Author Archives: Drew

Tree house Netting from Factory to Installation

A tree house with a netted platform for guests to recline on

Over the years Pucuda-Leading has provided climb netting to the Animal Planet’s show Treehouse Masters. The premise behind the show involves the host Pete Nelson’s crew of carpenters and designers constructing a magnificent treehouse and recording the whole design/build process for television. These structures can range from a family escape in the woods, to a hotel retreat or even a brewery.

This past year, Treehouse Masters asked Pucuda to manufacture and install a climbing net wall and a netted platform for a treehouse which they built in Johnston, PA.

Making a custom climbing net.
Hand weaving rope into a climbing net.

For this project, we used three different netting products. The one used for the climbing net wall was made from 1“ polypropylene rope. The manufacturing process starts with the raw rope, which was cut to the appropriate lengths and was then woven into a net using double-tack splicing. The net for the platform, was our standard 5/8” climbing net, with a 20T barrier net to keep people from falling off the platform.

A net platform added to a tree house. — Adding a barrier net railing to the perimeter of the netted platform.

On the weekend when our netting was installed the weather was unpredictable and our install crew had to wait for a break to start their work. It was a team effort, with Pete Nelson and Pucuda-Leading Edge’s Founder John Rexroad, helping to accomplish the install as quickly as possible. If you missed this episode – Semper Fi in the Sky, when it aired on The Animal Planet, you can view it online in their database of treehouse projects: https://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/treehouse-masters/

Pucuda Leading Edge provides climbing netting, barrier netting and safety netting for amusement parks and waterparks all over the world.

A Fun Place to Learn: The Building for Kids

A climbing net structure in The Building for Kids

If the early childhood educator Maria Montessori could have created a museum for children, she would have built the Building for Kids: Children’s Museum in Appleton, Wisconsin. This children’s learning and play center occupies two floors in City Center Plaza. The museum is dedicated to inspiring children to learn through special exhibits and events which support and reinforce a child’s innate curiosity.

In 2006 Pucuda-Leading Edge, installed various climb netting systems on two levels of an elevated play area in the museum. Now, after a dozen years of countless youngsters running around and jumping on the climbing nets which we installed, they finally needed to be replaced. Even our super resilient nets need to be replaced after so many years.

The museum is dedicated to inspiring children to learn through special exhibits and events which support and reinforce a child’s innate curiosity. In 2006 Pucuda-Leading Edge, installed various climb netting systems on two levels of an elevated play area in the museum. Now, after a dozen years of countless youngsters running around and jumping on the climbing nets which we installed, they finally needed to be replaced. Even our super resilient nets need to be replaced after so many years.

A climbing net installation in a children's museum. — Installation of the climbing net between two raised lofts.

Cables are used to raise the net platform.
Barrier netting installed on the completed net tunnels which connect elevated lofts.

Using drawings citing dimensions and locations for our replacement nets, we manufactured the climb netting which made up several bridges and platforms and the barrier netting which encloses the netted structures. For the climb netting, we used our patented Shrinking Net® and for the barrier our 30K barrier. The miracle of our Shrinking Net® is that it tightens when water is applied, creating a super tight, soft net which is ideal for climbing and walking on. If it ever gets slack, it can be easily re-tightened by applying warm water.

An elevated rope bridge in The Building for Kids children's learning center

With over 30 years of experience manufacturing netting for amusement parks, Pucuda-Leading Edge is the premiere netting supplier that science and children’s museums turn to when they need mesh netting and climbing structures for their interactive playscapes. As designers of our own netted structures, Pucuda wants to encourage our clients to engage us during the design process, so that we can help them to achieve the best results possible.

An netted tunnel play area in the Building for Kids.

Pucuda Leading Edge provides climbing netting, barrier netting and safety netting for amusement parks and water parks all over the world.

Roller Coaster Protection Netting: The Hulk

Roller coasters and other centrifugal amusement park rides are more popular than ever. Ride designers are continually pushing their concepts and the engineering required to gain attention in a highly competitive market. These inventive new ride designs, which are often incorporated into densely crowded amusement parks, have a safety requirement to protect the public and riders from harm.

The entrance to the Hulk roller coaster at Universal Orlando in Florida, where public protection net systems have been installed.

