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Hi All – I’m designing a backyard playhouse for my 8-year-old nephew. I’ve never done one of these and I’m having a hard time finding plans or advice on the Net.
I want something with a ladder so he can get on top, a roof that keeps out most of the rain, and space for 3-4 kids to get away from the adults. I’m thinking of a 4×6′ footprint, 5′ high (he’s 4′ tall), with a 2′ railing up top. Also I plan to frame it very open w/canvas sides — he lives in Vegas so it can’t become a heat trap.
And I only have 3 days to build it. I’m planning on 2×4 construction, mostly bolted together w/square cuts.
I know enough to frame it sturdily; my biggest concern is of course not creating anything unsafe in terms of materials, detailing, stability, etc. I’m going to the playground to study the big wooden playhouse there; does anybody have other advice or good sources of info?
Thanks – lj
Replies
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Try Playground Directory for manufacturers info. May give you some good ideas.
Chris
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Lars
Resist the urge to use Pressure Treated wood, it's bad for the kids, and it's bad for the guy that cuts it. Use cedar instead, waay more expensive. . . waaay less toxic!!!! Most of these type of structures are framed with 4x4's.
If you try
i too
hard to make it
b totally accident proof,
you'll end up not building it at all. Case in point: Local day care centre had an award winning playground including
i extremely elaborate
multi level, multi functional structure built of cedar ( slides, ramps, bridges, ladders, tunnels etc, etc,). . . heavily used for 5 years. . . no accidents. . . recipient of gov't funding. . . new design regulations made it
i unsafe. . .
accident free track record not considered. . . had it torn down and replaced by miniscule, boring pressure treated junk!!! Unbelievable!!!
Think bigger, kids grow. . . daily
-Patrick
*It breaks my heart how boring playgrounds are getting. We just got a new one from the county, and while a lot of nice features are gone they did a good job making this one interesting. Plastic & metal, no pt. But no swings, no seesaws, no merrygorounds, no open slides abouve 4' (neat twisted tube slides though), and so on.It's tough to make a safe structure for kids -- structures can pinch, snag, strangle, etc. The rules for play equipment manufacturers are complex. I'd look for existing plans vetted elsewhere for your quick job. And take the time to recess the nuts, sand, etc. Current guidelines call for something soft, like wood chips, underneath and around too.You'll not forgive yourself if a kid gets squashed because of something you innocently overlooked. It is hard enough to stop klutzy adults from injuring themselves.
*There always another way of looking at things...If something looks real dangerous, then people tend to see and respect the danger....HmmmmJ
*... this is kids, who are drawn to danger. My toddler will point to the TV and say "scary' ("skeeery") but won't let us change the channel.
*Kids, and for that matter animals, adults will avoid "perceived" danger and the idea is for your child to learn how to "perceive" danger without your help...There are kids that can take care of themselves very young and then there are the rest...J
*Try the Sept/Oct 1998 Issue of Workbench magazine. It has one on the cover. URL: http://www.augusthome.comIt uses pressure treated lumber which I don't like but the design seems to be a good place to start.
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Hi Lars. We built our playstructure about 3 years ago and it has been great so far. We got the plans and hardware (including plastic slide, shade cover, pirate ladder, awning, etc.) in a kit from the local lumber store, and then bought the lumber from them to complete the project. We used redwood 4 x 4's and 2 x 6's, routing and sanding the lumber before cutting it to size. We recessed all the bolts. We built a 12" deep box around the play structure (to the footprint dimensions recommend by the designer) and filled it with small bark chips. My two year old took a tumble off the 6' high platform at the monkey bar opening and came up without a scratch. I really would recommed using plans drawn up by a company that specializes in this stuff, as they have already worked out a lot of the safety issues. Good luck and have fun! (P.S. - Patrick is right - build bigger than you think you'll need to.)
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Give the kids some cardboard boxes from the local appliance store...No cost and they will have more fun than anything you could build...They build and rebuild it for hole summers!
J
*Put lots of sand below all play areas. Countersink all hardware, just deep enough so the lag head is flush. Of course, you could use carriage bolts. Chamfer or round over all edges/corners. Make stair treads/ladder rungs consistent spacing.
