A playground is never completed without the combination of perfect swings, slides, and other equipment which makes the place worth its recreation value. Slides are especially great fun to the playground and their variations can add stars to the place. People of any age group can use these slides and they aid in the development of your kids. Slides can be of wide variety depending upon their shape, construction, or material type, etc.
Let’s take a look at some of the different slide types that can be mostly found in the playgrounds:
Straight slides
These are the most commonly found traditional slide type. On this slide, the chute tends to move downwards making a straight-line angle. There are no curves, turns, or waves available in the straight slides. The chute angle completely depends on the age group for which the slide is designed. For toddlers, the average inclination can be up to 24 degrees whereas for school kids it can be no more than 30 degrees.
Curved slides
The main difference between straight and curved slides is that curved slides come with more twists and turns. This gives more fun and excitement. These slides are available in two basic shapes called as L-Shaped and J-Shaped. The L-Shaped slides have a turn at an angle of 90 degrees whereas the J-Shaped turns at 180 degrees. Other than these two, the curved slides are also available in a curve back and forth pattern.
Spiral slides
Another interesting and thrilling slide is the spiral slides. along with more twists and turns, in spiral slides, the rider is not able to where he or she is going. These slides slope down and have curves till the exit. The rider gets the experience of almost 360 degrees with these slides. it is always recommended that for toddlers, these slides should be shorter in length and must have only one 360-degree turn.
Metal slides
Most of the Play equipment is made from metal which is considered as one of the potential materials. The metal slides are mostly anodized aluminum or stainless steel. The classic slides found in the playground are mainly steel slides. To provide a smooth surface to these slides, metal is sandblasted. This metal is further treated with epoxy resin or some powdered pain to reduce the temperature over the surface on warmer days.
Plastic slide
When it comes to the difference in material, the plastic slide is another available option. High-density polyethylene is the common plastic type used for constructing plastic slides. Although low-density polyethylene can also be used but HDPE is more durable and comes with higher resistance.
Standalone slides
These are the slides that are not attached to any of the playground equipment and require some access to the slide platform. This can be either a ladder or stair sets.
Component slides
Last but not least is the component slide which is built as a part of a big playground item. Access to the component slide is available from some other playground parts. These types of slides consume less space as compared to standalone slides.