What Can I Do With Old Playground Equipment?

You can enrich your children’s lives and encourage physical activity with playground equipment. However, your children will naturally outgrow the playground, and you may want to get rid of the equipment. You’re not alone if you’re at a loss for what to do with old playground equipment. 

To get rid of old playground equipment, refer to the manual, safely dismantle it, and recycle the recyclable materials. You can also take the playground apart and sell or donate it if it’s in relatively good condition. However, it’s worth hiring a professional service if you lost the manual and aren’t comfortable with taking the playset apart. 

Keep in mind that taking playground equipment apart can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. That’s why you must start small and take it apart one piece at a time. Follow along as we explore what to do with old playground equipment. 

How To Get Rid Of Playground Equipment

You can’t simply leave old playground equipment on the curb for a waste management service to pick up. However, you have many options to get rid of old playground equipment, such as:

1. Figure Out What Condition It’s In

You can’t safely get rid of playground equipment until you know what condition it’s in. For example, the last thing you want to do is cut your hand on a protruding screw or large splinter. Walk around your playground equipment and check for screws and nails sticking out. 

Assess the wood (if it has wooden components) and check for large splinters. It’s also important to check to see if the upper levels of the equipment are missing screws. If so, the upper level may not support an adult’s weight, which makes it dangerous to climb. 

2. Start Small

Your best bet is to start small and work section by section. Refer to the manual that came with the playground equipment, as it should highlight the installation and removal protocol. You should be able to find a PDF file of the manual online if you lost the physical copy. 

Ideally, you should wear gloves and goggles to protect your hands and eyes, respectively. The manual will likely recommend that you start with lower-level screws and remove the attachments. Follow the instructions and remove each attachment piece by piece. 

Don’t get ahead of yourself, as you may accidentally weaken the upper level by removing structural screws and fittings. Otherwise, you can’t safely dismantle the upper level and platforms. Keep track of all the screws, fittings, and components in case you plan to sell it. 

3. Condense The Frame

Playgrounds typically have frames that hold them together. After removing the attachments and screws, you can condense the frame into smaller pieces. Playground frames are typically made of wood or metal and are coated with plastic. 

Don’t worry about removing the plastic coating unless it’s necessary for dismantling the frame. You can also try to remove the plastic coating if you plan to recycle it. Break the frame down into small pieces, so it’s easier to recycle, sell, or discard. 

4. Sell It

Did you do a great job dismantling your gym equipment? If so, you can likely sell it to recoup some of the costs, since you shouldn’t try to sell the playground for what you initially paid for it. 

Playground equipment can quickly degrade over time because of exposure to the elements. UV rays from sunlight, temperature fluctuations, rain, and humidity can break down the materials from which the equipment is made. Look online to see how much people sell their old playground equipment for.

You will likely have a hard time selling the equipment for more than it’s worth. That’s especially true if it’s weathered, rusty, and sun-bleached. Keep in mind that shipping playground equipment is expensive, so you must have the buyer cover shipping costs. 

5. Recycle It

Playgrounds often contain recyclable materials like plastic, wood, and metal. That’s why it’s better to recycle the old equipment than dump it in a landfill. After all, the materials won’t degrade in a landfill during your lifetime or anytime soon. 

Recycling playground equipment is quite easy, especially if you live near a recycling center. However, it’s important to call the recycling center before you drop off the materials. They may not accept all of the pieces or may have specific instructions. 

For example, they may require you to break the playground equipment down into smaller pieces. In some cases, recycling centers may pay you for the recyclable materials you bring in. 

6. Donate It

Think of how many families, organizations, and schools can benefit from second-hand playground equipment. Granted, you aren’t doing anyone a favor if you donate a rusty, worn playground set. However, you can help a family or school out if you donate an old playground set that’s in good shape. 

Don’t worry about minor cosmetic damage, such as faded paint, as UV radiation damage is unavoidable. Call local schools and organizations and see if they could use some older, used playground equipment. Keep in mind that they may not be equipped to assemble it without help.

In that case, you must provide a physical copy of the instructions, or send them the digital manual. However, you aren’t obligated to install it for them if you’re unable to. You can always recommend a local service. Donation is a great option if your children are grown and don’t use the playground anymore. 

7. Enlist Professional Help

Many homeowners hire professional help to install their playground equipment. After all, it is relatively difficult, and installing it correctly is essential for safety purposes. Dismantling playground equipment is equally challenging, so it’s worth hiring professionals to help. 

That’s especially true if the equipment is old and coming apart. Professionals know how to do it in a way that minimizes exposure to sharp pieces, splinters, and dangerous materials. You can typically hire a small crew from a store that sells, installs, and maintains playground equipment.

Otherwise, you can call a junk removal service to remove your playground equipment. However, they may not agree to dismantle it for you completely. Find out what they’re willing to do, as they may make you dismantle it and they’ll simply collect the pieces from you, but it depends. 

Can You Leave A Playground When Selling A House?

You can leave a playground when selling a house, but not all buyers will appreciate it. Some prospective buyers may request that you dismantle the playset before buying the house. However, other buyers may jump at the opportunity to buy a house with a playground in the yard. 

However, it’s hard to justify raising the asking price just because you have a playground on your property. After all, the playground will only appeal to a small pool of buyers with children at the right age who can use it. Prepare yourself to potentially dismantle and dispose of the playground if a buyer requests it. 

Summing It Up

The best way to get rid of old playground equipment is to dismantle it and bring the recyclable materials to a recycling center. You can also dismantle the playground and sell the parts to a private buyer. Otherwise, you can help someone out by donating your playground to a family or school.

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