How to Stain Your Swing Set
A sure staple in the family backyard, a swing set is a sizable investment that will provide your kids with years of fun.
However, it’s no fun when the wood loses its luster, or when the set ages unattractively in the sun or snow. While all Creative Backyard Concepts swing sets are built with kiln-dried wood and finished with a 2-year UV-resistant stain, we understand that many people want to personalize their sets, or would simply like to preserve the stunning cedar color. On the other hand, if your swing set has never been stained or sealed, it probably just needs a little TLC to restore it to its former glory.
Just like you maintain other aspects of your home and outdoor furniture, such as covering your BBQ grill and taking seat cushions in for the winter, you should plan some maintenance for your swing set, too. For this reason, you should try to stain or seal your swing set once a year. (If it sits in a shady, protected location, you might be able to get away with every two years instead.)
Stain vs Sealer: What to Use on Your Swing Set
Many people struggle to choose between stain or sealer, often because they don’t actually know the difference between the two. It’s simple — stain has a color, whereas sealer is clear. For that reason, if your swing set is in pretty good shape and the color of the wood is still good, you might want to opt for sealer over stain to get a more natural effect.
If, on the other hand, the color is faded, then a stain can revive your swing set and bring back some cheer to your outdoor area.
At Creative Backyard Concepts, even though paint is a great way to protect your swing set, we tend to avoid using thick paint on wood products to keep the boards from sticking together in the box. However, you can get away with painting your swing set provided you use a high-quality outdoor paint designed for wooden surfaces. You should also sand the wood down so that it’s free from any previous paint, and prime the surface if necessary.
What Time of Year Should I Stain My Swing Set?
There is no perfect time to stain your swing set, but we recommend that you get it done during spring, when the weather is dry enough but not too hot. Staining in spring also means that your swing set is ready to go for the summer season. Having a certain time of year in mind is a great action to take because this will get you on schedule for years to come.
Staining Your Swing Set: Step-by-Step Guide
Once you’ve chosen your stain and sealer and you’re all ready to go, this is the step-by-step method we recommend you follow:
- Disassemble removable components: To avoid any stain going where it shouldn’t, remove everything from the structure except the wood itself. That means tent top canopies, plastic components, swings, slides, and accessories like binoculars. Where you physically can’t remove something, protect it with a tarp or painter’s tape.
- Clean the wood: Clean the swing set using a store-bought wood cleaner or a simple mixture of water and white wine vinegar. This will kill off any bacteria and remove any built-up mold.
- Allow to dry: After cleaning, the wood will be wet, so you’ll need to allow the swing set a full 24 hours to dry completely.
- Inspect and sand: Inspect the swing set by running a gloved hand over the surface. If there are any rough spots, make sure to sand them down to avoid splinter injuries. This is also a good time to check and tighten all hardware.
- Apply stain or sealer: Apply your chosen stain or sealer using a brush, or use a paint sprayer to make the job quicker. If using a sprayer, take care to smooth out any drips or streaks with a handheld brush.
- Final drying phase: Allow at least 24 hours for the stain or sealer to dry thoroughly before permitting children back on the set.
- Enjoy: Reattach all accessories, canopies, and swings, and enjoy your renewed playground!
Staining a Cedar Swing Set
Each of our swing sets from Creative Backyard Concepts is made from 100% cedar, which is naturally decay- and insect-repellent. The wood is kiln-dried and finished with a non-toxic, 2-year UV-resistant stain. Once or twice a year, depending on your climate conditions, you should reapply a stain or sealant to protect the wood of your unit.
If you’d like to put your own spin on your playset or want to revive a set you’ve enjoyed for several years, check out our selection of premium wooden swing sets and accessories at Creative Backyard Concepts today!