Rustic FAQs

Rustic playsets, like all CedarWorks outdoor playsets, are made exclusively from Northern White Cedar. This is the only wood species that meets our discriminating requirements for strength, long life, and no splinters without added chemicals.

According to the National Forest Service, Northern White Cedar is classified as "highly decay resistant" and will last up to 20 years untreated. This is longer than any other natural wood species used in playsets. For more information, visit ourBetter Cedar page.

No. Visit our Better Cedar and Cedar in CedarWorks pages for more information

No. Northern White Cedar is the only wood used in playsets that is naturally splinter-free. For more information, visit ourBetter Cedar page.

Every 4x4, 4x6, and round log in a CedarWorks playset has the heartwood of a tree at its center, and that's the source of its remarkable strength. The sapwood around the heartwood dries more quickly than the heartwood and sometimes undergoes a process called "checking". This does not affect the structural integrity of your playset. For more information, see ourThe Process of Checking page.

Northern White Cedar is the only wood used in playsets that is long lasting and splinter-free without chemical treatments, paints or stains. All other wood species used in playsets (including redwood, cypress, other species of cedar, and inexpensive pseudo-cedars imported from overseas) require some form of chemical treatment to increase longevity, prevent splinters, and/or color match various species used in the same playset. For more information, visit our Better Cedar

Depending on the model, it should take anywhere from a few hours to a full day for two adults with common household tools. This is less than half the time required for similar sized playsets sold at big box stores. That's because we pre-assemble the major components such as fences, platforms, roofs, ramps, climbing walls and the like while the big box products come in individual boards which need to be installed one at a time.

Yes. Just ask and we can provide the name of an experienced playset assembly service provider near you. (U.S. only excluding Alaska) Or, if you have a favorite handyman, a Rustic playset assembly would be a simple project.

Yes. In fact, every Rustic playset we sell is custom configured. While many playsets are similar to the examples on our website, others are completely unique configurations designed to fit the exact needs and wishes of a specific family.

In general, no. You can, however, add any of the standard two rope swings from the Classic or Architectural line. These include the kid swing, poly swing, or sling swing. If you have questions please feel free to call one of our Design Experts and they would be happy to assist.

The swing area weight limits are 200 lbs. for a single user and a 320 lb. maximum load for all three swing positions when used simultaneously. The play deck weight limit is 250 lbs. for a single user and 1,000 lbs maximum total load.

We like to say that Rustic beats the competition fair and not-so-square. Here's why:

• Modular design: Rustic Playsets use a modular design that allows them to be custom configured, so you can choose or design just about any configuration you want to get the perfect playset for your yard and your family.
• Better wood: 100% Splinter-free, chemical-free, long-lasting Northern White Cedar. No pseudo-cedar imported from overseas and no short-lived species such as pine, spruce, fir, or hemlock.
• Bigger wood: Rustic's round wood vertical posts are larger than competitors 4x4's, and the horizontal rails are larger than their 2x4's.
• Mortise-and-tenon construction: The wood bears the weight, not the fasteners, so you get a stronger, more durable structure.
• Easy to assemble: No sawing, no drilling, and no measuring. Rustic's pre-assembled components mean 50% fewer parts than the big box playsets, and less than half the time to assemble.
• Better Warranty: Longer than most big box playsets with no pro-rating and no run-arounds.
• Customer service experts: CedarWorks customer service experts are just a phone call away.
• Made here: All Rustic wood parts are made by us here in Maine or at select family owned saw mills in Maine and Canada.

Check out Preparing your yard for your swingset in Swing Sets 101 for a list of different types of ground surfacing and what might work for your yard.

Please visit Space requirements in Swing Sets 101 for a great explanation of how much space you will need around your set, or call one of our Design Experts at (800) 462-3327 to discuss your questions about space and fit for your yard.

Please see the "Delivery" section on our Service and Support page for information on shipping and delivery times.