Red Cedar & Redwood
Red Cedar and Redwood are well-known for their unique characteristics. Both woods top the list of softwood species as ranked by the United States Department of Agriculture for their durability, dimensional stability, strength relative to weight, finish holding ability, lack of pitch or resin, little or no warping, good fastener holding ability, easy workability and beauty.

Red Cedar and Redwood contain natural extractives that give them their rich color and make them resistant to insect attack and decay. When left to weather, both eventually turn to various shades of gray, anywhere from light silver to dark charcoal. No toxic chemical treatment is needed for these woods and they are naturally durable.

Both woods are more dimensionally stable than other softwood species. They shrink and swell less and are less likely to sliver, twist, or warp. Since they are so dimensionally stable, the fasteners that hold them together also stay tighter.

Red Cedar and Redwood are relatively light yet strong for their weight. Although this makes them easier to handle and assemble, they will provide all the strength you'll need for the small army of neighborhood kids that will undoubtedly find their way to your yard. Because there is little to no pitch or resin in the trees, little hands won't get sticky from contact with these woods.

Because the microscopic cell structure of both Red Cedar and Redwood is more open, it is better able to absorb applied finishes than other species. Because of this, if you apply a stained finish on your play system, it will last longer on these woods than others.

Environmentally speaking, America's forests represent our greatest renewable resource. More Redwood trees are grown along the coast of northern California than are harvested each year. Millions of seedlings are planted and grown in order to replace the trees that are harvested. New Redwoods can even grow from stumps and climb to a harvestable size of 30 inches in diameter and 150 feet in height in as short a time as 60 to 80 years. This makes Redwood our fastest growing commercially harvested softwood. Harvestable Red Cedar grows in an area from central California north to British Columbia and east to Montana. While it grows in mixed forests with other species, it represents about 15 to 20% of the stands in which it grows.

Since harvested forests of Red Cedar and Redwood grow in such a wide area and are so well managed with "Sustained Yield Forest Management" programs, production levels of these woods are expected to be about the same for the next 100 years.

Healthy forests do more for the environment than just provide lumber for play systems. They also produce oxygen, cleaner air and are places of recreational enjoyment. When the trees reach maturity, they are harvested and replanted -- turning the cycle of renewal once again.