit) and scrub off any loose material. Then, you will need to take some measures to stop the rust from spreading.
After treating any rust, you’ll need to paint it. All metal areas will need to be scuffed with 40 grit sandpaper before painting.
If the metal is thin, it will need to be primed before painting with zinc phosphate, or whatever the proper metal primer is.
Then you are ready to paint with an appropriate outdoor metal paint.
Step 7: Fix cracked wood
It’s possible, even if you have sanded the wood and removed small splinters, that you may still have cracks in the wood.
To solve this, you’ll need to sand around the crack and into the crack with medium sandpaper.
After this – Fill the crack with wood filler and use a putty knife to pack in the filler. Once the filler dries, sand over the filler until flush with the rest of the surface.
Step 8: Sand down the wooden parts
You are so close!
A significant downside of older wooden swing sets is splinters. Getting a splinter off an old, dry wooden frame is always possible.
Before we get to the final stages of how to restore a wooden swing set, we have the penultimate step, to sand down all of the wood.
You will want to start with a wood plane to tackle any major splinters first.
Then you will want to use an orbital sander and 60 grit sandpaper to flatten and smooth the surface in preparation for a safe paint on a painted surface.
Again, we make sure that the surfaces are free of dust and dirt by solvent cleaning prior to moving to the ninth step. Now let’s move on to the final step in how to restore a wooden swing set!
If the wood frame is really dry, it may take up to four coats of paint. Now let’s move on to the ninth and final step!
Step 9: Stain or paint the wooden frame
To stain your wood frame, you will want to apply it with a bristle brush first and then use a foam brush to get into any areas that are hard to reach like the corners.
You can also apply the wood stain with a rag.
If you would like to paint it, find a good outdoor wood paint and you can also use a brush for applying.
You can also use a roller to do larger areas with it. Either way you want to apply 2 coats at the minimum.
Final thoughts on how to restore a wooden swing set
A wooden swing set is a significant investment, so it’s important to care for it.
If your swing set is looking a little sad and tired – it doesn’t mean it needs to go to the garbage dump.
A few hours of assessment, sanding, replacing, repairing, and painting will bring your swing set back to new.
Investing this time (and a little money) will preserve this asset in great shape for many years to come – just don’t let the children use it until the paint is dry!