SportsPlay Seth Mega Installation and operation manual

Project: Seth Mega
Distributor: SportsPlay
Seth (Mega)
Modular Structure Installation
Booklet

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Page 5
Tool and Material Checklist
•To dig holes, the best method is a tractor with an auger.
Use a 12” auger bit. No matter what you use, there will
be a considerable amount of hand digging as well
•Shovels, long handled spades
•Post hole diggers
•Wheelbarrows
•Large construction bar (generally 5’ long).
•Spray paint, to mark ground holes
•Pry bar
•Claw hammers
•Large dead-blow rubber hammers
•Small (3lb) Sledgehammer, to use in blocking the posts
•7/32”, 3/6”, 1/8” Allen wrenches: These are very
important. Several different types are helpful (socket
style, small “L” arm, wrench styles etc.)
•Vise grips, large, regular and needle-nose
•3/4” and 1/2” and 9/16” sockets, both 1/2” and 3/8”
drives
•6’ and 8’ stepladders, strong ones
•Extension cords (also duplexes to run more than one
cord)
•1/2” drill and 3/8” drill
•1/2” and 1/2” drill bits and 1/2” spade bits
•Levels: magnetic torpedo, 4’ long etc. (as many as
possible)
•Shims and blocks from scrap lumber and a saw to cut
sizes on site
•Small, skinny, flat shims are helpful in raising posts etc.
2” by 4” and 2” by 6” and Plywood are also helpful
•Pencils and markers
•String line
•Bar clamp 4’
•Sometimes bracing material is helpful (2” x 4” x 6’
studs with sturdy lag bolt/nut combinations)
•Files, sandpaper, wood scraps
•Stones
•Cement
•Surfacing
•One brick per post

Page 6
Introduction
BEFORE STARTING INSTALLATION OF YOUR
PLAYGROUND, PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS
THOROUGHLY.
SITE REQUIREMENTS:
The Playground system is designed to suit a level site. Should
there be any falls or slopes on the site; care should be taken to
accommodate the entry and exit points and to maintain the
correct height. There should not be more than 3” of drop in
grade per every 10’.
The site must be inspected for adverse conditions:
All sites must be checked for existing utilities such as
electricity, gas, water or any other underground hazards. 1-
800-DIG-RITE is the number to call to have the services
located.
1. Roots, rocks, or other natural obstacles that may pose as
a trip hazard.
2. Poor drainage areas.
3. Broken glass or foreign objects around building site.
MAINTENANCE:
As an owner, it is most important that you are aware of your
responsibility to insure safe use of your new equipment. It is
necessary to install equipment correctly according to the
installation instructions provided and inspect the equipment at
regular intervals. During inspection, if any part is found
damaged or excessively worn, equipment should immediately
be put out of service while the part is replaced. Lack of
maintenance will result in premature wear, reduced life
expectancy, and possible failure that might result in injury.
All SportsPlay Equipment play events have been engineered to
meet all applicable safety guidelines, but if installed
improperly, these problems may occur:
•Entrapment gaps (between 3 1/2” and 9”}
•String Entanglements
•Protrusions
Make sure that any bolt end that protrudes more than 2 threads
past the face of the nut is trimmed and deburred smoothly.
Always double-check your work.
Installation must adhere to the manufacturers assembly manual
and all other applicable safety guidelines.
PLAY AREA:
The area immediately above and around the play structure must
be free of any obstructions such as:
•Trees
•Other Play Equipment
•Buildings
•Overhead Power lines
Make sure the play area has all the required safety
surfacing and the minimum fall zones as required by the
safety guidelines. These guidelines can be found at
www.cpsc.gov.
CHILDREN MUST BE SUPERVISED AT ALL TIMES.
No playground is safe without adult supervision!

Page 7
Quick Guide
SITE – Make sure the area of installation is relatively level,
free of obstacles and underground utilities. If a slope exists,
care must be taken to accommodate entry and exit areas to
insure they maintain the correct heights. Call 1-800-DIG-RITE
to have a technician check the area for underground utilities.
This service is free.
MATERIAL INVENTORY – Locate your Component
Checklist and the 2d top down drawing included in the
instructions. Use both to identify, inventory and best position
the parts around the perimeter of the area. If you find damaged
or parts missing, contact your SportsPlay Distributor
immediately.
INSTRUCTIONS – Thoroughly read the instruction booklet
BEFORE beginning the installation. Pay special attention to
the pages describing post and deck installation. These are the
‘bones’ of your playground. If they are not properly installed,
the remaining events will not install correctly. KEEP THESE
INSTRUCTIONS ON FILE.
TOOLS – Locate the Tools Checklist in the instructions.
Make sure all necessary tools are available at installation time.
If you are using volunteers, send a note to them that includes
the tool list. You may be able to borrow most items instead of
renting.
SUPPLIES – Set your installation date and order supplies
from your local building center. You will need some flat
concrete stones for blocking holes, some scrap lumber for
bracing and cement. You can figure about 2 80# concrete bags
per hole.
DECK LAYOUT –Find the grid drawing in the instruction
booklet. Decide which way to orient the structure. ALL fall
zone measurements MUST be accommodated. Locate the
lowest deck on the drawing. You can start laying out the
structure by placing the lowest deck on the ground and then
double check your measurements. Measure twice, install once!
Consult the instruction booklet for post and deck installation
instructions.
BRACING – As the decks and kick plates are installed, be
sure to level the posts and place braces in the holes to keep
them from shifting. Periodically, plumb and level all posts as
you work your way around the playground.
COMPONENT INSTALLATION – Consult the instruction
booklet for separate installation instructions for each
component on your playground. Begin installing from the
lowest deck in a clockwise rotation around the structure back
around to the starting deck. Tighten panels as you go, making
sure to plumb and level posts.
VISUAL INSPECTION – After all components are installed
and tight, do a visual inspection to ensure the panels and posts
are level, in the proper place, and look good with respect to one
another. Once satisfied, you are ready for concrete.

