Playsets from China?

The vast majority of playsets that are sold in the U.S. today are made in China. Brands like Backyard Discovery, KidKraft, Gorilla, Lifetime and Swing-N-Slide are all from China.

The problem with the vast majority of these “playsets-in-a-box” from China is that the wood is thin, lightweight and brittle.

What is often touted as “cedar” is not real cedar at all. It is sometimes called “China Fir” by the lumber industry. In truth it is actually from the cypress family with the genus name Cunninghamia.

There is no mistaking this wood to the trained nose. As soon as the box is opened there is a sweet, somewhat pungent odor of the Chinese Cypress.

This is a very fast growing softwood and a major export of China. While it does have some similar pest and rot-resistant characteristics of cedar, it is in my experience a much more brittle wood that is very susceptible to splitting and warping.

It is very important when using this wood that the thinner boards are pre-drilled for screws, bolts and other fasteners to prevent the wood from splitting.

Another major complaint of mine is that these playsets are too lightweight and tend to be less sturdy.  Much of the time the deck boards are too thin in my opinion.  Often my assembly crews are fearful the they are going to break through the decks while assembling them.

Typically these sets are only recommended to be used by young children. not teenagers and certainly not by adults.

You may notice that all of the swing beams are never any longer than 8 feet.  That’s because they need to be able to fit in the 8-foot shipping box to be shipped to the U.S. in a shipping container. 8 feet is barely long enough for a crowded 3-position swing beam.

If you check the warranty period you will find that it is very short. They look very nice with very creative designs and an attractive color finish. However, most state in the assembly manual that they need to be stained and sealed within the first 90-days or so (see below).

Backyard Discovery Assembly Instructions: “A waterborne transparent stain has been applied to your playset. This done for color only. Once or twice a year, depending on your climate conditions, you must apply some type of protection (sealant) to the wood of your unit. Prior to the application of sealant, lightly sand any “rough” spots on your playset. Please note that this a requirement of your warranty.”

Gorilla Playsets Assembly Instructions: “Apply a sealant or semi-transparent stain within the first 90 days of owning the swing set.”