Category Archives: Play Sets and Accessories

 

A kid’s playground is their castle, their fortress, and anything else their mind can transform it into. It can also be a bit of an investment, with most playsets costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Of course, it’s an investment that nobody will really complain about since it delivers so much fun and stimulates physical activity in your child. With that in mind, protecting your playset with a little regular maintenance is always a good idea.

Among the different steps you’ll need to take, maintaining that playset canopy tarp cover is one that can’t be ignored.

A playset canopy tarp does a lot more than just add to the appearance of a play set. It helps provide a bit of shade for your kids, shields them from rain, and helps their imaginations flourish even more than they normally would.

But most canopy tarps that are included when you buy a playset are cheaply made, have a high reflective sheen to them, and will fall apart quickly.

Upgrading or replacing your child’s play set canopy tarp is one of the first things you’ll probably have to do when it comes to maintenance of the play set, and it’s a lot easier than you probably think.

There are a few things to keep in mind. There are usually two options when you’re shopping for a play set canopy tarp – stock or custom. Their names really say it all. A stock canopy tarp will be available in either green or blue and will be precut to one of several standard measurements.

Custom Canopy Tarp covers will be available in numerous colors and designs and can be cut to practically any size you need. Obviously the custom option is a better choice when you want a canopy tarp that will stand out, but the trade-off is that they’ll cost a little bit more and won’t be returnable – you’ll be stuck with what you order, so be sure to measure properly and decide on the perfect color the first time.

The other issue you’ll be faced with initially is what type of material you need to use. Vinyl is one of the more common choices and will resist inclement weather and last for some time. 

It usually has that high gloss look that many people don’t like, however, and will have a bit of a ‘cheaper’ appearance. Sunbrella Canopy Tarps are made of this type of canvas material that provides the same protection but looks much more professional and expensive. 

It repels water, shields against UV rays, and resists mold, mildew, and tears. Usually these are available in more color options than a vinyl cover and will also frequently have a longer lifespan. Once again, the trade-off is that the overall cost of the canvas options will be a little bit higher.

You get what you pay for, and that’s true when you shop for a play set canopy tarp.

Whether you need a replacement canopy tarp for one that has been damaged or you just want to get a new, better canopy tarp for your kids’ playground, it’s a lot easier and more affordable than most people realize to do so.

Just take a few minutes and review your options and you’ll likely find one that matches your needs. The right canopy tarp will last your kids for years to come and keep them enjoying their playground no matter what.

Are you on the quest for a Custom Swing Set Tarp but find yourself uncertain about the exact size you need? Fear not! Allow us to be your expert guide through this process, ensuring you procure precisely the swing set canopy you envision. Dive into our comprehensive custom canopy order form, meticulously crafted to lead you step by step toward your perfect tarp.

Embark on a Visual Journey: Our user-friendly form doesn’t just guide; it immerses you in a visual experience. Detailed diagrams accompany each step, making measurement comprehension a breeze. With our assistance, rest assured you’ll achieve a flawless fit for your swing set.

Connect with Us: Should questions linger or if you seek personalized guidance, our dedicated team is just a call away. We take pride in offering a seamless customer experience.

Unveiling the Options: MightyCovers.com showcases an array of swing set canopies, including Vinyl Tarps and Canopy Tops. These are meticulously crafted from heavy marine-grade vinyl, boasting standard fasteners such as brass grommets or stainless steel snaps. Whether you opt for our readily available stock sizes or prefer a tailor-made canopy top, our commitment to quality remains unwavering.

The Vinyl Advantage: Our marine-grade vinyl stands as a heavyweight 15oz. laminated material fortified with UV protection and mildew retardant properties. Recognized as the industry’s strongest and most durable, it thrives even in the face of harsh weather conditions.

Choosing Between Vinyl and Canvas: The material you select depends on your priorities. Vinyl, known for its robustness, excels in resisting mold and mildew. Conversely, high-quality canvas, exemplified by Sunbrella, offers water repellence, mold resistance, vibrant colors that don’t fade, and enhanced UV protection.

