When you first had your swing set installed, it looked absolutely fantastic. The kids were going to enjoy it, their friends would come over and enjoy it too, and your backyard would be the center of entertainment for years to come.
And then time passed, the swing set got older, and eventually the kids stopped playing on it.
No, not because they outgrew it or got too old ñ nobody is ever too old to play on a swing set ñ but rather that they decided it no longer looked appealing.
Many swing sets have chains or rods that connect the seat to the frame. As time passes the constant exposure to weather and the elements work to corrode and damage these metal pieces, and eventually the swing set starts to look like an extra from a horror movie.
In most case, this is just a matter of appearance. The chains or rods are structurally perfectly sound, but may look awful. They also have a tendency to stain clothes and hands an orange or brown color, as the rust is easily transferred from the metal to another material.
If only there were a simple way to fix it without having to invest in a new setÖ
Enter the Pool Noodle
No, itís not a parody of a famous martial arts film, but rather a suggestion on how to solve the problem. Pool noodles are an expanded foam product that were originally designed to be used in construction. When a family that owned a business that manufactured these foam tubes were messing around in their backyard swimming pool, theyíd often grab some of them to play with.
Realizing they might make a great pool toy, they set about selling them to toy shops. The idea eventually took off (although nobody is quite sure what you are really meant to use a pool noodle for) and pool noodles became ubiquitous.
The role of the foam tubes in the construction industry was to protect and seal joints, and similarly they can be used to protect rusting metal from the outside world ñ or rather, to protect little hands and clothes from rust.
Simply cut a hollow pool noodle to the right length, slice it down one side if it is sealed unit, and slide it over the offending rusted chain or rod. Repeat on the other side, and thatís it ñ your swing set looks as good as new and nobody will get covered in rust.
And then time passed, the swing set got older, and eventually the kids stopped playing on it.
No, not because they outgrew it or got too old ñ nobody is ever too old to play on a swing set ñ but rather that they decided it no longer looked appealing.
Many swing sets have chains or rods that connect the seat to the frame. As time passes the constant exposure to weather and the elements work to corrode and damage these metal pieces, and eventually the swing set starts to look like an extra from a horror movie.
In most case, this is just a matter of appearance. The chains or rods are structurally perfectly sound, but may look awful. They also have a tendency to stain clothes and hands an orange or brown color, as the rust is easily transferred from the metal to another material.
If only there were a simple way to fix it without having to invest in a new setÖ
Enter the Pool Noodle
No, itís not a parody of a famous martial arts film, but rather a suggestion on how to solve the problem. Pool noodles are an expanded foam product that were originally designed to be used in construction. When a family that owned a business that manufactured these foam tubes were messing around in their backyard swimming pool, theyíd often grab some of them to play with.
Realizing they might make a great pool toy, they set about selling them to toy shops. The idea eventually took off (although nobody is quite sure what you are really meant to use a pool noodle for) and pool noodles became ubiquitous.
The role of the foam tubes in the construction industry was to protect and seal joints, and similarly they can be used to protect rusting metal from the outside world ñ or rather, to protect little hands and clothes from rust.
Simply cut a hollow pool noodle to the right length, slice it down one side if it is sealed unit, and slide it over the offending rusted chain or rod. Repeat on the other side, and thatís it ñ your swing set looks as good as new and nobody will get covered in rust.
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