Choosing Materials Based on Climate: What Works Best Where You Are

By Nic Breedlove

At PlaygroundEquipment.com, we don’t just build playgrounds—we engineer spaces designed for long-term performance, safety, and maximum fun tailored specifically to your environment. Climate is more than just a backdrop; it's a crucial factor that can dramatically affect the lifespan, safety, and usability of your playground equipment. Whether you're envisioning a bustling community park, vibrant school play area, or robust commercial playground, selecting materials suited to your local climate is key.

Here's your definitive guide to picking playground materials that excel in your region's climate conditions.

Cold Climates: Battling Harsh Winters

Freezing temperatures, ice, and snow can quickly degrade materials if you're not careful. Materials must resist cracking, corrosion, and wear from relentless freeze-thaw cycles.

Top Material Choices:

• Galvanized Steel: Exceptionally rust-resistant and structurally resilient in freezing temperatures. Enhanced durability through powder coating.
• Recycled Plastic: Resistant to moisture-related rot and splintering, ensuring safety and durability year-round.
• High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE): Maintains flexibility and strength, with UV-stabilized varieties preserving color and integrity.

Materials to Avoid: Unsealed wood or untreated metal. Water intrusion followed by freezing can cause severe structural damage.

Cold Climate Tip: Always choose stainless steel hardware. Salt used in clearing ice speeds up corrosion of standard metal components.

Hot & Sunny Climates: Beating the Heat

Sun exposure and high UV levels pose serious risks like overheating surfaces and accelerated degradation.

Best Picks for Heat Resistance:

• Rotomolded Plastic: Designed to stay cooler to the touch and UV-resistant to prevent cracking or color loss.
• HDPE Panels: Built-in UV inhibitors keep colors bright and surfaces safe.
• Powder-Coated Metal: If you opt for metal, powder coating is essential—it adds UV protection and reduces heat absorption.

Avoid: Bare metal surfaces. Not only do they absorb heat dangerously quickly, but they also pose a burn risk to children.

Sun-Proofing Tip: Opt for light-colored equipment and incorporate shade structures to naturally reduce temperatures and prolong material life.

Wet Climates: Handling Rain, Humidity & Mold

High-moisture environments demand exceptional water resistance to prevent mold, mildew, and structural decay.

Go-To Materials for Wet Conditions:

• Triple-Coated Steel: Advanced corrosion protection ensures longevity even in tropical rains.
• Recycled Plastic Lumber: Completely resistant to moisture damage, rot, and mold, requiring minimal maintenance.
• PVC-Coated Steel Decking: Provides excellent traction even when wet and prevents corrosion.

Avoid: Wood, unless it’s pressure-treated and sealed properly (and even then, maintenance will be constant).

Pro Maintenance Hack: Use drainage-enhanced surfaces like poured-in-place rubber or engineered wood fiber to eliminate water pooling and inhibit mold growth.

Windy & Stormy Climates: Standing Firm

If you're in a region prone to hurricanes, high winds, or severe storms, structural integrity is the name of the game. Your playground equipment must be securely anchored and resist flexing or breaking under pressure.

Materials That Hold Their Ground:

• Heavy-Gauge Steel: Designed to withstand intense wind loads and ground movement.
• Concrete-Footed Anchors: Use with steel equipment for extra wind resistance.
• Flexible Connections: Some plastic components with flexible joints can absorb shock without snapping.

Avoid: Lightweight materials that could detach or become airborne projectiles, like loosely attached panels or cheap vinyl.

Design Tip: Choose low-profile designs and reinforce taller structures to minimize wind resistance and ensure stability.

Desert & Arid Climates: Thriving in Dry Heat

Dry climates present challenges like intense UV exposure, dust abrasion, and extreme temperature swings.

Desert-Durable Materials:

• Powder-Coated Aluminum: Lighter than steel but with excellent resistance to dry heat and corrosion.
• UV-Stabilized Plastics: Minimize cracking and fading in relentless sun.
• Composite Decking: Resists splitting and warping better than wood in extremely dry conditions.

Avoid: Natural wood or dark-colored plastics. They fade, crack, and absorb way too much heat.

Smart Solution: Install shade sails or canopies not only for comfort but to significantly extend the lifespan of equipment.

Surfacing Matters: Match It to Your Climate

Beyond the play structures themselves, surfacing materials also need to match your climate.

Surfacing Recommendations by Climate:

• Cold Climates: Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) handles freeze-thaw cycles better than poured rubber.
• Wet Climates: Synthetic turf with drainage underlay or bonded rubber mulch provides superior water management.
• Hot Climates: Use reflective, lighter-colored rubber tiles or artificial grass to reduce heat retention.
• Windy Areas: Opt for interlocking tiles or poured-in-place rubber to prevent displacement.

See How We Bring It All Together

Want to see how PlaygroundEquipment.com designs playgrounds that thrive in all climates? Watch this behind-the-scenes video to explore how we choose and assemble materials—from UV-stabilized plastics to weather-ready coatings—to build safe, long-lasting equipment tailored to your environment.

One Climate Doesn’t Fit All

Materials matter significantly when designing playgrounds that last. A playground thriving in Minnesota’s snow will falter in Florida’s humidity. Equipment resilient in Arizona’s dry heat may fail in coastal storm zones. PlaygroundEquipment.com delivers customized, climate-smart solutions designed specifically to meet your local conditions and challenges.

Ready to create a playground that withstands the test of time and weather?

Contact us today, and let’s build something extraordinary, durable, and safe, tailored precisely to your location.

More Expert Resources for Building Climate-Smart Playgrounds

1. Best Materials for Durable Outdoor Playground Sets for Kids
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/best-materials-for-durable-outdoor-playground-sets-for-kids/ 
2. Plastic Playgrounds: Making Eco‑Friendly Choices with Your Kids
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/making-eco-friendly-choices-with-your-kids/ 
3. What Materials Are Used To Make Commercial Swing Sets?
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/what-materials-are-used-to-make-commercial-swing-sets/ 
4. Arizona (Phoenix) Playground Equipment
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/arizona-playground-equipment/ 
5. A Guide to Homemade, Rubber, and Natural Mulch for Use on the Playground
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/a-guide-to-homemade-natural-and-rubber-mulch/ 
6. High-Quality Playground and Park Equipment for Hawaii's Communities
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/hawaii-playground-equipment/ 

Further Reading & Resources

1. Standard Specification for Determination of Accessibility of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment
   https://store.astm.org/f1951-21.html 
2. IPEMA
   https://ipema.org/  
3. Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use
   https://store.astm.org/f1487-21.html 
4. Guide to the ADA Accessibility Standards
   https://www.access-board.gov/ada/guides/chapter-10-play-areas/  
5. U.S. Access Board. (n.d.). ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Play Areas
   https://www.access-board.gov/ada/guides/chapter-10-play-areas/ 
6. United States Department of Justice (2010). 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
   https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAstandards.htm
7. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (2010). Public playground safety handbook
   https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/325.pdf