Fastening Considerations: Ponder over how you’ll secure the canopy to your play set structure. Whether it’s snaps or grommets, take note of the existing attachment method. Precise measurements ensure your new canopy aligns seamlessly with your structure.

Purchasing Prowess: Acquiring a replacement play set canopy demands preparation, and we’ve got you covered every step of the way. Define your requirements—size, color, material, custom versus stock, and fasteners—and with confidence, anticipate receiving the perfect product tailored to your needs. Elevate your playtime haven with MightyCovers.com, where quality meets customization for an unparalleled outdoor experience.”**

Sandbox Covers are a great way to protect your children from dirty and contaminated sand, but did you know that they might be REQUIRED in your state?

Most daycare and school centers must make sure that their sand is protected when not in use. Cats and other animals will often use sand as a litter box, making it extremely unsanitary.

Many states have taken action and set minimum requirements for all sandboxes. Most of these minimum requirements include a sandbox cover.

Check with your local officials and make sure that you are staying legal! We offer custom sandbox covers of any shape and size and several high quality materials.

Custom Covers are an important step in preventing cats and other animals from making your children’s play area their outdoor litter boxes.

Covers also help keep the sand clean and free of leaves, rocks, pine needles, grass, insects, and other debris. Once you remove your sandbox cover, the sandbox is ready for immediate use.

Make sure that when the kids are ready to play, you don’t have to check the sand for debris or clean it out before the fun can begin. Custom Sandbox covers make playtime in the sandbox fun, clean, and safe.

 

  Kids don’t need complicated, technologically advanced toys in order to tap into the powers of their creativity and imagination. All that’s needed to get kids’ creative juices flowing are open-ended basics that can be found easily and inexpensively. One popular example of this kind of toy is a sandbox. A big box or pit of sand and a few simple tools can keep kids occupied for hours. Making sure that the sandbox stays in good shape, though, is essential to ensuring that it remains a safe and healthy place to play. Unfortunately, the backyard sandbox is often overlooked when it comes to play area maintenance. Here are four quick and easy tips for maintaining your backyard sandbox: 1. Replace the sand. Over time, the sand in outdoor sand pits or sandboxes gets dirty and needs to be replaced. Generally speaking, replacing sand every year or two should be adequate, but more frequent changes may be necessary depending on how often children play in the box and whether a sandbox cover is used on a regular basis. Play sand, rather than building sand, is the best choice for children’s play areas because it is cleaner and free of materials, like clay, that may stain skin and clothing. 2. Inspect sand toys. Shovels, rakes, and other toys intended for sand play are not usually the sturdiest of tools. As a result, they don’t often last for more than a season or two. When sand toys or other tools used in the sandbox break, they can have sharp edges or pointy parts that can cause injuries. Before allowing kids to play in the sandbox this season, ensure that their sand toys are in good shape. Toss out any broken or worn out tools, and replace them with newer, sturdier varieties. 3. Check sand regularly. Don’t assume that the sandbox will stay in the same good shape throughout the spring and summer. Sharp sticks, rocks, and other debris find their way into play sand quite easily, and sand toys may not be able to withstand the stresses put upon them by children during active play. Checking the sand on a weekly basis allows you to remove any potentially harmful debris and broken toys. You may also find that replenishing the play sand during these check-ups is necessary, especially if kids have spent any time shoveling it out of the box. 4. Cover the sandbox. Sandbox covers are not used as widely or as often as they should be, but they are one of the easiest and most important ways to maintain a safe and healthy sandbox. When used properly, sandbox covers prevent excess debris, like leaves, sticks, and rocks, from falling into the sand and creating a potential danger to children. Sandbox covers also protect sand from blowing away in heavy winds, and they keep insects from making a home in the sand. Most importantly, sandbox covers prevent play sand from being contaminated by animals who like to use the sandbox as a bathroom. The key to using sandbox covers successfully, of course, is to use them regularly when children are not playing in the box. Use sandbox covers that are made to fit your sandbox. Tarps and other makeshift covers can be easily removed or dislodged by animals or strong winds, making them ineffective and unreliable. Overall, maintaining the backyard sandbox is an easy task that requires little time and few supplies. Keeping play areas healthy and safe for your kids will give you peace of mind, and will provide your kids and their imaginations with hours of good, clean, simple fun.  

