COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Question:
Now that my playset product is assembled and installed, will I have to do anything
to it?
Answer: Yes. You must provide routine inspections and regular maintenance. These procedures
are covered in the "required periodic maintenance" section.
Question:
How often should my assembled playset product be inspected?
Answer: An initial inspection should take place one week after installation and twice a month
thereafter for the remaining life of your playset product.
Question:
When should the necessary maintenance be performed?
Answer: Generally speaking, at the beginning of each season or as often as may be deemed
necessary from an inspection. Major maintenance (primarily a thorough inspection and re-
staining) should be performed at twelve-month intervals from the date of installation.
Question:
How do I know when my playset product needs refinishing?
Answer: If water is absorbed into the wood, it's time to refinish your product. If, however, water
beads and rolls off the wood, surfaces are protected.
Question:
Why does it seem that my playset product is developing cracks?
Answer: The correct terminology for what appears to be cracks is "wood checks". A check is the
radial separation of wood fibers running with the grain of wood caused by varying temperatures
and moisture conditions. These checks will develop on the surface and end grains of the wood as
an unavoidable aspect of the natural weathering process of all wood exposed to the elements.
Checks occur after the wood has been wet, and outside surfaces dry faster than inside surfaces.
Checks mainly affect the aesthetics of your play products and not its strength or durability. An
exterior water repellent stain slows down the checking process because it reduces the amount of
water that penetrates the wood.
Question:
Why is there so much movement in my play product, especially the top supports? It
looks as if the wood will break?
Answer: Because the structure is wooden rather then concrete or steel, movement is not only
natural, but required. We have a saying... "if the branch doesn't bend, it will break." your play
product has been designed to accommodate as many children as there are play positions. We
recommend a maximum of 150 lbs. per child for play activities designed for individual use, and 120
lbs for multiple use activities. Please remember that your play product has been engineered for
children 3 to 10 years old.
Question:
Why is my play product rocking?
Answer: Rocking is caused by uneven ground under the base pieces. After a short period of time,
your play product should settle into place and the ground stakes will provide proper stability.
However, if rocks or roots surface under the base support pieces, these protrusions must be
removed or the play product relocated to another area in order to eliminate rocking.
This section addresses some specific issues sometimes encountered during and after the assembly.
Most are re-emphasis of items covered in detail elsewhere in this manual.
Page 58 - MAINTENANCE
© Copyright Leisure Time Products Inc.
Sky Fort 09-0112
