Timber iQ August - September 2017 // Issue: 33 | Page 19

PROJECTS
Groenewald sought to deliver high quality timber for the posts.
were to be erected in communal open spaces where they
must last for many years,” he explains.
As the volumes of poles required per play structure was
low, neither saw mills nor timber merchants were interested
in cutting non-standard sizes. The only option readily
available in 100mm x 100mm seemed to be laminated posts
which were out of the question for an in-ground application.
Out of options and determined to deliver a quality
product, he approached Woodline, a company he has a long-
standing relationship with. “We came up with the idea to
start with a cylindrical pole and cut away four ‘sides’ of the
pole to turn it into a square pole which was 100mm x 100
mm and could be treated to level H4,” he says.
An added bonus is that the pole did not have sharp
45-degree edges but rather a rounded edge left from the
original cylindrical pole resulting in a child-friendly option.
“The sample was such a success that we decided to extend
this concept to all ladders and safety rails on the structure by
chamfering the edges to achieve the same child-friendly
round edge,” he says.
Despite the challenges, Groenewald is thankful to cndv
Landscape Architects and Woodline, which was willing to try
something different. “The process that we went through to
get to the final product, I think, also shows what can be
achieved when people are willing to approach a problem
with an innovative attitude and an open mind,”
says Groenewald.
“I believe the first design of a true commercial play
structure built from square timber was born. Not only could
"The process that we went through
shows what can be achieved when
people are willing to approach a
problem with an innovative attitude
and an open mind." – Graham
Groenewald of Tuff Playstructures.
we achieve the structural strength required but the
structures could be designed and