As playground equipment ages, it can start to show signs of wear and tear. Colors fade, plastic cracks, metal rusts, and your playground may not have the same appeal it once did. If you’ve also noticed decreased traffic on your playground, you may think it’s time to tear it down.

However, there’s a new way to refresh and repair your playground to maintain its safety and improve its visual appeal. Playground Guardian’s RENEW program offers a playground “facelift” that breathes new life into your worn and weathered equipment – while offering significant cost savings over building a new playground.

Signs Your Playground Needs a Facelift

As playground equipment ages, it can show signs of wear and tear as well as other less obvious issues. Here are some of the signs your equipment may be in need of a playground facelift:

  • Fading paint or plastic
  • Graffiti or other visual damage
  • Cracking or denting plastic
  • Rust
  • Broken or missing hardware
  • Uneven or damaged playground surfacing
  • Decreased traffic on your playground

Some of these symptoms are legitimate safety concerns while others are mostly aesthetic. Nevertheless, they all cause families to abandon their normal playground and look for one that appears newer and safer.

If you’re not sure if your playground is salvageable or if a playground facelift is right for you, contact us for a free consultation. Our experts can provide you with a custom quote based on the current state of your playground equipment and surfacing.

The Benefits of a Playground Facelift

If your playground is old or damaged, you may have considered tearing it down and building a completely new playground. However, there are a few drawbacks you may have discovered in the process.

Building a New Playground vs. Restoring Your Existing Equipment

First, building an entirely new playground can be incredibly expensive. This is especially true if parts of your playground are in working order and just need a visual update or minor repair.

Next, building a new playground is a time-intensive process. This means you’ll need to close your playground while the old equipment is torn down and the new equipment is designed, ordered, manufactured and installed.

Finally, tearing down a playground that is still usable can be wasteful. If your school, church, HOA, or organization is environmentally conscious, building a new playground may not be the best choice for you.

Opting to renew your playground with a playground facelift is cost-effective, fast, and prevents unnecessary waste from ending up in the landfill. Our RENEW playground restoration process reconditions your playground surfaces and equipment for a fraction of the cost of buying new equipment.

A dirty, enclosed playground slide that needs a deep cleaningWhat Does a Playground Facelift Involve?

We saw playground managers all over the country struggling with what to do with their old or damaged playground, so we created a playground restoration program called RENEW. RENEW offers a way to get your playground back in working order at a far lower cost than building a new playground.

Our team of certified playground safety inspectors (CPSIs) will assess the current state of your playground equipment and surfacing. Then they’ll develop a plan to refinish, refurbish, and repair your existing assets.

What Does RENEW Include?

One of the best things about RENEW is that it is completely customizable to your needs. Whether your playground needs a new coat of paint or a major overhaul, our experts are here to help. Some of the services RENEW offers include:

  • Repainting chipped, faded, or graffitied equipment
  • Replacing cracked or faded plastic elements like slides
  • Refinishing rusted metal surfaces
  • Replacing hardware
  • Repairing or updating playground surfacing
  • Recoating decking and rubber surfaces
  • Power washing and cleaning of playground equipment and surfaces

Not only will a playground facelift improve the visual appeal of your playground, but our CPSIs will also ensure that your equipment is up to code and will pass safety inspections.

Before and after with playground facelift. Playground platforms are painted and restored.

Get Proven Results With RENEW

We started our playground RENEW process to help playground managers maintain safer, more usable playgrounds for the children who use them. We work efficiently so that your playground doesn’t have to be closed for a significant period of time.

“The Playground Guardian team was phenomenal to work with! They were very flexible with our schedule and were all incredibly understanding that getting the playground reopened quickly was a top priority. The crew worked diligently against some unfavorable weather and finished right on schedule, allowing us to reopen our playground within the dates we had announced,” said Alana Delaney, the Parks Manager of Delaware State Parks.

“The work was exceptional and the team didn’t leave a drop of material out of place…they were engaged with our visitors and were happy to explain the work they were doing and provide information to anyone who stopped by.”

At the end of the day, results like these are why we love what we do. It's why we’ve dedicated ourselves to keeping playgrounds safe and fun for over 50 years. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Playground Guardian’s RENEW services or want to schedule a free consultation, don’t hesitate to contact us!