How to Build a Seesaw
Seesaws are one of the simplest playground equipments. It is actually a lever with an axle set on the middle so that two riders can move alternately up and down. The weight of the rider at one side of the lever lifts the rider at the other end. A simple kick of the legs moves the balance of the lever.
Materials Needed
- U-clamps
- Post anchors
- Staples
- Cover material
- Padding
- Water
- Cement and sand
- Bolts and screws
- 10+’ metal perforated strap
- Metal u-frame
- Metal tubing
Tools Needed
- Pencil and paper
- Tape measure
- Level
- Staple gun
- Hammer
- Shovel
- Metal drill and bits
- Wood drill and bits
Steps to Build a Seesaw
- Lay the foundation for the seesaw. Find a level space in your area and lay out the seesaw’s length. Determine where the middle is. This is where you will set the two foundation holes. These holes should be 1 foot wide and 4 feet deep. Place concrete tubes in the holes. The tubes’ bottom ends should be at least 3 feet below the ground’s surface. Next, attach the anchor for the vertical supports.
- Set the posts. You can either use a 1-piece u-post system made out of metal, or two posts connected by a pipe. Attach your posts to the foundation.
- If you have chosen wood for your lever, place a metal strip at the underside of the stock. This will provide additional support for the lever.
- Drill holes for the seats in both ends. Find all of the bolt holes and screw holes for the seats and counter-sink them. You can also attach a cross support to make the seat attachments more sturdy.
- Take the u-clamp and use it to attach the lever to the foundation.
- Attach the padding to the two areas designated for the seats. To cover the padding, you can take two square pieces of vinyl and staple them over the padding of each seat.
- Create a hole in the lever arm around 18-24” from the lever’s end. Then create a hole in a 1x2” stock. Screw the vertical shaft to the horizontal lever. Place a cross member onto the vertical beam to serve as the handle.