In recent years, timber has become a more popular choice for play equipment. For reasons of affordability and the environment, softwood rather than hardwood is used by all play equipment manufacturers. You can choose between playframes constructed with round timbers or square cut timbers. When making your choice, you should be aware of the differences between them.

Each piece of timber is unique, bearing its own knots, cracks and variations in colour. This is part of its beauty. However, as an organic material, it will change over time as it reacts to variations in atmospheric conditions. Softwood will expand and contract with fluctuations in temperature and humidity. In warm sunny weather timber will shrink. In wet weather it will expand. As these changes do not take place uniformly throughout the wood, stresses are set up which result in cracks and splits opening up. These will occur commonly, and to a greater degree, in round wood than in square cut wood.

Round timbers from smaller trees are less expensive than those sawn from larger trees but, because they contain heartwood surrounded by sapwood, they are subject to significant cracking. Sapwood shrinks faster than heartwood in dry conditions. These stresses which are introduced into the timber can result in large cracks which can be both wide and deep. Whilst this can sometimes seem alarming, the tp round timber frames are dimensioned and designed to ensure that this has no effect on their structural integrity. However as a result of this characteristic, you should be prepared to check your playset regularly so as to identify any splintering or lifting of the surface areas of the wood. Any affected areas can be rubbed down using coarse sandpaper to restore a smooth safe surface. The Sherwood range is made from round timbers.

Playsets made from more expensive square cut timbers contain less heartwood (often none at all) and this reduces cracking and splintering to a minimum. However, cracks and splits can still occur, and so the equipment must be checked regularly and maintained as necessary. The Indiana and Chesapeake are both made from square cut timbers