high-grade steel
high-grade steel
building with the best
Why metal?
Summit Sensory Gym structures are constructed of durable, high-grade steel and finished with a special coating to eliminate rust damage. They are non-splintering and can be painted in a wide spectrum of colors. This grants the sensory gym owner complete freedom to design and redesign the aesthetics whenever they need to.
metal will outlast any competing element. For a commercial swing set, there’s no other choice.
A popular misconception is that metal playground swings and slides are more dangerous than other designs. This is categorically false. Metals are just as safe as wood or plastic when installed and maintained properly. Most metal surfaces are now applied with heat-coating to help regulate surface temperatures on hot days.
METAL PARTS
Even if the bulk of your sensory gym is wood or plastic, odds are you’re still employing key metal components somewhere. Mounts, hinges, clamps, and ladders are often metal, even when the surrounding structure is another material. Galvanized steel chains and hangers are also used with most swing sets, even if the core structure is wood or plastic. Other steel components on a sensory gym include platforms, perforated and coated in textured polyethylene for slip resistance.
COST & BENEFITS
Unlike some sensory gyms of the current & past, modern metal sensory gym structures provide a safe and durable option for therapy. Every year, as steel prices increase, unique engineering solutions will be required to proactively combat commercial sensory gym inflation. As of 2017, no affordable alternative provides the same support and durability as a metal sensory gym structure.
Metal vs wood
Developers with a commercial budget have been moving away from wood
Wood is far more susceptible to moisture & weather conditions, and will require regular maintenance inspections for splintering or decay. Even weather-seal wooden sensory gym sets are more vulnerable to natural variables than a typical metal sensory gym.
Wood has become popular, especially for residential use. This is mostly for aesthetics and ease of assembly. Developers with a commercial budget have been moving away from wood over the last few decades simply because metal or plastic are longer-term investments.
Metal vs Plastic
The heat risks of metal and plastic are very similar.
Contrary to what many believe, the heat risks of metal and plastic are very similar. Darker-colored plastics, especially, can generate exceptional heat when standing in direct sunlight.
Metal sensory gyms are also more resistant to vandalism than plastic, as steel structures are difficult to break or deface. The one venue where plastic beats metal is cost. No matter how you cut it, metal will cost more.
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