The Backyard Fossil
It was the centerpiece of your backyard for about four years. Then the kids got phones. Now the swing set sits in the back corner of the yard — wood graying, slide cracked, swings hanging at weird angles, and a wasp nest in the canopy that nobody wants to deal with.
Swing sets and playsets are one of the most common yard items we remove. They're also one of the most annoying to take apart. The big wooden playsets (Gorilla, Backyard Discovery, KidKraft) use hundreds of bolts, weigh 500 to 1,200 pounds, and were designed for assembly — not disassembly.
Metal vs. Wood: Two Different Jobs
Metal Swing Sets
The basic A-frame metal swing set is the easier removal. Most weigh 75 to 200 pounds, are held together with bolts, and can be disassembled with a socket wrench in 30 to 60 minutes. The metal is recyclable — scrap yards will take it, and some will even pay a few dollars for the steel.
Removal cost: $100 to $250 for a standard metal swing set.
Wooden Playsets
These are a different animal entirely. A typical wooden playset includes:
- Main tower structure (200-400 lbs)
- Slide(s) — plastic, usually 40-60 lbs each
- Swing beam extension (100-200 lbs)
- Rock wall, rope ladder, or climbing wall (50-100 lbs)
- Canopy or roof (30-50 lbs)
- Sandbox base (if present)
- Concrete footings (40-80 lbs each, usually 4-6 of them)
Total weight: 500 to 1,200 pounds plus concrete. Disassembly takes 2 to 4 hours for a two-person crew with power tools.
Removal cost: $350 to $800 for a standard wooden playset. Larger custom-built playsets with multiple towers can run $800 to $1,500.
The DIY Teardown
You can definitely take apart a swing set yourself. Here's what you need:
- Tools: Socket set, drill with socket adapter, reciprocating saw (for cutting bolts that won't budge), pry bar, work gloves
- Safety: Eye protection (rusty bolt pieces fly), wasp spray (check every crevice before you start), long sleeves (pressure-treated wood splinters are nasty)
- Time: 2 to 3 hours for metal, 4 to 6 hours for wood
- Vehicle: A truck or trailer to haul the debris
The biggest challenge with DIY removal is the concrete footings. If the playset was installed properly, each post sits in a concrete footing that extends 18 to 24 inches below grade. You can leave them buried (they'll be below lawn level and won't cause issues), cut the posts flush, or dig them out. Digging out 4 to 6 footings is a solid workout.
Pressure-Treated Wood Warning
Most wooden playsets built before 2004 used CCA-treated (chromated copper arsenate) lumber. This wood contains arsenic and should never be burned. The EPA phased out CCA for residential use in 2003, but millions of playsets with CCA wood are still standing in backyards.
Newer playsets use ACQ or copper azole treatment, which is less toxic but still shouldn't be burned. All pressure-treated wood should go to a landfill — not a recycling facility, not a wood chipper, not a fire pit.
If your playset is pre-2004, wear gloves during disassembly and wash your hands thoroughly after. The yard waste removal team knows the difference and disposes of treated wood properly.
What About Selling or Donating?
If the playset is less than 5 years old and in good condition (no rot, no cracked boards, hardware intact), you might sell it. Expect 20 to 40 percent of the original price. The catch: the buyer has to disassemble and transport it themselves, which limits your market significantly.
Donation is harder. Most nonprofits won't accept used playsets due to liability concerns and the labor required for disassembly/reassembly. Churches and community centers occasionally take them, but call first.
If it's rotting, rusted, or more than 10 years old, removal is the right call. A deteriorating playset is a liability — splinters, loose hardware, and unstable structures are injury risks.
Reclaim Your Yard
Once the playset is gone, you've got a patch of compacted earth (usually 12x16 feet or larger) that's ready for whatever you want. Fire pit, garden, patio, or just grass — all better uses of the space than a rotting swing set.
We remove playsets all over the Portland metro, Willamette Valley, and Oregon coast. Schedule a removal and we'll have it torn down and hauled off in a single visit.
