Inspired by our local playground that recently renovated and has to put up [warning signs saying that the metal slides get hot in the sun](https://sanjosespotlight.com/heat-scorches-east-san-jose-emma-prusch-farm-park-playground-slides-equipment/), but I’ve seen this same issue at playgrounds with plastic pieces. The day will be reasonably warm but we still can’t go to the playground because it’s just too hot to climb on.
In: Engineering
“Heat resistant” generally means the item is able to withstand high temperatures without damage to itself. For example heat resistant paint might be able to withstand 500°F without pealing or cracking or changing color.
But what I’m assuming you’re referring to is playground equipment that won’t burn you when you touch it. Unfortunately there isn’t any plausible solution to this that doesn’t involve systems that cool the equipment like water sprinklers or something similar.
The problem is that the sun is a pretty ruthless bitch. Any material you use will bake in the sun all day and eventually turn so hot you will burn yourself. You can mitigate this by using bright colors but that isn’t very appealing since it fades easily and tends to be unattractive. You can shade the area but that tends to be expensive and not practical in most climates because of rain, snow, and/or wind.
Wood is actually a decent option because it doesn’t transfer heat easily. That means it can get to higher temperatures without burning you. But wood tends to be more expensive, look cheaper, requires more maintenance, has its own types of danger like splinters, and makes absolutely shit slides.
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