From forest to finished structure
Sustainability
Renewable Southern Yellow Pine, responsible manufacturing, and structures designed to last — every step considered.
As long as it takes to grow the replacement
Southern yellow pine reaches sawtimber size in roughly 25 to 30 years. A PlayWood Plus structure carries 25 or more years of field service. Put simply, one of our playgrounds stands for about as long as it takes the forest to grow the timber that would replace it — and while it stands, the carbon that timber captured stays captured.
Southern Pine Forests
Pine-dominated forests stretch across the southeastern United States — from Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas through Alabama, Mississippi, and beyond. Slash, loblolly, longleaf, and shortleaf pine are all part of this landscape, supporting healthy ecosystems and a productive regional forest economy. Commercially classified together as Southern Pine or Southern Yellow Pine, these species share exceptional strength, relatively rapid growth, and the ability to regenerate through natural and managed forestry — qualities that make them particularly well suited to long-lasting wood products.
Carbon Storage in Timber
As pine trees grow, they absorb carbon dioxide and store carbon in their trunks, branches, roots, and surrounding soils. When timber is converted into a durable structure, a portion of that carbon remains stored in the wood throughout the product's service life. Professional foresters across the Southeast use long-term inventory data to track forest area, growth, mortality, and removals — helping landowners make informed decisions about planting, thinning, harvesting, regeneration, habitat, and overall forest health. Millions of trees are planted across the region each year, helping maintain a renewable supply for future generations.
Selective Grading & Specialty Milling
Our material standards begin well beyond conventional structural grading. Every timber measuring 4×4 or smaller is specified clear on all four sides, while deck and roof boards are selected clear on three sides. This careful sorting places the cleanest faces where children see and touch them, reducing defects that could affect finishing, comfort, or long-term performance.
Some components require an even more specialized process. Clear-on-three-sides 2×6 deck boards are sent to a private secondary laminator, where they are combined to produce clear-on-four-sides 4×6 stock. The laminated timbers then travel to a family-owned specialty mill in New Holland, Pennsylvania (Lindengrove Woodworking), where Amish craftspeople finish them to our proprietary 3×6 handrail profile.
This specialty mill also produces our proprietary log-profile 3×4 timbers, rounded 3×3 components with the same carefully limited 1⅞-inch top surface, and domed tongue-and-groove siding in three- and five-inch widths. Exclusive cutting knives allow these profiles to be produced consistently and accurately.
For applications requiring exceptional size, appearance, or structural capacity, the same supply network supports clear and laminated 6×6 timbers as well as solid and laminated round poles in 5-, 9-, and 14-inch diameters, with lengths available up to 44 feet. By matching select lumber, lamination, and precision milling to each application, we use high-quality Southern Pine where its appearance and performance provide the greatest value.
Near-Zero Residue Waste
Material removed during processing remains valuable. Bark may become landscaping material or boiler fuel, while chips, shavings, and sawdust can supply pulp, paper, composite products, pellets, or energy. USDA data show that 99% of the residues generated by primary Southern wood manufacturers were used for another product (USDA Forest Service SRS, 2017). After sawing, lumber is kiln-dried to a controlled moisture content, then surfaced to consistent dimensions and graded according to recognized standards for strength, stiffness, appearance, and intended use.
Explore more PlaywoodPlus features:
Built to Last, Built Responsibly
Request a free catalog to explore the full range of PlaywoodPlus structures and learn more about our materials and construction.