 

Maintaining a backyard wooden play set means many things: tightening bolts, sanding and re-staining the wood after a few years of wear and tear, ensuring that any damaged components are removed and replaced. One of the most frequently overlooked features of wooden play sets is the canopy that is most often found providing shelter over the clubhouse portion of the equipment. A play set canopy can last many years, but over time and when harsh weather conditions come into play, it can become damaged and require replacement. When it’s time to replace your children’s playset canopy cover, consider choosing one that is constructed from a higher quality material so you can depend on it to last for many more years ahead.  A standard tarp from the hardware store is not recommended since the flimsy material cannot withstand constant exposure to the sun’s UV rays and harsh weather conditions. Higher quality canopy covers come in either vinyl or canvas. The material that you choose depends on what features are most important to you in a play set canopy. Vinyl is heavy duty, resists mold and mildew, and will stand up to harsh weather. The vinyl should be marine grade, which offers superior strength and durability. Alternatively, a play set canopy can be purchased in canvas. High quality canvas, such as that produced by Sunbrella, repels water, resists mold and mildew, and creates a drier environment underneath. Sunbrella canvas canopies are available in many more colors than vinyl, and they do not fade or lose their color over time. Additionally, they offer more protection than vinyl canopies from ultraviolet rays. While the cost of a Sunbrella play set canopy is higher, so is the quality.

 

You probably began the spring and summer right by preparing your kids’ sandbox for another season of play.  Have you taken a look at the sandbox since then?  Checking on the sandbox periodically through the summer is a task that can be easy to forget.  Summer activities keep us busy, and there’s not always a lot of leftover time to accomplish everything we wish we could. Now that I’ve placed the bug in your ear, take a moment today to check out the sandbox and make sure it’s still safe for the kids:

1. Inspect the Sand Toys — Look for any broken or otherwise damaged toys and toss them in the recycling bin or garbage can.  This is also a good time to look for any lost kitchen utensils or missing shoes.  I’m often surprised at what treasures I find buried in the sand.
2. Check the Sand — Rocks, sticks, broken bits of debris that may have blown into the sandbox can be hazardous and should be removed.  Take this opportunity, too, to top off the sandbox with fresh sand as the level has probably decreased since the beginning of the season.
3. Cover the Sandbox — One of the most essential tips for taking care of a sandbox is to keep it covered when it’s not in use.  Local animals love to use sandboxes as their own personal litter boxes.  Once the sand has been contaminated, it needs to be completely replaced for the health and safety of the kids who play there.  Sandbox covers also prevent sand from blowing out on windy days; they deter insects from making a home in the sand; and they keep sticks, leaves, and other debris from falling into the sand and creating potential hazards.

Looking for a new canopy for your children’s swing set? Choosing the correct swing set canopy can involve more than you realize. Below is a break down of the possible options that you will have. Researching and deciding exactly what you are looking for before purchasing will ensure that you get exactly what you are looking for!

• Canopy Dimensions – You will need to know what size canopy you need to order. Measure the length and width in inches and have that information handy. You will also need to know the square footage of the tarp that you need. In order to calculate square footage, use the following equation:  multiply length x width in inches, then divide that total by 144. This will help to quote a price for your tarp and provide the manufacturer with exact specifications.

