Design help needed: young man's playhouse!

Bill Lantry

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Well, folks, I'm in a real bind, because I've done it again: started a project without having a complete idea in mind. What I want is a combination playhouse.
James will turn 4 on Sunday, so it needs to be done by then.

OK, so here's what I've got so far: four 4x4s, sunk in the ground in concrete. A frame of 2x4s at ground level. A piece of plywood notched to fit exactly over the 2x4s. The 4x4s stick up 6', and the tops are level to the world (though not the ground.

I had planned to have a frame of 2x4s at the top, then another piece of plywood to make a 2nd story floor. Then some kind of railing most of the way around (except where the ladder goes), and some supports to hold up the "roof" (including a center beam). The roof will actually be a colorful tarp... it's just there for shade and rain protection.

Then of course I got fancy, and instead of 8' 2x4s for the top, I got 2 12 footers, so the west end of the upper floor can actually be a balcony. That's no real trouble, as long as I can support it. The real problem:

I can't figure out how to attach the railing uprights to the floor of the second level, especially since they'll also have to hold the roof up. No matter how I think about doing it, it seems like it would be yucky.

ANY advice would be greatly appreciated! ;)

Thanks,

Bill
 
I'm trying to visualize your plan, but might you use a post base and box it in to protect little fingers?

http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/AB-ABA-ABE-ABU.asp

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Notch out 1/2 the thickness of the 4X4 upright the thickness of the floor joist plus the flooring and bolt it to the side of the floor joist and either toe-nail or screw through the area above the notch down through the floor and into the joist. Could also use doubled up 2X4s with one shorter by the amount mentioned above than the other.
 
Hmmm, maybe this will help...

I'm afraid I can't express myself well...

the railings have to go all around. Somewhere in there, there has to be enough support for a roof. I've been thinking of it as if I were making an open-sided doghouse at the top pf the second level. Does that make sense?

Thanks,

Bill


playhouse 003 (Medium).jpg

playhouse 004 (Medium).jpg

playhouse 001 (Custom).jpg

playhouse 002 (Custom).jpg

playhouse 005 (Custom).jpg
 
Wait a minute, you are making James a GROUND LEVEL play house :eek:

Where is the fun in that :huh: :dunno:

When I was a kid, my dad built a play house for me and my brother, and the space under it, he used for the lawn mower etc, then when we were all done with the play house, he still had a shed to use. :wave:
 
Stu,

It's way more complicated than that! The ground level will actually be enclosed, with "windows", as a doghouse. The idea is that Belle and Brisi will sleep (and hide from thunderstorms) on the ground floor. The upper floor is for James! Hence the Balcony, etc.

Had a big disappointment when I went to put in the 2x4x12 balcony supports today. One of them was twisted beyond recognition. I'll have to get another tomorrow...

Thanks,

Bill
 
Okay, this is what I was trying to explain in words. Much easier in a picture.

Playhouse.jpg


The darker piece is the upright, the silver colored thingies are lag bolts. You might also want to toenail in from above the notch into the existing crossmember and possibly even add diagonals from the upright down to the horizontal piece for added stability.

You might also consider taking all four horizontal pieces off of the top, notching the tops of the 4 X 4s to add a ledge for the horizontal pieces to sit on. That would stability to the "upstairs" area and the flooring would act further to tie the perimeter pieces to the uprights better.
 
playhouse construction continues

Well, over the weekend, we got some more materials. The bottom story has a floor now, and so does the upper story. The balcony is extended, supported, and it has a floor too. The borg sells 4x8 "siding", which is just 3/8" osb with grooves pressed in, but at least it was pre-primed on one side. The Festool was great for cutting it to size. With James' help, I'd put it up, mark it, take it down, cut it, prime the inside, go on to the next one. Once I got two others done, the first was ready to put up. James was very cute, helping hold it up while I put in the screws.

We were out there yesterday morning, doing little things, cleaning up the site. I may have complained to James that I wasn't looking forward to painting the first story when I got home. So he decided to help. Here's what I found when I got home:

playhouse 002 (Medium).jpg

playhouse 003 (Medium).jpg

luckily, it's just kilz2, water based. I still don't know how he got the can open, but I did find a newly painted hammer that I swear *was* in my shop! ;)

playhouse 005 (Medium) (Small).jpg

playhouse 006 (Medium).jpg

playhouse 007 (Medium).jpg

So we set about "fixing" his paint job. Wasn't the sequence I was planning, but oh well... ;)

Thanks,

Bill
 
Now there is one heck of a "Boy" self starter and all of that, must be learning a thing or two from dear old dad as well, as he figured out how to open that can! :thumb:

Way to go James, you can come and paint stuff at my house anytime, I like a young man who can think on his feet and git-r-done :D

Maybe we should send James over to Ned's shed :eek: :rofl: :thumb: :wave:
 
Absolutely precious. I'll bet you either picked him up & hugged him or had a hard time not doing so. So glad you got pictures you'll chuckle over these pictures many times in the years to come. Just think of showing them to his girl friends. When the time comes that he gets marries TLOHL will want copies. Then she will be SWMBO & can say well if you could paint back then you should be able to do so now.:):D:thumb::rofl::rofl::rofl::wave:
 
I can tell by the look on his face that you were fit to be tied when you got home and saw him. :wave: Man, I know I couldn't stay mad at that face long enough to give him any what-for.
 
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