Building a children's play structure

Building a children's play structure in your yard is sure to bring your kids endless hours of fun. Get your own free plan for kids' activity centre (Model BT-2008) as well as the the list of materials required for the project.

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1. Raise the structure
2. Make a sandbox
3. Place the beams of the platform
4. Install the joists of the platform
5. Build the floor of the platform
6. Add a railing to the platform
7. Dress up the access ramp
8. Build the bridge
9. Fix the ladder
10. Install the swings

1. Raise the structure

1.1 

With stakes and strings, mark off the perimeter of the area where you will need to dig a 10 × 8 ft. (3 × 2.4 m)hole.

1.2 

Excavate the entire surface to a depth of 6 in. (152 mm). At each corner (inside the perimeter) dig an 8 × 8 in. (203 × 203 mm) square ten inches (approx. 250 mm) deep for the structure's four posts, which will be driven in at a 63° angle.

1.3 

Cut one end of each of the four 6 × 6 in. (152 × 152 mm) posts at a 27° angle. These posts will then be joined in pairs to form two peaks.

1.4 

We suggest assembling the structure on the ground before placing it in the excavated area. Lay your two 6 × 6 in. (152 × 152 mm) posts flat on the ground to form a "V" and screw or nail them together.

1.5 

Mark the two posts where the gap between them is 5 1/2 in. (140 mm). Mark again 5 1/2 in. (140 mm) lower, in line with the peak, at the centre of the two posts. This second line will mark the top of the beam support. As a precaution, leave an extra 1/4 in. (6 mm) clearance for easier insertion of the beam.

1.6 

Cut the beam supports (a total of 4) out of 2 × 8 in. (50 × 203 mm) planks, cutting the ends at a 63° angle so that they align with the peak, along the posts (at 27°).

1.7 

Bolt the supports to the posts or attach them using lag screws (two at each end).

1.8 

Now place the two rafters sideways on the ground and insert the 6 × 6 in. (152 × 152 mm) by 14 ft.-long (4.3 m) beam into the two spaces provided so that they protrude by 36 1/2 in. (927 mm) at each end. Nail it at a 45° angle into the two support boards. Use wood scraps to make one or two blocking pieces that you will insert into the remaining (triangular-shaped) space. Toe nail them in.

1.9 

Trace and cut out four gussets (pieces of wood to stop the legs spreading) from a 1/2 in. (13 mm) sheet of plywood. They will be used to close the two sides of each peak. Cut out a space at the base of each one to insert the beam. A head to tail layout on your plywood will limit the number of cuts and save plywood (see sheet 5/6 of the attached Planimage plan). Using an electric drill, screw in the gussets on each side of the posts.

1.10 

Stand the structure upright and place it inside the perimeter, inserting the posts into the corners. Pack top soil around the base of the posts.

2. Make a sandbox

2.1 

Spread a geotextile sheet over the entire excavated area.

2.2 

Nail together the four 2 × 10 in. (50 × 254 mm) planks that will edge the sandbox and place them inside the perimeter (over the geotextile sheet) and resting against the posts at the four corners, without extending beyond the borders. According to this plan, your sandbox will be 9 1/2 × 7 ft. (2.9 × 2.1 m).

The border will be buried 4 in. (100 mm) into the ground. Backfill the outside.

2.3 

Attach the four corners of the border to the four posts with lag screws.

3. Place the beams of the platform

3.1 

Cut six 4 × 4 in. (100 × 100 mm) posts into 7 ft. (2.1 m) lengths. Using a table saw, make a notch 1 1/2 in. (38 mm) deep and 9 1/2 in. (241 mm) long at the bottom of the six posts.

3.2 

Set the height of your circular saw blade at 1/2 in. (13 mm) before making a notch into the six posts, at 2 ft. 7 in. (0.8 m) from the unnotched end. On the four posts already notched, this second notch should be on one of the lateral sides in relation to the previous notch so that the two notches are on adjacent sides. More on the subject in the "corner posts" section on page 6/6 of the plan.

3.3 

To make the roof, cut a 1/2 in. 4 ft. × 8 ft. sheet of plywood in two, to obtain two 2 × 8 ft. boards. Rip one of the long ends of each board at a 45° angle. Attach the two boards to each side of the beams to form the roof.

3.4 

To build the platform beams, cut four 2 × 6 in. (50 × 152 mm) planks into 5 ft. 5 in. (1.7 m) lengths. In your plywood, cut out two boards 5 1/2 in. (140 mm) wide by 5 ft. 5 in. (1.7 m) long. Make two beams by inserting a plywood board between two 2 × 6 in. (50 × 152 mm) planks. Glue and bolt the three boards together (see page 6/6 of the plan).

3.5 

Insert each beam into the lateral notches in the two corner posts and, using an electric drill, screw them in opposite the notches from outside the posts.

3.6 

Place the notches at the bottom of the corner posts on the sandbox border and centre the frame between the structure posts (peaks).

Bolt to the structure and to the sandbox border.

4. Install the joists of the platform

4.1 

Place metal hangers for the 2 × 6 in. (50 × 152 mm) floor joists on the beams so that once installed, they will be centered 12 in. (305 mm) apart.

4.2 

Cut joists out of 2 × 6 in. (50 mm × 152 mm) boards. You will need seven 9 ft. (2.7 m) long joists for the ends. Also plan two other 9 ft. 7 in. (2.9 m) long joists for the ends.

4.3 

Attach the joists to the hangers and double the border joists by attaching the two boards that make up the ends of the posts to the outside edges of the border joists.

4.4 

To make the studs, cut three 4 × 4 in. (100 × 100 mm) posts into 3 ft. 1/2 in. (0.9 m) lengths. At one end of each, make a notch 2 in. (50 mm) deep and 5 1/2 in. (140 mm) long.

4.5 

Position the two remaining 4 × 4 in. (100 × 100 mm) posts, placing the notches out, over the border joist before attaching them to the joists. The first post will be attached to the joist 26 in. (660 mm) from the outside end of the 6 × 6 in. (152 × 152 mm) post and the second 18 1/2 in. (470 mm) from the first measurement.

4.6 

Use the same procedure to attach the three studs. Position the first stud 18 1/2 in. (470 mm) from the last stud attached in the preceding step, and the other two at the opposite end of the platform, each 26 in. (660 mm) from the outer edge of the 6 × 6 in. (152 × 152 mm) structure, on the border joist (notch out).
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