| The Standards
by Which All Others are Measured
Extreme durability ensuring safety is the name of the game
when it comes to outdoor play. That’s why we’re
proud to be the standard by which all other tough and safe
playgrounds are measured.
Here is a list of some of the main differences between the
APE fabrication system and other competitors.
Manufactured in Canada by Canadians
Our manufacturing facilities are located right here in South
Western Ontario. Your APE play structure will be built and
designed by Canadians for Canadian children.
 4”
Posts vs. 2 1/2” Posts
You don’t have to be a mathematician to understand that
thicker support posts will ultimately result in a stronger,
more stable play structure. We use 4” posts as standard
equipment. Nothing less. The square posts lend itself nicely
with the Safe-Fit system, offering a
clean, European look.
Galvanized Steel vs. ‘Black’
Steel
Galvanized steel is steel that is treated with an extreme
metallized corrosion-resistant coating. All of the steel that
we use in fabrication is galvanized steel as opposed to ‘black
steel’. Manufactured by Allied Steel, our galvanizing
system is a superior galvanizing system called the ‘Flow-Coat’
system.
What is ‘Black Steel’?
Black Steel (or Mild Steel) is basically standard carbon steel
with no galvanizing or protective corrosion resistant coating.
Because Black Steel has minimal corrosion resistant properties,
a play structure will rust quickly if Black Steel is used
in the structure. Even if the play structure is coated with
a good coating, once the paint is scratched, rust will bleed
through resulting in unsightly staining and questionable steel
integrity.
Factory-Welded Construction vs. On Site-Welding
APE welds all its components in the factory. This is so that
every weld can receive a healthy coating of ArmorCoat
prior to installation. Applying ArmorCoat is a very specialized
process, performed in controlled environments.
 Certified
Installation vs. Supply Only.
APE has a Professional Installation Only policy. Installing
a play structure is a very specialized type of work. There
are many safety considerations and standards that come into
play when installing a play structure. We have a policy that
every play structure that is sold is installed by our certified
installation technicians. Through this you can be assured
of a premium and safe installation. In addition, you can take
advantage of a rock-solid warranty which includes labour costs!
APE Safe-Fit System vs. Traditional Clamping System
APE has developed a unique, minimal maintenance fastening
system called the Safe-Fit system. This includes solid, factory-welded
construction, and corrosion resistant and stainless-steel
fasteners.
 This
system boasts a clean, European look and makes the whole play
structure an extremely solid and safe unit. The traditional
clamping system is bulky, unsightly and is known to be problematic
for snagging clothes, and hair. This clamping system also
requires continuous and frequent maintenance. APE’s
Safe-Fit system is built to withstand the test of time …
and the test of kids.
Unique Hand-Applied ArmorCoat Coating
vs. High-Speed Assembly Line Painting
APE prides itself in it’s hand-applied ArmorCoat coating.
This allows us to control the thickness and coverage of the
coating. Applying ArmorCoat is a very specialized process.
The welded steel is heated to a high temperature, expanding
the metal and opening the pores in the steel. ArmorCoat is
then dry-applied to the steel through a particle atomizer.
The powder is attracted to the hot steel electrostatically.
Once the ArmorCoat powder touches the heated steel, it immediately
forms a liquid heat bond, or fusion-bond. As it cools, the
steel contracts, pulling the fresh ArmorCoat into its pores
with an intense grip for an extreme peel-resistant, gleaming,
colourful finish.
39 1/4” Standard Rail Height vs. 28 5/8”.
At APE, we have always believed in over-building play structures.
This is fully evident in the way we build our railings and
barrier systems. We have a standardized height of 39 1/4”-which
is above and beyond the CSA-Z-614-03 requirement for children
over 5 years old. We are allowed to drop that height down
to 28 5/8” if the play structure is designed for daycares,
however for the sake of safety and durability we feel more
confident in a higher and more solid rail as standard equipment.
We also use a full 1” thick steel for the spindles in
the rail. Other companies are known to use 3/4” tubing.
We feel that safety and durability shouldn’t be an option
– it should be standard equipment.
3/4” Thick, High Density Polyethylene
panels vs.
Hollow Roto-molded panels
Our play panels are manufactured from compressed 3/4”
HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) panels. These dense panels
provide superior durability and color fade resistance. They
are completely customizable and can be used for custom signage
on your new play structure. They are far more burn-resistant,
vandal resistant and graffiti resistant than the hollow, roto-molded
panels.
Custom Design Safety.
Because every site location is different, custom design and
design safety go hand-in-hand. Many factors come into play
when choosing your play structure, (including play flow, tree
placement, site location) so, to be pick from a series of
pre-designed play structures may mot be the most intelligent
choice. This is why we pride ourselves in our custom design
service, where every play structure is an original, perfectly
crafted for your schools needs.
There are also techniques to design a play structure
to be safer, and to far surpass generalized CSA safety standards.
For instance, our design department will design your structure
to have proper play flow, and proper slide and climber placement.
A slide put in the wrong place could be hazardous.
CushionDeck Coating on Decks and Stairs
CushionDeck is a unique dip-applied coating that is elastic
and resilient to the touch. The steel parts are dipped in
this rubberized coating, resulting in an ultra-thick surface
for high traffic foot and climbing areas.
Labor Inclusive Warranty vs. Pro-Rated, Limited Warranty.
APE’s warranty is simple, straightforward and honest.
Most other play structure warranties promise the world, but
after reading the fine-print – they hold very little
substance. Our warranty is not a pro-rated, limited warranty.
It includes a valuable labour element which other companies
tend to avoid. It is usually in the labour cost where the
majority of the cost in a repair lies. For more information
on our warranty, click here.
For more information regarding playstructure
safety, we recommend reading this
article on playground safety, courtesy of www.interventioncentral.org
You can alsovisit the Education Safety Association of Ontario
at the following URL
http://www.esao.on.ca/scriptcontent/index.cfm
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