• Stock vs. Custom – Many commercially produced swing sets will need a standard size tarp. For convenience, stock canopies are available in four industry standard sizes (below). These stock covers are more affordable than custom solutions. The down side? They are only available in two solid colors (blue and green). Custom covers can be made to any size specifications. There are many more colors available and you can control design features, such as two color divides or multi colored stripes. Custom canopies, however, cannot be returned if measured incorrectly because they are custom designed. If you go with a custom cover, please double and triple check all measurements and specifications to avoid errors.
• Choosing a Material – Vinyl or canvas? The material that you choose depends on what you want the tarp to do. Vinyl is heavy duty and will stand up to the weather. It is mold and mildew resistant and comes in five colors (custom – two colors are available in vinyl stock covers). Canopies made of vinyl can be custom created to feature stripes or be solid to match your sets color scheme. The vinyl is marine grade and you can feel and see its strength. Sunbrella canvas tarps are the top of line and are perfect if you are looking for a better product. While the cost is higher, so is the quality. Sunbrella fabric will not fade or lose its color. It repels moisture and water, creating a drier environment under the canopy. Sunbrella also offers more UV protection than vinyl. It is available in 16 colors and is custom made to order.
• Fasteners – You will be asked to choose between grommets or snaps. This is strictly a personal preference. If you have existing snaps from a previous tarp, you can have snaps installed in the same pattern to fit into existing spaces. Ninety-five percent of orders are to be made with snaps. Examine your current canopy or plans and decide which type of fastener is correct.

Now that spring is officially less than a week away, it’s time to start preparing the backyard play area for another year of serious fun.  One piece of play equipment that parents often overlook, though, is the sandbox.

Whether you already own a sandbox or are planning to buy or construct one in the upcoming season, here are some important tips for maintaining a healthy sandbox for your kids:

1. Replace old sand with new.  It’s a good idea to remove old sand from your sandbox every couple of years and replace it with new, clean play sand.  Play sand is preferable to ordinary building sand, which can contain clay and other materials that cause staining.
2. Examine sand toys for dangers.  Digging, raking, scooping, and moving sand takes a toll on sand toys.  Even the best sand toys don’t usually last for more than a year or two.  When they break or become damaged, toys with sharp or pointy edges can easily cause injuries.  Discard damaged sand toys, and replace with new, sturdy ones.
3. Keep your sandbox covered.  If your sandbox does not already have its own cover, purchase a sandbox cover or have a custom sandbox cover made.  Sandbox covers are essential for keeping the play sand clean and safe for use.  Harsh weather, yard debris, trash, insects, and outdoor animals can all contaminate play sand and make it unsafe or unfit for use.  Tarps and other makeshift covers do not adequately protect sandboxes because they can be easily dislodged by animals or windy weather conditions.
4. Inspect sand periodically.  Take a few minutes every week or so to check the sand for any broken toys, sharp sticks or rocks, or any other potentially harmful debris.  The sandbox is also a good place to look for lost shoes and missing kitchen utensils.

Nothing inspires creativity more than a big box of sand and a few basic tools.  With a little preparation, your backyard sandbox will soon be safe and ready for the best imaginative play that your kids can throw at it.

Keeping the sand in your child’s sandbox clean and free of debris can seem like a year round chore! In addition to keeping out trash (and neighborhood cats), you might also worry about keeping the sand as dry as possible. Choosing the right custom sand box covers can make sandbox maintenance a breeze! A custom cover can be made to fit any sandbox, and there are several materials available. Marine grade vinyl and  poured rubber are two options that offer maximum strength and protection. They are both waterproof and will keep sand fresh and dry.  Commercial 95, which is UV resistant, and vinyl mesh materials are not waterproof, but they are breathable and will keep debris out of your sand. With these materials, there is no chance of rain buildup on the top of the cover. The mesh covers allow you to view into the sandbox while the cover is on. You can even customize the way your covers attaches to the sandbox (grommets or snaps) or forego closures at all. Multiple colors are available no matter which material you choose. With so many options, you are sure to create a cover that is a perfect fit and look for your sandbox!

If your children are like mine, they spend hours every day outdoors during the summer.

My daughter especially loves her swing set. I feel better about her spending longer hours outside when she has some kind of shade protection from the sun. 

Swing Set Canopy Tarps are the perfect solution for my family and might be perfect for yours, too! Made of heavy marine-grade vinyl or thick, sturdy Sunbrella fabric, these tarps offer UV protection and are durable enough to last for years.

Standard tarp sizes are in stock, but you can even get specific custom sizes and colors: practically any size / color combination that you may need! 

You can use these to protect and shelter your swing sets, playsets, playground equipment and play forts. Your children will thank you!