Technical Information

EQUIPMENT QUALITY

Garden play equipment technical information. Our garden play equipment is designed to be sturdy and versatile to ensure long life, while maintaining the natural beauty and character of solid wood, blending into all types of gardens. All products comply with European Safety standards. All wood is supplied from sustainable managed woodlands, and after careful selection the timber is machined to shape, then pressure treated and waxed, ensuring a long and durable life. We use the highest quality fixtures and fittings.

SPECIAL SAFETY FEATURES

All products supplied by Caledonia Play conform to European Safety Standard, EN71, and can carry the CE mark. The following safety features are incorporated in our products:

• All swing ropes are 12mm thick.
• Swing frames are tested up to 200kg.
• All swing pivot points are closed, with a D shackle and a locking nut.
• All swing pivot points are bolted though the swing bar with double locking nuts.
• All metal fixings are recessed into the timber.
• ‘A’ frame support legs are machined timber to 100mm in diameter.
  Top swing bars are machined timber to 125mm in diameter
• ‘A’ frame supports can be adjusted to suit uneven ground.
• All ladders and climbing frames have safety bushes between the rungs and stringers to prevent clothing being caught.
• Ladder steps are 225mm apart to prevent children being caught in a fall.
• Diagonal braces have 4 fixing bolts – restricting movement of the swing frames.
• All fixing bolts are either 13mm or 17mm to gain strength and rigidity.
• All timbers follow EC regulations regarding positioning and spacing to prevent body parts from getting stuck in constructions so are positioned greater than 20mm apart but not greater than 100mm, preventing trap points for fingers but restricting heads.

ASSEMBLY

Caledonia Play’s modular, add-on design and interchangeable swing accessories allow our play structures to grow with your children. All play structures are delivered un-assembled with assembly instructions and illustrations to assist you. We would advise that equipment is assembled by a minimum of 2 adults. We do offer an assembly service and are happy to quote for this.

WAXED WOOD

All wood has been waxed, making our play structures water resistant and more durable in all kinds of weather. Wood is an organic material and each piece of timber is unique bearing its own knots, cracks and variations in colour. This is part of its beauty. However, as a natural organic material, it will change over time, as it reacts to variations in atmospheric conditions. Softwood will expand and contract with fluctuations in temperature and humidity. In warm, sunny weather timber will shrink. In wet weather it will expand. As these physical changes do not take place uniformly throughout the wood, stresses are set up which result in cracks and splits opening up. These cracks can be both wide and deep and are more likely in round wood than square wood, although they will occur in both.

ROUND WOOD

Round timbers from smaller trees contain heartwood surrounded by sapwood. They are subject to significant cracking and this can sometimes seem alarming. Our timber products are designed to ensure that this has no effect on their structural integrity. However as a result of this characteristic, you should be prepared to check your timber play equipment so as to identify any splintering or lifting of the surface layers of the wood. Any affected areas can be rubbed down using coarse sandpaper to restore a smooth, safe surface.

PRODUCT WARRANTY

All garden products are sold with a one year warranty. There is also a one year guarantee against manufacturing faults. There is an extended warranty of seven years against rotting timber and damage by insects. Proof of purchase must be provided by you. Please see our on-line Terms and Conditions for full details and further Legal Notices for more information.

For more garden play equipment technical information please email gardenplay@caledoniaplay.com.