Collection: Wooden Climbing Frame Care Guide

How to Look After & Care for Your Wooden Climbing Frame

A climbing frame is one of those items you will want to use for years to come with your family. The wooden piece of equipment which goes in your garden is such a popular choice for kids. They will love going out into the garden and exploring the new climbing frame.

Helping them to build their imagination, mental and physical skills, it’s a great choice for children of all ages.

A climbing frame will also help encourage them to spend more time out in the garden. When they are playing with their siblings, with their friends or even their parents, they will love going on the climbing frame.  However, if you do want to keep your climbing frame for a long time, there are a few things you need to do. 

While climbing frames come in a variety of materials, the most common is metal, plastic and wood. Wood is a great choice for a climbing frame but does need some TLC to last the distance.

Here is how to look after and care for your wooden climbing frame.

1. Keep it clear

One of the main things you need to do to keep the wooden climbing frame in good condition is to make sure it’s clear of items. You don’t want any items left on the climbing frame which could damage it.

For instance, if your kids take toys on the climbing frame, they might end up causing marks and splits before long. Therefore, before your kids use it and after they have finished on the playing frame, make sure you do remove anything left on the piece of equipment.

2. Remove any splinters

Splinters will not only cause the condition of the climbing frame to falter, but it is a hazard for your children too. Therefore, to ensure your climbing frame stays in a good condition, make sure you regularly look for splinters.

It’s easy to remove them so your kids can use the frame again quickly. You need to sand the area until you get a smooth finish. You will then be splinter-free and can always give it a re-stain to ensure it looks its best.

3. Check all the screws and bolts

It’s so important you regularly check the climbing frame to make sure that the bolts and screws are all working effectively. You don’t want one to come lose which could damage the frame and could even lead to an injury with your child. Therefore, tighten any loose fittings to ensure an accident is not waiting to happen.

And remember not to tighten it too far; this can cause splits and cracks in the wood. While you are checking these, it’s also good to check any rope locks and swing chains, especially on any swings which are part of the climbing frame. These metal parts often rust over time and could lead to breaks. You don’t want your child to have an accident as these have worn away completely when they go to use it. Therefore, make sure you replace them as necessary when you are doing a check of the climbing frame.

4. Do have a safety surface (and replace it)

It’s always a good idea to have a safety surface that you use next to the climbing frame. That way, your children can safely get on and off the climbing frame. And if they do fall, they will land without causing a major injury.

A lot of people use bark or sand for this; whichever one you go for, make sure you replace it. That way, it will stay in good, clean condition for longer when placed next to the climbing frame.

How do you clean a wooden climbing frame?

5. Clean the equipment regularly

 You should also make sure that you clean any equipment that is on the climbing frame to keep it in fine condition. If you want your children to use the frame for years to come, it needs to be cleaned regularly so it’s in tip-top condition.

You don’t need any fancy cleaning supplies; just some simple water and soap will help you spruce up the equipment. Focus on cleaning the slides and swings to keep the frame looking great.

6. Ensure it stays in a level condition

You need to ensure that the climbing frame does not become uneven over time. Not only could this cause the climbing frame to fall and break if there is harsh weather, but it could also cause an injury to your kids when they are playing on it.

After prolonged use, there is a chance it might manoeuvre deeper into the soil. Therefore, to stop this from occurring and ensure it settles evenly, you should level out the soil beneath the frame. That way, it will stay in a safe condition for the kids. Make sure you check this regularly so you can resolve the issue quickly.

7. You need to ensure the anchors are in the right position

Another thing you must do is to check the anchors regularly. These are a very important part of holding the climbing frame together as they go in the ground and are the base for the climbing frame.

Therefore, if these go wrong, the climbing frame will be unsafe and an accident could occur. It’s likely the anchors may loosen over time or come away from the ground, so you need to check this regularly to avoid a big issue.

Sometimes if the anchors are moving around, it could be down to the soil. It needs to be compact enough to keep it in the correct position. Therefore, it’s worth moving it to a more dense soil in your garden if necessary or you could even concrete them in to keep them in a safe position.

And remember that while your climbing frame would have been treated with a solution, the weather can cause havoc with the wood. Therefore, it’s worth regularly applying a wooden stain which will help protect it from the sun and rain and also prevent cracking from occurring.