We used pressure-treated 2x4s and deck wood for consistency on the rock wall and stairs. You can find the chalkboard and alphabet how-to here. We framed it with 2x4s ripped in half and painted on the alphabet with outdoor acrylic paint. We used three coats of Valspar chalkboard paint over 1/2″ CDX plywood to create an outdoor chalkboard in the space under the stairs. Similar swing hangers are referenced in the Materials List as well. We originally used 3/8″ eyebolts to get them up and swinging, but later upgraded to these stainless steel beauties. The Chief also made the hardware for our swings. The Chief made the green metal brackets for our set, but similar ones are referenced in the Materials List. The swings sit about 10 feet from the fence when still, which provides plenty of clearance for swinging and/or having someone behind pushing. The swings hang from a pressure-treated 4″x 6″x 12′ beam at about 8 feet above the ground. They are cemented into the ground about 2 feet and set at a 15-degree angle each. Pressure-treated 4x4s form the A-frame for the swings. Pressure-treated deck boards cap off the front and back fascia for a finished look. The truss is built with pressure-treated 2x4s, while the roof was formed by overlapping fence pickets (dog ears removed) with ring shank nails. The Chief used a computer-aided design (CAD) program to calculate the necessary dimensions for building the roof, such as angles for cutting the birdsmouth and the lengths of the boards. It is 6 feet high in the center and has some overhang beyond the platform. (Wow, we really do use that stuff again!) The roof was a lesson in geometry - rise over run and all that. The fourth side, along the stairway, is a straight 2×4 board. The arches were cut with a jigsaw from 2×10 boards as a decorative detail along three sides. We placed additional vertical 2x4s to properly mount the railings all the way around the playset. The top railing is made from 2x4s, and the other horizontal rails are made from the same 2x4s ripped in half. The top deck starts at 5 feet solely to coincide with the slide and is constructed in the same manner as the base. Tip from the Chief: Don’t throw away those scrap pieces of wood! Put them to work in various ways throughout the playset such as stair cleats, gussets, stud caps (above), etc. The boards are held in place with exterior wood screws, which made it easy to later take up, fill the space with rocks and replace the boards. Spaces were cut with a jig saw to accommodate the posts. Laying the foundation was time-consuming, but imperative to constructing two identical decks and a long-standing playset that is square, sound and safe.įor the flooring on both decks, we used pressure-treated 1×6 deck boards cut to size with a miter saw at a 45-degree angle. Cement one at a time, bracing it into place and re-checking it periodically while the cement dries. Tip from the Chief: Make sure the 4x4s are level, square and plumb. We also later filled the space between the ground and deck with landscaping rocks in an effort to discourage field mice from burrowing in there and driving our dog bonkers. It could be a lot worse though, so I wouldn’t skip the step. The center cross bars are set upon a cement footer and everything is held in place with exterior wood screws.Įven though we spread a weed barrier, a persistent plant or two still manages its way between the slats. We used pressure-treated 4x4s for the posts and pressure-treated 2x4s for the frame. The posts are 10 feet tall with about 2 feet cemented into the ground, so there is about 8 feet above ground. The base and the top deck are 6 feet by 5 feet between the posts. (2) Swing-N-Slide extra-duty swing seats.(4) heavy-duty swing hangers (plus mounting hardware).(1) A-frame swing bracket or EZ frame bracket (plus mounting hardware).(26) pressure treated 5/8″ x 5 1/2″ x 6′ fence pickets.(25) pressure-treated 1″ x 6″ x 10′ deck boards.This listing also includes the additions we made to the original post. Please note this is a guide based on how we built our playset (and the size of our trailer, backyard, etc.) - please calculate and adjust accordingly. Based on a number of requests from that post, however, we culled frequently asked questions and calculated lumber to provide a resource for other DIYers out there. My intention when I originally wrote the post was to prove that building a playset could cost a lot less than buying one. We had a blast building it, but most importantly, our kids and their friends are having an even better time using it! Thank you for all the kind words and inquiries regarding our outdoor playset.
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