It's been over 20 years since I built a play structure for my kids.
I based it on a design in Sunset magazine. It had a two-level tower about 4
feet square, a slide, a sloping ladder to the upper level, and a tire swing
on a cantilever beam.
I built it of untreated doug fir. I may have given it a coat or two
of sealer. It was still in good condition, if a bit weathered, when we sold
the house. That was long after the kids had outgrown it. Unless you're
planning for the next generation, untreated wood should last long enough.
Be careful with the design. Measure the smallest child's head and
don't leave any gaps big enough to insert a noggin. One of my daughters had
to cut out of a play structure with a chain saw.
Bob K
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