Beanstalk Bridges built on nature

Beanstalk Bridges is gearing up for the holiday season, prefabricating playsets from natural materials and sharpening their pencils to design custom projects. And yes, they have time between now and Christmas to discuss family wish-lists.

If a client doesn’t want the personalized design and customization Beanstalk Bridges brings, the company expects its prefabricated playsets to take about a day for installation. The sets will be available after Thanksgiving to view at their facility in Morganton.

“We specialize in building treehouses, playgrounds, ropes courses, and catenary bridges,” Beanstalk Bridges owner and CEO Jake Cioffoletti said. “We really try to blend into nature, with not only intentional design, but also with the materials we use.”

Utilizing rot- and insect-resistant black locust timber naturally grown in the Southeast, poplar bark to create a tree-like appearance, rope, netting, and mountain laurel for “that kind of wild, wabi-sabi look,” Cioffoletti’s team creates unique designs and final products for customers looking to liven up their children’s playsets.

Cioffoletti explained that Beanstalk Bridges also does grading, drainage clearing, and arbor work to prepare the sites for their projects.

For a reference point on their skills, take a stroll along the trail connecting the Valdese Lakeside Park to McGalliard Falls. Once you reach the 160-foot catenary bridge, you’ve seen Beanstalk Bridges in action.

“It’s built 100% out of black locust,” Cioffoletti said. “Even the decking is milled black locust. It will certainly last the test of time.”

One particular project Cioffoletti looks fondly on is the playground at Lansing Creeper Trail Park in Lansing, North Carolina. Built in the summer of 2024, just months before Hurricane Helene swept across western North Carolina, the park is still standing and usable.

“That playground was under 10 feet of moving water during Helene,” Cioffoletti said. “I went back and did a courtesy site visit and was prepared to do any repairs necessary. Nothing was damaged.”

Cioffoletti started Beanstalk Bridges in the spring of 2020, deciding the name based on the company’s specialization in pedestrian bridges.

“From a young age, I’ve always worked with my hands in creative ways,” Cioffoletti said. “Certainly, our appreciation for nature and being stewards has led into running Beanstalk Bridges. So, kind of the art behind it — we’re more than carpenters. We’re more than builders. We try to inspire and build play.”

Cioffoletti explained that for every project, Beanstalk Bridges accommodates a wide variety of needs. In larger projects for organizations and parks, the company tries to include specialized swings and other functionalities for children with disabilities.

“For a facility down in Charlotte, their entire focus was catering to students with Down syndrome and severe autism,” Cioffoletti said. “That was a cool project. We incorporated a lot of tactile things for sensory — different textures and movement. That was interesting.”

According to Cioffoletti, the passion for their projects goes beyond building a great playset, treehouse, or tree decks — which he says tend to cost less.

“Highlighting a focus on sustainability, inclusivity, and art in our craftsmanship, I think, is really important,” Cioffoletti said. “We’re not just trying to build these [playsets], we’re trying to use sustainable materials, incorporating them in nature in a sustainable way.”

To discuss your ideal project or to take a look at the prefabricated playsets, Beanstalk Bridges can be reached at 828-443-8908 or at their website, beanstalkbridges.com.