Pucuda-Leading Edge has a long history of providing nets to amusement parks. Over the years there have been accidents where people have been injured falling from centrifugal rides. The important issue it in minimizing opportunities for liability. Netting can play an important role in reducing incidents that cause injury to the public.

Ride safety is always incredibly important. Safety and protection net systems can play an important part in protecting riders and the public from harm. At Universal Orlando in Florida, there is a popular roller coaster called The HULK, whose track twists above and around and over public areas in the vicinity. Its’ massive elliptical track system produces a lot of centrifugal force on riders, who have occasionally dropped or lost personal items while enjoying the ride.

A public protection netting system, designed and installed by Pucuda-Leading Edge on the Hulk Ride at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

To protect the public from falling objects, Pucuda-Leading Edge produced and installed a protective net system in critical places along the roller coaster’s path. These custom made protective netting systems required special production considerations as well as design modifications, so that they could be adjusted when installed on site. When the job was completed, the four massive protection nets added an artistic element to the ride, which was also quite impressive when lit up at night. The same nets also provide some shade from the hot Florida sun.

If you are looking for ride safety netting, barrier netting or beautiful architectural safety netting for an amusement park, Pucuda-Leading Edge has the experience and product line to make your project succeed.

A New Year of Colorful Soft Sculptures

In the past really artistic netted structures have been limited primarily to small children and limited climbing and active use in places like playgrounds and children’s areas. Pucuda-Leading Edge’s new systems and designs have expanded both the activities associated with climbing structures and age ranges from the smallest child to the oldest adult. Now structures are becoming more artistic, sculptural and beautiful in their own right. These new systems are a natural fit for indoor or outdoor use at schools, corporate campuses, city centers and lobbies among other public spaces and entertainment facilities.

Colorful and sculptural netting in a public space at a mall.

These colorful evolutionary netting systems will engage the public in different ways than the classical netted structures. On one level they have an architectural, almost otherworldly appearance, like a sculpture that has been sent through time from the future. At the same time, they are also fully interactive netted areas which will fascinate and involve people of all ages, in play, exploration and relaxation. With illumination these structures take on a whole other element, becoming the premier attraction to the town center, public space or your lobby or facility.

Colorful netted play areas for schools and children's museums are fun for everyone.

Multi-colored climb netting system of ramps in a children's play area.

Your netted structure will be both functional and artistic. With the addition of slides and other play elements, these new netting designs can transform an ordinary experience into the extraordinary, engaging users in mind opening play and relaxation. And with their brilliant patterns of color and organic shapes, these systems are both beautiful to look at and highly memorable. Good memories are what drive return visits to your special spot.

A children's play area in a museum can add value and draw new visitors.

Pucuda-Leading Edge’s netting systems are all custom designed and manufactured. With over 30 years of experience in the safety, amusement and entertainment/arts business, we have the now how and technology that will make your project a success.

Anyone can create the common and mundane, but only Pucuda-Leading Edge is known for creating the extraordinary, safe and full family structures that are breaking world records around the globe.

If you’re a smaller facility, expecting the same quality and service as large clients — we have you covered! Our policy is that we treat all clients and orders with the same level of respect, attention to detail, value and service. Perhaps a bit old fashioned, but our customers always deserve the best values in the industry.

If you are looking for climb netting, barrier netting or beautiful architectural netting and netted playscapes, Pucuda-Leading Edge has the experience and product line to make your project succeed.

Pucuda Strikes Gold at IAAPA 2018

If you missed attending the gigantic IAAPA convention in Florida, which took place the week before Thanksgiving, you missed a great event. Pucuda-Leading Edge showed a life size working version of our latest climbing net system. Our modular play structure, featuring patented attachment technology is going to speed up installations on our climbing structures. Pucuda also revealed its new Terminal Velocity^TM guest management system.

Pucuda showed many new products aligned with our Ninja Course® and Little Ninja® brands. Our booth was overrun with children and parents who, climbed, jumped and swung around in the scaled down Ninja Course® which was part of the structure. The transparent shatter-proof climbing wall in our booth was a big hit, as were the many special effects that were linked to activities in the play structure.

Pucuda had a lot of interest in the products we were showing, but most importantly we made important new connections with decision makers and companies from other countries. We signed an agreement to be the sole North American distributor for the NetsTribe brand of multicolored climb netting products and systems. In the coming weeks and months we will be promoting and exclusively selling their products here in the USA.

