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F A Q DO YOU STILL USE WOOD FOR THE PLAYGROUNDS? top We use a recycled plastic wood composite for the main areas of skin contact such as the handrails, decking, facades and decorative pieces. You have a choice of recycled plastic or pipe balusters. These materials account for about 80% of the playground. Arsenic-free pressure-treated lumber is used for the supporting structure of the playground. WHAT IS THE AVERAGE YEARLY COST FOR MAINTENANCE? top Annual costs can vary greatly depending on the size of your playground and frequency of use. We recommend sealing the playground every year, which will cost between $300 and $700, depending on the size of your playground. Wood fiber groundcover should be kept at a depth of 12 inches and will need to be added every 2 to 3 years, at a cost of $2,500 to $5,000, again depending on your playground’s size. Other items, such as chain and hose, will need to be repaired or replaced as wear dictates. Keep in mind that all playgrounds—Leathers as well as manufactured ones—require the addition of groundcover every couple of years. HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD BE SET ASIDE FOR IN A MAINTENANCE FUND? top $5,000 to $10,000 is usually a good start. Ideally, there is enough in the maintenance account so that the interest on the account pays for the primary yearly maintenance items (sealing and groundcover). WHAT MAINTENANCE SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE? top We provide our clients with telephone support for the life of their project at no additional cost. Each project also receives our Long-Term Care Packet, which contains checklists, general maintenance information, educational information, materials specifications, and a supplier’s list. Projects also receive our semi-annual newsletter, which contains a section on maintenance tips and updates. Our fee-based services include safety audits/maintenance inspections and renovations, updates, and additions. We are happy to assist communities in any way we can. All you need to do is contact us! IF WE RAISE EXTRA MONEY, CAN WE ADD TO THE PLAYGROUND? top Many of our clients decide to add game tables, picnic tables, pavilions, benches, small outdoor classrooms, amphitheaters, etc. after their playground is built. Call us before making any changes—we’ll advise you on the safest places to add items. If you have raised enough to add components or an amphitheater or to enlarge the playground, we will work with you to incorporate that into your project. We have worked with many communities to add play components, enclosed structures, amphitheaters, water areas, and even another entire playground section because the original playground was so popular. WHAT IS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF A LEATHERS PLAYGROUND? top “Professional experience has shown that the current life-cycle of modern-day manufactured playground equipment is only ten to fifteen years,” according to Kenneth S. Kutska, CLP, in an article in the National Recreation & Park Association’s publication Play It Safe, An Anthology of Playground Safety. A properly maintained Leathers playground will last 15 to 25 years. In fact, in 2002, we just rebuilt our very first playground, which was completed in 1971. I’VE HEARD LEATHERS PLAYGROUNDS ARE HIGH MAINTENANCE. top This may be true of some of our older playgrounds, especially those that were not well-maintained from the start. Our materials and methods have evolved so that we now use the best-quality, long-lasting materials available, such as plastic wood composite and the highest-quality fasteners. As with any playground, maintaining the safety surfacing under the equipment is usually the largest and most important task (as well as the most costly). Custom-built Leathers playgrounds are usually very heavily used because of their incredible play value and community-built nature. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT YOUR DESIGNS ARE TOO “DENSE” AND MAY LEND THEMSELVES TO VANDALISM. MUST WE HAVE THIS KIND OF LAYOUT? top The design of your playground is up to the children and parents of your community. Our designs are all “one of a kind,” taking on virtually any size and shape to fit site requirements and design criteria voiced by the community. If requested, an open, viewable approach can be taken. In addition, we sometimes use pipe balusters, which are virtually see-through in our fort/castle type structures, further opening up our designs and reducing the amount of maintenance. In over 30 years of building with more than 1,600 playgrounds under our belt, we have learned that a playground built by the community is well cared for! Playgrounds that children design and teenagers, parents, seniors, and the community build create a strong sense of community pride and ownership, which naturally leads to better upkeep and fewer instances of vandalism.
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