Page 8
CONCRETE – Mix the concrete according to the directions.
DO NOT mix directly in the hole. Fill each hole to within 2
inches of the original surface. Crown for drainage, and cure 48
hours.
SECURE AREA – Fence off or lock area to insure that NO
ONE can play on the playground until it is completely finished.
You may consider contacting local law enforcement to inform
them of the new installation and ask them to check the area
frequently during the night.
BACKFILL AND CLEANUP – 48 hours after pouring
cement, backfill all of the holes with dirt to the original ground
level and make sure the area is free of any tools, hardware, or
sharp objects.
SURFACING – Use the chart on page 8 to decide how much
safety surfacing is required. Before spreading loose fill
surfacing, be sure to install a weed barrier outside the fall zone
dimension, then spread the safety surfacing.
LAST THING – Make one more tour around the playground
and physically make sure all hardware is tight.
OPEN FOR PLAY – After the safety surfacing is installed and the
hardware has been checked for tightness, your playground is ready for
play.
MAINTENANCE -Consult your instruction booklet for the
maintenance checklist. Schedule and complete periodic
maintenance checks of the entire playground. If any hardware
is worn, or any item missing or broken, close the playground
and contact your SportsPlay distributor for replacement parts.
Check resilient surfacing depths, move or add additional
surfacing if necessary. Make sure the playground area remains
free of obstacles, broken glass or other sharp objects.

Page 9
Safety Surfacing/Fall Heights
You must consider the type of safety surfacing you will use
before beginning the installation process. There are two
general types, organic/loose fill or synthetic unitary. Both
materials have advantages and disadvantages and it is likely
that your client’s budget will dictate the material of choice.
Always have all options available as product quality and long-
term performance may cause your client to reevaluate their
original budget.
When installing a unitary safety surfacing material such as
rubber mats or poured-in-place, you will need to pour a
concrete slab so that the rubber material can be secured. This
type of product cannot be placed on dirt.
If a loose fill surface such as wood chips is selected, you will
need to consider containment borders. There are many
products to choose from including hard plastic and natural
products such as wood. Creosoted railroad ties are NOT
recommended. Loose fill materials like wood chips are easily
displaced, so 12” deep is generally satisfactory. Also
remember that loose fill will compress with repeated use.
Weed mat: Some use a landscaping fabric material that allows
drainage but prevents weed growth. Weed mats are installed
after the structure is installed but before the resilient surfacing
is installed.
Borders: Building borders above ground, below grade, or on
grade depends upon the area in which you live. Assuming you
must use 12” of resilient surfacing, there are three basic types
of installation:
1. 12” below existing grade
2. 6” below and 6” above existing grade
3. 12” above existing grade
The tallest deck on the unit generally defines the maximum fall
height of a structure. If upper body equipment (horizontal
ladder) is attached, the fall height is then the distance from the
highest part of the equipment to the protective surfacing. Refer
to the Top Down View to determine the maximum fall height.
Since the structure will be installed at dirt grade, the height of
the resilient surfacing must be determined and factored into the
height of installation of decks. For example, if the resilient
surfacing will be 12” deep, a 3’ deck height will actually install
at 4’. When the structure is completed and the surfacing is
installed, the deck then will be 3’ above the level of the
resilient surfacing.

Page 10
Safety Surfacing Chart
Table –Critical heights (in feet) of Tested Materials
These directions are written based upon a depth of 12” of
resilient surfacing.
Do not forget to calculate the compressed resilient surfacing
depth needed and adjust your “dirt grade height” accordingly.
Chart taken from The Handbook for Public Playground Safety
written by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC) page 5 (www.cpsc.gov).
Material Uncompressed
Depths
Compressed
Depths
6” 9” 12” 9 “
Wood
Chips
4 10 11 10
Double
Shredded
Bark Mulch
6 10 11 7
Engineered
Wood
Fibers
6 7 >12 6
Fine Sand 5 5 9 5
Course
Sand
5 5 6 4
Fine Gravel 6 7 10 6
Medium
Gravel
5 5 6 5
Shredded
Tires
10-
12
N/A N/A N/A