The best style of playhouse when you have more than one child is the plain single room version. If you are feeling particularly adventurous you might choose to build two or even three small rooms inside of the larger structure, but what we’ve found is that most kids can imagine castles out of forts made of blankets and chairs. You don’t need to get fancy–their imaginations will fill in whatever you decide not to build.
Remember when you were young, games consoles weren’t even invented (well they weren’t when I was a child), children played all sorts of games outdoors, they used their imagination to conjure up all manner of exciting things to do.
If you’re thinking of building a wooden playhouse for your kids or grandkids this spring, you might just be in the market for some good playhouse plans. There are several sources online where you can purchase plans to build a playhouse, but not all of them are good.
Another company who sells plans for playhouses, uses more of a catalog approach. You choose from a selection of various designs, then pay the $30.00 and you get your plans. At least you get to see the design before you purchase the plans.
There may be other people online or offline selling playhouse plans. Here are some pointers to help you find the best plans and not get burned by someone selling shoddy plans.
After clearing and leveling a spot in the yard, most playhouse plans have me dive into building the floor. 2×6 treated lumber arranged in a grid-like pattern (joists) seems to be the favored choice of materials for this part of the construction, the same way it’s used in building floors for real houses. I can build the floor right on top of the spot I cleared in the yard, but I’ll probably put down a tarp first to keep the boards dry while I work on them. Building a floor that’s square at each corner will take some careful measuring and maybe a carpenter’s square to make sure everything is lined up. After that, it’s a matter of simply attaching the 2x6s together with galvanized nails. I’ll want a smooth surface on the playhouse floor for my kids to walk on, so that means laying down some plywood on the 2×6 floor joists. A couple 4×8 sheets of outdoor plywood should do the trick.
Roof – It’s always a good idea to keep a playhouse water tight, and so the roof is where you should pay the most attention. Most plans call for typical roof construction, and that means plywood sheathing, tar paper, and asphalt shingles. With such a small roof to work with, this is money well spent, regardless of how simple of a design you settle on. The way to save time and money here is to skip the typical gable-roof style and build a simple one-piece roof with a slope. This will do a fine job of keeping rain and snow diverted and save you the trouble of cutting lots of rafter angles.
Floor – Some of the more elaborate playhouse plans call for 2×6 lumber in all floor joist members. This is fine for houses and outdoor sheds, but a small playhouse can work fine using less expensive 2x4s. Go ahead keep with the typical spacing of floor joists (16″ on center) and I’d also stay with laying ¾” plywood on top.
Before you purchase your plans, you should be aware that there are a variety of different plans available on the market today. Before you choose your plans, you should know that you can choose from many different designs as well. By deciding on the type of building you desire to construct before you choose your plans, you will be able to choose plans that perfectly match your desires.
