Which swing set fits your garden? Real dimensions and safe play zones
Every wooden swing set needs more garden than the structure itself. Children on the swings and slides need clear ground around them, and that area is called the safe play zone. It is the figure that decides whether a set fits. The table below gives each set's real numbers, read from the official dimension diagrams.
The quick answer
- Smallest gardens (from 7.7 × 6.9 m of clear lawn): the Sunnydale
- Long, narrow gardens: the Tucson (the set itself is only 2.2 m deep) or the wide Skyfort II
- Deep, square gardens: the Skyfort with Tube or Woodridge
- Most space and budget: the Skyfort II, our flagship
How much garden each set needs
| Model | Structure (W × D) | Height | Safe play zone | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnydale | 4.1 × 3.3 m | 2.9 m | 7.7 × 6.9 m | 75 kg |
| Somerset | 4.7 × 3.3 m | 2.7 m | 8.7 × 7.3 m | 102 kg |
| Montpelier | 4.9 × 4.72 m | 2.85 m | 8.92 × 8.73 m | 146 kg |
| Tucson | 5.45 × 2.22 m | 2.87 m | 9.46 × 6.24 m | 98 kg |
| Cedar Cove | 5.6 × 4.65 m | 3.0 m | 9.6 × 8.66 m | 222 kg |
| Woodridge | 5.9 × 4.8 m | 3.6 m | 9.9 × 8.8 m | 324 kg |
| Skyfort with Tube | 5.9 × 5.1 m | 3.75 m | 9.93 × 9.10 m | 352 kg |
| Skyfort II | 6.7 × 5.1 m | 3.75 m | 10.3 × 8.7 m | 356 kg |
Safe play zones are read directly from each model's official dimension diagram. Somerset's diagram is not published, so its zone is the structure plus 2 m of free space on each side.
How to measure your garden for a swing set
- Measure the usable lawn: the flat, level area free of trees, fences, walls, paths and ponds. Slopes of more than a few degrees need levelling first.
- Compare against the safe play zone, not the structure size. The zone already includes roughly 2 m of free space on each side: room for the swings to move at the front and back, for children coming off the slide and for children moving from one part of the set to another.
- Think about landing surfaces. Grass is acceptable for home use; bark mulch, play sand or rubber mats add protection under swings and slide exits, where the ground wears first.
Which suits your garden, the Skyfort II or the Skyfort with Tube?
Our two flagship sets are closer in price than in shape, and the right choice depends on your garden's proportions rather than your budget.
| Skyfort II | Skyfort with Tube | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 6.7 × 5.1 m (wider) | 5.9 × 5.1 m |
| Safe play zone | 10.3 × 8.7 m | 9.93 × 9.10 m (deeper) |
| Main feature | 3 m open wave slide | Enclosed spiral tube slide |
| Best for | Wide, shallow gardens | Deep or squarer gardens |
In short: a long garden wall means Skyfort II; a deep lawn means the Tube. Both are 3.75 m tall and both carry the crow's nest. Two people need around 20 hours for the Skyfort II and around 23 for the Tube, whose spiral slide adds about 3. If you would rather not build it, our crew assembles either one in a day.
Still unsure?
Send us your garden's measurements (length, width and anything fixed inside it), and our team will tell you within one working day which sets fit, in English, Spanish, Italian, Polish or Lithuanian. Kids Play sets come with free EU delivery from our warehouse in Poland and a 5-year warranty. Family Play sets have the same 5-year warranty, plus a limited lifetime structural warranty from Backyard Adventures. The lifetime warranty covers the original owner in home use and depends on yearly care.