You would also have to consider your children’s preferences. There is no point building a playhouse that you like and not one that your kids like. Kids at times seem to have majestic ideas about their playhouses, have a fun brain storming session with your kids and look at how best you could execute their majestic ideas in a cost effective fashion.

The last time I did a quick look for playhouse kits, I was shocked to find out how much I could pay for an item like this, not to mention the added shipping costs for all the lumber. It didn’t take me long to figure out that the money spent on delivery charges alone would pay for much of the lumber if I build the playhouse myself. Now the challenge is finding playhouse plans that I’m capable of building.

Building the Playhouse Walls

I guess I haven’t decided yet exactly what I’ll put down on the roof decking. Most playhouse plans call for the same thing that’s on the roof of my house: roofing felt and asphalt shingles. That seems like a lot of work to me right now, so I might shop around a little for some easier alternatives. Maybe a tin roof or some type of vinyl. I’ll have to wait see about that.

Children love places to crawl in and out of, they love their own space, a playhouse can be so many things, things we have forgotten about as our imagination may not be as active as it once was.

Now ensure that you follow these tips and build a playhouse easily. Research well, about various playhouse plans that are available. And check with your friends and over the internet on how best you can build your own playhouse.

Next comes the most rewarding part of the project: adding plywood panels to the roof (decking) and the walls (sheathing). For roof decking, most playhouse plans call for 1/2″ plywood panels that I’ll simply nail down on to the rafters. Getting at the panels to nail them down might be a little tricky, though. Some people suggest you go at them from inside the playhouse – with a step ladder poking up between the rafters. Then, after each panel goes down, I’ll come down, move my ladder and go back up for the next section.

You should look for plans that are large enough to easily read and see the details, they should clearly identify lumber and finished product dimensions. They should have clear assembly instructions. If there are any complicated areas there should be a detail drawing or inset that clearly shows and describes that element of the plan. The plan should have elevation views for all sides. The most important part of all DIY Project plans is having a detailed and itemized materials list. A materials list is helpful in many ways. The materials list will help you to discover the cost of your project before you even start it. A detailed materials list will make the entire project a breeze and will save you countless trips to the builders supply store. If you are building your project in stages it helps you to know exactly which materials you will need on hand for any particular stage of your project.

This is where it gets a little tricky. If you’ve looked around, you’ve seen some pretty elaborate playhouse designs for sale. Most of these plans seem to be made by experienced carpenters, who approach the project as simply a scaled-down version of the real houses they are familiar building. Nothing wrong with having a playhouse built with this kind of strength and integrity, but whether the average DIY builder can take on a project like this is another story. If you know how to build a house, or know someone who does, these kinds of playhouse plans will work fine. If not, take some care to find a project design that is in your range of skills.

The good news about making a gabled roof is that you can buy some pretty inexpensive hardware that will essentially line up the roof rafters where you need them to go. Galvanized joist hangers will solve a lot of my problems here when it comes to hanging the rafters. There are plenty of instructions around for learning how to build a roof – for any kind of house, not just playhouses. So with the pre-made joist hangers and a few instructions, I think I’ll be able to figure out this part of the project without too much trouble.