Pucuda Leading Edge designs and installs play structures, provides climbing netting, barrier netting and safety netting for amusement parks and waterparks all over the world.

See You in November at IAAPA 2018 in Orlando – Booth 1837

Pucuda-Leading Edge is pleased to be unveiling new products at IAAPA this November. This year is the centennial celebration of IAAPA (The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) as the foremost organization for the amusement industry worldwide. Their huge annual shows in North America, Asia, Latin America and the EMEA regions are renowned as a launch pad for new companies and products.

We’ll be attending the Orlando convention in Florida, which runs from November 13 through November 18^th. Come visit our booth #1837 and see a life size working version of our latest climbing structure system. This revolutionary, modular climbing system with its patented attachment technology is going to change the way the industry looks at interactive play systems.

Pucuda will also be unveiling many new products aligned with our Ninja Course® and Little Ninja® brands. We will also be showing samples of the many padding products which we manufacture for use in indoor and outdoor venues. Our padding is made with the highest quality foam and ballistic nylon materials which can stand up to the challenges of children and the daily tests of sun and rain. We’re anticipating a lot of interest and activity about the reveal of our new Terminal Velocity^TM operations system.

So, if you are in Orlando the week before Thanksgiving, bring your family to the convention. There are funs things for everyone! http://www.iaapa.org/expos/iaapa-attractions-expo/home

Pucuda Leading Edge designs and installs play structures, provides climbing netting, barrier netting and safety netting for amusement parks and waterparks all over the world.

Pucuda Installs Climb Netting and Padding at 20th Century Fox World in Malaysia

It’s been a busy in the last year at Pucuda-Leading Edge: which included climb netting installations all over the world. One of the most exotic and beautiful of the locations where we installed climb netting was at the new 20^th Century Fox World theme park in Resorts World Genting Highlands in Pahang, Malaysia. At 1,800 meters high, the resort is perched on top of Mount Ulu Kali. This international vacation destination, featuring hotels, theme parks, casinos and shopping malls is most notably reached by the Genting Skyway cable cars.

Pucuda manufactured and installed the climb netting system for an NB100 climbing structure that was being installed into a completely renovated theme park which sits atop the famous mountain top resort. The product which we installed was our patented Shrinking Net® which tightens when water is applied, creating a highly durable climbing surface. Because it rains at some time every day in the highlands, the entire installation process was carried out underneath an immense tarp which shrouded the NB100 structure.

For this job, Pucuda was also responsible for manufacturing padding for specific locations on the structure. Because it rains in the Genting Highlands nearly every afternoon, the padding had to be highly resistant to moisture. So we selected a water resistant foam for the filling, with a urethane coated ballistic nylon cover. The padding featured sturdy straps with Velcro® attachments for easy installation.

Pucuda Leading Edge provides climbing netting, barrier netting, safety netting and padding for amusement parks and waterparks all over the world.

Façade Containment: Thurgood Marshall Building

Thurgood Marshall Building, photo courtesy of The Architect of the Capitol

The Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building occupies a site on Columbus circle beside Union Station and The Securities and Exchange commission, in Washington D.C. Its surface is constructed from white granite which matches the nearby buildings. When it was designed, an important consideration was that its appearance should echo some of the design features of Union Station.

From its initial conception, the idea had been to raise private funds for the design and construction of a new public building which would house administrative offices of The United States Courts. After a multi-year review of proposals from 19 different architectural-developer design firms, the final design was approved in 1989. The financing plan for the project involved the developer Boston Properties, leasing the completed building back to the federal government for 30 years, after which the structures’ ownership would revert to the government. Construction commenced in April of 1990 and was completed in October of 1992.

In the time between the courthouse’s completion and today, water slowly penetrated the granite masonry which is on the face of the building. This caused damage to the stone cladding and the underlying structure. The initial phase of an extensive restoration program involves installing a Façade Containment Netting System, which Pucuda-Leading Edge has designed. This Façade Netting is installed in selected locations on the building, to secure sections of the granite while repairs are carried out. These subsequent repairs will involve the removal and replacement of any damaged stone panels on the building’s façade.

