What's the best choice for a swing set? Metal, wood or plastic?

I'm planning on buying a swing set for my niece and cousins, but I don't know what kind. I live in an area that rains a lot, but gets hot during the summer. I want them to be able to play on it year round. If I get a wood one, do I have to worry about splinters? A metal one, will it rust or get sharp edges? A plastic one, will it crack and break?





Thanks,


Ashley =.)|||metal if you think you might move it in the near future, otherwise if you know its going to stay put then i would go with wood. it will be easier to maintain to make it last longer, and its easier to repair if you have any problems|||metal


wood rots and requires more maintenence and it is heavy so it is hard to move


plastic does not hold up to UV light|||metal because it will last longer than plastic and wood|||Back when I was a kid...in the 70's (omg) we had a metal swing set. It is now almost 40 years later (OMG!!) and that swing set is still in my parents backyard. We played on it with all our cousins, our kids have played on it, and when my kids have their own, they will play on it too. Metal lasts forever, all you have do is paint it with rustcoat paint when it starts to rust, and it's good to go for another 10 years. It rains and snows a lot where we live, and we don't even cover it up in the winter, and that swingset is good to go in the spring. Kids have bounced all over it, used it as a jungle gym, tried to mangle Barbie on it, and nothing has ever damaged it, and it has never damaged any of us either. Go for metal. Wood needs a ton of maintenance, and plastic doesn't last AT ALL in the sun. Have fun, and good luck!