Playhouse & Outback Common Options : Slides, Swingbeams, Rock Climbing Walls, Monkeybars, Skybox, Rope Ladder
COMMON PLAYSET OPTIONS
Common playset options are options available on both Playhouse and Outback models.
SLIDES
Slides can be bumpy, smooth, fast, slow, curved, open-air or enclosed. All are available at MeubleA. In addition to natural use as a slide, slides are also a challenging climbing activity.
WAVE SLIDE 10’
Wave Slide 10’. A wavey bumpy ride, the 10’ Wave Slide is the standard slide for 5’ decks. 5-year limited warranty. Weight limit 150 lbs (68 kg).
ALPINE SLIDE 11’
Alpine Slide 11’. A fast banana scoop ride, the Alpine is materially more durable than the 10’ Wave Slide. The Alpine Slide sides are grooved to allow kids to grip and climb up the slide. No weight restriction on the Alpine, so teenagers can pound on it and smaller children can ride adult laps. Limited lifetime warranty.
SUPER SLIDE 12’
Super Slides 10’, 12’, and 14’. Straight and fast. Commercial grade. No weight restriction. Limited lifetime warranty.
WAVEY SUPER SLIDE 12’
Super waver and super bumpy. Only available in 12’ for 6’ deck heights. Commercial grade. No weight restriction. Limited lifetime warranty.
OPEN SPIRAL SLIDES
Open Spiral 6′
Open Spiral 5′
Open Spiral Slide. Slower than the other slides. Deck height 5’ – a three-quarter spiral turn (270 degrees). Deck height 6’ – a full-circle spiral turn (360 degrees). Limited lifetime warranty.
SPIRAL TUBE SLIDE
Tube Slides. The enclosed walls and twists and turns are a quite different experience than any open-air slide. Straight, 90-degree turn, full-circle spiral turn (360 degrees), a Spider and a Squiggle. Limited lifetime warranty.
SWINGBEAMS
Until you’re old and bold enough to go skydiving or hang-gliding, the rush of swinging is the closest that any child, teenager or adult can come to flying. The thrill is beyond words. But not all families need swings, not all kids like swings; at MeubleA, swings are optional.
SWINGBEAMS SUPPORTED BY AN A-FRAME
A swingbeam supported by an A-Frame may be attached to the playset. Woodplay A-Frames are solid and well-designed; there is no weight restriction on Woodplay swings hanging from a swingbeam supported by an A-frame.
Since the swingbeam is bolted to the fence-rail, deck height determines the standard swingbeam height for each playset. Swingbeam heights are:
- 5’ deck – 8’ swingbeam height
- 6’ deck – 9’ swingbeam height
- 7’ deck – 10’ swingbeam height
Swing-arc (i.e., the full motion of the swing in action) increases with height. According to some children, swing fun increases with swing-arc.
A swingbeam with an A-Frame may have 1, 2, 3 or 4 swings. The 2-position swingbeam extends 9’ from the playset, the 3-position swingbeam is 11.5’ long, and the 4-position swingbeam is 14’ long.
SPACE SAVER SWINGBEAM
Not all yards have the space required to accommodate extended 4×6 wooden swingbeams supported by an A-Frame. If you want swings but prefer that they occupy less space on your playground area, the 4×6 “Space Saver Swingbeam” might be the solution. Instead of extending from the playset to be supported by an A-Frame, the Space Saver Swingbeam is bolted directly to the playset’s main posts (see image). A Space Saver Swingbeam can have 1 or 2 swings, and extends 3.5’ from the playset for each swing. Although the Space Saver Swingbeam is solidly bolted to the playset (1/2” bolts), it has no A-Frame and therefore does not accommodate teenagers or adults.
INDEPENDENT FREE-STANDING SWINGSET
An independent free-standing swingset, the “Jungle Swinger” is a stand-alone swingset that is not attached to a playset. With A-Frame legs 12’ apart and the same solid 4”x6” swingbeam as all Woodplay playsets, there is no weight restriction on the Jungle Swinger.
Also, you might prefer to have your swings in a different area of the yard than the playset. This can be simply a matter of preference or because the available playset area in the backyard cannot accommodate an extended swingbeam with A-Frame. The Jungle Swinger is also perfect for a family that wants swings without a playset.