In the case of The Thurgood Marshall Building, a major concern of the Architect of the Capitol was that the netting and any associated attachment hardware or ropes be as inconspicuous as possible. This is a common request which is made for all Pucuda’s façade containment projects involving historic structures. In this situation our 30K netting was specified in the color “Justice Gray”, so that it would match the color of the underlying stone as closely as possible.

Pucuda Leading Edge provides safety netting for fall protection and debris containment netting. We provide assistance to both owners and contractors through consulting, engineering, and installation assistance.

Sesame Place, Where it’s Okay to Be a Kid Again

This past year Pucuda-Leading Edge revisited Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA. A number of years ago, Pucuda had manufactured and installed all the original climbing nets for the Monster Clubhouse. The clubhouse is a netted playscape featuring a climbing tower and a netted bridge.

At this location, the netting product which was previously installed was our patented 5/8^th Shrinking Climb Netting and some barrier netting. This past spring, we were asked to make some design modifications to the climb netting which serves as the walkway of the netted bridge. After many years of use, the owners of the park were concerned that the public was jumping on the highly resilient net like a trampoline, rather than enjoying it as a flexible bridge. The challenge was how to keep the net taught, while also controlling the amount of tension which was allowing people to use the net bridge inappropriately.

The solution which our design engineers arrived at was a net with a gentle scalloped shape, which arched away from extended contact points along the length of the bridge. A cable system connected to the bridge’s structure to the net, diminished tension just enough to control people from jumping as high as they had previously been able to do.

If you have a netted structure which needs a rope bridge, or barrier netting, Pucuda-Leading Edge has the experience and expertise to guide you to the right products for your project.

Pucuda Leading Edge provides climb netting, barrier netting and safety netting for amusement parks and waterparks all over the world.

Façade Protection Netting Case Study: The Woolworth Building

From the time its construction was finalized in 1912, The Woolworth Building in New York City remained the tallest building in the world until 1930, when construction of the Chrysler Building and the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building (40 Wall Street) was completed.

As America’s architectural landmarks age, they face rehabilitation programs which involve tight deadlines and safety plans which need to be quickly implemented. Façade containment netting is a proven solution for situations where façade stabilization is required while a repair plan is carried out. Having recently entered its second century as one of the great marvels of 20^th century architecture and construction, The Woolworth Building is once again undergoing repairs and updates to its aging façade.

The usual requirement in a multistory masonry rehabilitation job is to protect the public and property from falling debris while repairs are being carried out. Pucuda-Leading Edge designed a façade safety netting system, which was used to secure terra cotta and cement ornamentation on balconies on the highest floors of The Woolworth Building, while replacement tiles were being fabricated and installed. The process involved a site visit by our lead engineer and a net designer to ascertain the site conditions and test fit a net template, which was then used to manufacture the custom shaped nets which were required for the project.

In many cases there are considerations which need to be made about using façade netting materials, which will blend visually with the surrounding masonry. It’s not uncommon to have clients who are not only concerned about color matching, but who may specify stainless steel attachment hardware to avoid any possible chemical reactions with the surrounding stone.

Pucuda-Leading Edge has a long history of providing façade protection and public safety netting for historical buildings which are undergoing renovation or repairs. Our safety netting solutions have been used on such notable structures as The FBI building, The U.S. Capitol, The New York Public Library, Grand Central Terminal in New York City and The Washington Monument.

Woolworth Building, July 1, 1912 Irving Underhill, photographer [c1912] Photograph Courtesy of The Library of Congress

The Woolworth Building was designed by the architect Cass Gilbert, as the F. W. Woolworth Company’s new corporate headquarters on Broadway, opposite City Hall in New York City. Like other modern skyscrapers of its era, it was constructed around a steel frame and was an engineering marvel at the time: 792 feet tall, 60 floors, 15 acres of floor area, 3000 exterior windows, 24,000 tons of steel, 17 million bricks and 7,500 tons of terra cotta. Construction was completed in 1912 and the building opened on April 24, 1913. The structural steel frame was wrapped in architectural terra cotta, most of which was light cream in color with multicolored ornamentation that accentuated the gothic style of the building. The ornate lobby is one of the most spectacular of the early 20th century buildings in New York City.

Pucuda Leading Edge provides safety netting for fall protection and debris containment netting. They provide assistance to both owners and contractors through consulting, engineering, and installation assistance.