*Although I've built many play structures over the past twenty years as part of my landscaping business, I have to agree with Jack. Cardboard boxes. However, I'd add one giant tape dispenser, loaded with strapping tape and one of those electric scissors for cutting portholes and doorways. Or...how about a truck load of straw bales and some rebar?David
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Cardboard boxes are indeed a ton of fun. We haul them back to the play structure and get the best of both worlds. Here in the central valley of California the kids can play outside on the play structure nearly year-round though, and the boxes don't tolerate the rain too well. Plus the dogs eventually chew the boxes to bits. So both play structures and boxes have their place - doesn't have to be an either/or situation. I'm in favor of whatever keeps the kids outdoors!
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... and paint! Look at the oops collection wherever you shop, a couple of dollars per gallon.
Here's a random hit you might use -- I was poking around in the online TV listings on my Excite page (you can filter the listings to display "how-to" shows only, neat):
Home Savvy
Educational How-to House/Garden (30 minutes)
TLC, Friday, Mar 19 4:00PM
Children's Playset
Building safe playsets; planters; gazebos.
*Boy will your wife be happy when your back to work....Besides FHB you're cruzin the entire planet!!!...Are you also email all 5-7 billion of us to for online chess challenges and checkers games??Jealous of your free time..but with your better weather you should be outside....you need a cordless browser.J
*It's not so much free time as efficiency. Right now I'm watching my son (easy 'cause i put him down for a nap), typing this, installing a subpanel, wiring and plumbing dishwasher, etc. Time to work, boy's asleep (mom's in CT visiting friend who had misfortune of having insomniac twins a few months ago).Our better weather? It's dumping wet snow right now.If I go off looking for something (like the TV listing) I only allow about 15 minutes. Beyond that, it's just not worth it. But since you suggested checkers (hate chess):
*uhhh. . . I don't get it!!!Kidsi sleeplonger if you tape them down!!!
*Lisa?uhhhh. . . I thought you were in Kansas. . . guess that 's just a state of mind?!!!
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Patrick, different Lisa. I'm Lisa R (the building groupie and potential privateer) and I do - for my sins - live in Kansas. A very nice town in Kansas, and I don't have to worry about becoming part of the Pacific seabed, but not nearly so nice weather!
As to the playground, safety is important, but always remember that the best saftey equipment ever designed was a pair of adult eyeballs. Kids will do the darndest things - caught my 2 yr old halfway up a tree once...but they are also tougher than we will ever again be. We wrestle (her 40 lbs against my never you mind how many) and I'm the one crying uncle and staggering off to soak my back. Same kid has survived to 4 (so far) even after climbing into the upper kitchen cabinets (she very thoughtfully emptied them out first), up to the top of the library shelves (which are now attached to the wall), and jumping in the ocean every chance she gets - sometimes off the docks. She also helps with the woodstoves and has never hurt herself there or with the tools that are always around. I try to explain what is really dangerous, and lay down explicit laws and punishments (and use em), and otherwise grit my teeth.
I grew up in a third and a half world country and played in jugles well laced with live ammo, mother remembers me leaning waaay over the edge of the volcano to throw rocks (dad said it would blow up if I did, who can resist). I don't think I have it so bad...
Best advice I have for playground stuff is, use common sense, keep the balusters very close together, teach the kids how to saftley climb and fall (cause they're gonna) and teach em first aid. Then pay attention (but if you're a parent, you already know that).
Resting (shes in school, thank heaven), Lisa
*As the immortal Duke once said "There are no childhood problems that cannot be solved with duct tape" (and a little beer - for mom)
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Hi All - I'm designing a backyard playhouse for my 8-year-old nephew. I've never done one of these and I'm having a hard time finding plans or advice on the Net.
I want something with a ladder so he can get on top, a roof that keeps out most of the rain, and space for 3-4 kids to get away from the adults. I'm thinking of a 4x6' footprint, 5' high (he's 4' tall), with a 2' railing up top. Also I plan to frame it very open w/canvas sides -- he lives in Vegas so it can't become a heat trap.
And I only have 3 days to build it. I'm planning on 2x4 construction, mostly bolted together w/square cuts.
I know enough to frame it sturdily; my biggest concern is of course not creating anything unsafe in terms of materials, detailing, stability, etc. I'm going to the playground to study the big wooden playhouse there; does anybody have other advice or good sources of info?
Thanks - lj