Why Redwood Stands Out as the Best Choice in Swing Sets

If you ask owners of wooden swing sets what the best wood is, you’ll get a variety of different answers. There are those who love their pine set, others who will tell you cedar is the best, and still others will say nothing beats a redwood swing set. The final decision is up to you, but there are several reasons that make redwood your best possible choice.

By knowing more about the qualities of redwood, you’re better able to understand why it’s such a popular choice for so many and what sets it apart as the best choice for a wooden swing set. You also need to be aware that there are differences in redwood quality and if you know what they are, you’ll know if you’re getting what you’re paying for.

Redwood has a unique pinkish-red color which turns to gray as it ages. There are several grades of redwood, but one of the most commonly used grades for outdoor construction is called Con-Heart. The ‘con’ stands for construction grade and the ‘heart’ refers to the fact that it comes from the inner part of the tree, or the heart of the tree.

The natural resistance to rotting and insects only exists in the wood from the heart of the tree. The outermost wood requires staining every year, due to the lack of natural defenses against decay. Con-Heart wood needs no maintenance and if the company you’re buying from tells you the swing set will need to be stained annually, you’ll know it isn’t the heart of the redwood.

If there are any white parts in the redwood, it’s called sapwood and it has virtually no resistance to rotting or insects. Again, you’re protected with Con-Heart Redwood, because it contains no sapwood. Heart redwood has a natural resistance to insects and decay that goes all the way through the wood, not only the surface. This is important because it means the exposed ends and edges created from sawing or nailing are just as resistant as the outside surface of the wood.

All woods have a natural response to moisture, and even redwood will swell a bit when it gets wet and shrink slightly if it gets very dry, but it does so to a much lesser degree than other woods. Known for its stability, redwood is able to hold its shape with far fewer incidences of cracks, splits, or warped boards or beams.

When you’re investing in a wooden swing set, durability is an important consideration. Because of its ability to fend off decay and bugs, a redwood swing set will still be in great shape and will look better than one built with a different wood, even 20 years down the road.

When shopping for a redwood swing set, be sure to ask enough questions or read enough fine print to know that if you’re paying for redwood, you’re getting 100% redwood. Many companies use a mixture of woods, including redwood, but still refer to their product as ‘redwood construction’. Look and listen for words that indicate other woods have also been used, including Chinese fir and Red Cedar.

For the ultimate benefits of redwood, find out if Con-Heart grade redwood was used for all pieces of the swing set. This way you’re assured of getting all the natural protection redwood has to offer, not just in the beams and larger pieces, but throughout the entire swing set.

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