How to build a playhouse for the kids
We show you how to build a playhouse for the kids to have fun in. What tools and materials you’ll need to build a playhouse.
Tools Required
Hammer
Materials needed
Timber for flooring and framing and cladding.
Roofing tin
Concrete
first step
The first step when planning to build a playhouse, is to decide what type of playhouse you want and where to put it.
Do you want a playhouse on ground level or a multi level playhouse. Will the playhouse be for adventure or playing house, below are a couple of examples.
Decide on a site that is slightly shady as this will keep the temperature down during the summer months.
Second step
Draw up a plan or buy a plan for the type of cubby house you decide to build for the kids. There are many websites you can get free plans for cubby houses, some of these are the major hardware stores DIY sections an example is here http://builditsupplies.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/46-Build-a-Cubby-House.pdf
Many of the DIY cubby house plans from the major hardware stores include a cutting list and a list of tools required for the project.
Once you have your plans the next step is to start your building.
third step
Start building your cubby house. The foundation and floor should be the first to be built.
Set out the playhouse using profiles (profiles are timber pegs to attached your string line to) and a string line. Measure from corner to corner to check that the foundation and floor are square.
Without proper foundations, your playhouse may not be stable and you don’t want to have any safety issues when your children are playing in the playhouse.
Once your foundations are set, build your cubby house floor because this will give you a flat, level area to work. You can use either floor boards or floor sheeting for the flooring, generally sheet is the more economical way to go.
Watch this video for one of the best methods for building a cubby house I have seen.
I would like to thank Bill for allowing me to show his great video in this post.
fourth step
You can build all your wall frames on your floor for the cubby house as you would have seen in the video above.
Cut all your timber for your wall frames and assemble it on the cubby house floor with hammer and nails.
Mark your top and bottom plate where the studs are to go as this will make it easier to nail together.
Add extra timber to the frames where you are going to put the windows and doors.
Remember measure twice, cut once! Materials are expensive, check measurements before cutting any timber.
Fifth step
When you have all your wall frames completed, you have to stand them up. Start with the back wall and brace it once you have it up. Then stand the side walls and finish with the front wall.
Screw the wall frames to the floor as you stand them up and nail each frame to the other frames.
sixth step
The roofing structure is the next step which will stabilize the wall frames and give you somewhere to screw the roofing to.
Attach battens to your cubby house rafters to support the roofing material.
Your roofing material can be either nail or screwed down, depending on the material you are using.
seventh step
It is time to put the cladding onto your cubby house. Cladding may be made of many different materials.
You could use weatherboards or vinyl siding or sheeting. You can paint the cladding or leave it in its natural state depending on your preference.
If you have a multi level playhouse you can now add the ladder, slide and climbing wall or whatever else you want to have on the cubby house.
The final steps are putting the doors and widows into the cubby house and having a cubby house warming party.
Once again I would like to thank Billshowto for allowing me to link his video to this post.
Thanks for reading and I hope you have enjoy this post.
