Everyone needs love! Your Jungle Gym too. Give your Jungle Gym some love and it will last longer. You've got no clue where to start? In this blog we will share the best tips for maintaining and inspecting your Garden Climbing Frame. This way you and your children will enjoy it even longer! For the safety of the children, the Jungle Gym must of course be thoroughly inspected after assembly and before use. Inspect the playset subjected to the safety inspections as mentioned below once at the beginning of each season and further twice monthly during the season.
Climbing Frame Surface and Safe Area Inspection
A good shock-absorbing surface under and around the playground is so important for safety while playing. Check the shock-absorbing surface for things that do not belong there. Provide a clean play area, remove leaves or other waste in and around the playground.
- Check if the shock-absorbing surface isn’t compressed too much, loosen if necessary. Fill up any holes, for example created under the swing seats.
- Check the stability of the playground equipment.
- Check the immediate surroundings of the playground for any hazards like overhanging branches, laundry lines or loose materials.
Climbing Frame Wood Inspection
Because the wood is exposed to the sun, the colour changes over time to a classic silver-grey colour. This natural ageing does not affect the durability and quality of the wood. If you want to keep the new colour of the wood, treat it with a special wood oil or water-based stain / varnish. The wood changes slightly in volume due to temperature because it is a natural product, but you don't have to worry about that. After a while the edges may become rough. With the supplied sanding block or with normal sanding paper you can make it smooth again.
- Check for splinters and possible other structural defects.
- Maintain the set with periodic applications of exterior wood preservative to prevent wood rot. (Do not use paint that can cause a slippery surface.)
Climbing Frame Hardware Inspection
Check all screws, studs and bolts. Make sure they are still in good condition and are securely fastened. Not too tight, because then the wood may split and that gives unpleasant splinters. Jungle Gym hardware, hooks and brackets are of course made of top quality and the materials and coatings are resistant to weather influences, but to be sure, always check for rust and replace them if necessary. If your hardware, hooks or brackets need replacing, click for the webshop with replacement parts here.
- Check all screws and bolts to be sure they are still tight. Caution: over-tightened hardware crushes the fibres of the wood resulting in splitboards.
- Check the remaining hardware, brackets and swing hooks for rust. The rust can affect the strength. Replace when this is necessary.
- Check the ground anchors to be sure that they are still secured. If necessary, reposition or replace the ground anchors.
- Check all coverings for bolts and all the sharp edges and replace when required.
Climbing Frame Anchoring Inspection
It is important to check if the ground anchors are securely attached to the ground. To do this, slide or scoop away any wood chips or sand around the ground anchors and check whether everything is still firmly attached to the ground. Are the anchors no longer fastened well? Tighten or move them. Are the ground anchors looking very rusty? Then we recommend replacing them with new ones. You can find them here.
Climbing Frame Swing Inspection
Keep all Jungle Gym accessories clean with warm water and mild detergent. To fully enjoy the swings, keep them in the house or in the shed during the winter months. Plastic can become brittle at temperatures below 0. When the playing season starts again, check whether all accessories and swing seats are in good condition and replace if necessary.
Did you know that we have all kinds of other fun swing accessories in addition to regular swing seats? Always nice for a variation, for example the Twist Disk Swing, the Monkey Bar, the Swing Seat, Sling Swing and the Baby Swing.
Climbing Frame Swing Inspection - Rope Locks
Check the Rope Locks™ to be sure they are properly assembled and suspended to the Jungle Gym® swing hooks. To check the Rope Locks HC, hang with your full bodyweight onto each individual swing rope for a couple of seconds. The Rope Locks SC can be checked by sitting on the accessory with your full body weight for a couple of seconds. Replace when necessary. If any squeaking occurs, the Rope Locks HC can be moistened with water or vegetable oil such as olive oil.
Climbing Frame Swing Inspection - Swing Seats
Check swing seats and bars for cracks and breakage. Check swing ropes for fraying or extreme fibre formation. To examine the rope, open the strands of the rope where any fraying has occurred and securely check whether the fibres are broken. Check the safety belt of the baby swing and replace it when necessary.
Climbing Frame Slide Inspection
Check if the sliding surface is still in good condition; is it still sliding smoothly and is everything intact? If the slide wobbles a little, check whether the ground anchors are still firmly attached to the ground. Don’t forget to check the attachment of the slide onto the platform for any openings. Clothing or strings from hooded jackets can get stuck in these gaps which can cause dangerous situations.
Climbing Frame Sandbox Inspection
Try to not cover the sandpit with a shelf or lid, as this will keep the sand moist and can cause the formation of mould. The sand cannot breathe through well. When the sandpit is not in use, cover the sandpit with the sandpit cover provided. Sun, rain and wind provide a natural cleaning of the sand. The sandbox cover net is a net through which rainwater flushes the sand, the moisture evaporates and the sand remains ventilated, fresh, dry and odourless. In addition - not unimportantly - you prevent animals (e.g. cats) from walking into the sandbox and using it for something else (yucky!). If necessary: replace the sand with new fresh play sand. Have you lost the sandpit cover net? Then you can order a new sandpit net here.
We hope you've learned something in this informative blog with useful tips on how to maintain and inspect your Jungle Gym Climbing Frame or Playhouse. Now you know what to do, what not to do and what you need or should purchase. For questions or comments you can always contact us at [email protected].