4″ X 4″ ACCESSORY ARM
The 4”x4” Accessory Arm is a neat, easy way to add a Trapeze with Rings or a Baby Bucket Swing. Since the wood dimensions of the 4”x4” Accessory Arm are smaller than the beefy 4”x6” lumber used for swingbeams, the 4”x4” Accessory Arm can only accommodate a Trapeze with Rings or a Baby Swing Bucket. On a Playhouse, the 4”x4” Accessory Arm may be positioned to extend from any corner of the playset – front, back, left side or right side. On an Outback, the 4”x4” Accessory Arm can only extend towards the front or the back of the playset. If the Outback has a swingbeam in the back, then the 4”x4” Accessory Arm goes in front.
XL DECK
With the “XL Deck” option, the playset deck length is extended to 8’; the deck surface becomes 5’ x 8’. Playhouse and Outback models with an extended deck option are called “Playhouse XL” and “Outback XL”. The first benefit of an extended 5’ x 8’ deck is, of course, that the increased on-deck floor space creates more play space. The larger play space also accommodates more users, especially valuable during backyard birthday parties, barbeques, playdates, and other backyard events.
The XL Deck Option on a Playhouse (i.e., a Playhouse XL) adds two new fence sections where additional activities may be placed, such as a firepole, ramp, second slide, etc.
Although the benefit of a larger deck area equally applies to the Outback XL, the extended deck does not result in the opportunity to add options (due to the Outback’s unique design).
ROCK CLIMBING WALL
One of the two inclined ladders leading to the Outback deck is a Rock Climbing Wall. On the Playhouse, the Rock Climbing Wall is optional.
The Rock Climbing Wall demands more concentration from users than any other activity station on the playset; rock climbing is not as simple as it looks. After taking a position on the Climbing Wall, your child must learn to assess the next step – transitioning all four limbs to four new rocks without slipping. Rock climbing requires steady concentration, combines fine-motor hand-eye coordination with hand-grip strength development, and the discipline to climb to the top. On the Playhouse, as the kids grow older, the inclined Rock Climbing Wall may be converted to a vertical (straight up) Climbing Wall to increase the challenge. The Rock Climbing Wall is a perennial favourite.
MONKEYBARS
Swinging from green bar to green bar on a set of monkeybars is as old and pre-historic as swinging from branch to branch. Hence the name: “Monkeybars”.
Monkeybars are a physical challenge that children “grow into”. Until 6-7 years old, most kids need help using the monkeybars. After that, kids and teenagers are usually able to climb back and forth without help. Unless they had monkeybars in their backyard growing up, the challenge of monkeybars is beyond most adults.
Woodplay monkeybars are made with beefy 4”x6” lumber. The ladder on the way up to the bars features big smooth 2”x8” steps. Safety rails of various lengths may be added to the ladder on the way up to the bars.
SKYBOX
Why is a small space high up so exciting? In terms of play value, the Skybox is what you wish and imagine. The Skybox is a spaceship, a boat, a lookout tower; it’s the next level up in the Playhouse or Outback playset treehouse!
The Skybox needs structural support in order to stay 7’-9’ above ground. Unlike real spaceships, the Skybox needs to be solidly secured to a Playhouse or Outback. There are two ways:
- The Skybox may be placed on top of Monkeybars.
- A wooden stand is constructed to support the Skybox.
This is called the Skybox Stand-Alone option.
At this year’s 2022 pricing, the Skybox Stand-Alone option is 489$. Monkeybars are 800$ and remain perfectly functional for use as Monkeybars even with a Skybox on top. If you have decided to get a Skybox, then your choice of Monkeybars is only about 300$ more than the cheaper Skybox Stand-Alone support option (current 2022 prices; subject to change). This is worth keeping in mind.
The Skybox height of 7’-9’ accommodates various Tube Slides and the 14’ Superslide.
ROPE LADDER
The Rope Ladder is a shaky unstable ladder that leads to the top of the ladder; it is not a way to climb directly into the playset. Older kids will find a way to climb from the Rope Ladder to the playset deck. Younger kids will learn to climb down.