Two-story Playhouse in Tucson

In Tucson, Arizona, having a lot of opening windows is a good idea to let cooling breezes flow through. This playhouse was built of 2" by 2" framing and 1/2" thick OSB panels, all brightly painted. Another bonus is the high ceiling at one end, tall enough for a cozy loft.

How to Pound (and unbend) a Nail

Here's how to pound a nail, and what usually happens when you are just starting out.

Don't worry about bent nails, keep trying!

 

 

To unbend bent nails, try these techniques:

Clubouse Book Arriving Soon!

My newly minted book about building clubhouses, titled Keep Out! Build Your Own Backyard Clubhouse will be coming out on march 27. It will contain a lot of the stuff seen on this blog, and is already available for pre-order on Amazon. Here's a picture of the cover:

 

 

Beginning this coming April, I will be going on the road to talk about the book, and just for fun, I built this model clubhouse, 9 inches tall, complete with the sawhorses (One of the nine tools!)

 

 

I even finished the inside, but left one side open to show how the walls are framed.

 

 

 

  

 

The quarter by the chair shows the scale!

9 Essential Tools

You'll only need nine essential hand tools to build your clubhouse.

1.  A hammer  that you can easily swing to pound in nails. For kids, a 12-ounce to 16-ounce "finish hammer", as shown above,  is about right. If you are buying one, pick them up, and swing the different sizes for the right weight.

 

 

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2. A tape measure. A 10-foot or 12-foot tape is long enough for a clubhouse. These are also small enough to easily fit in your hand or your pocket.

 

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3. A handsaw. Get one of these short "Sharktooth" saws made by Stanley. They are very sharp, sized right for kids, will fit in a toolbox, and not too expensive.

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4. A pencil. Any pencil will work.

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5. A framing square.  This is the perfect tool to mark boards for cutting with your saw. Get the smaller (7 inches on a side) metal or plastic one. The marks on it will be helpful for cutting angles later!

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6. A screwdriver. Get a standard and a phillips-style screwdriver, or a combination screwdriver that includes both.

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 7. A level. A nine-inch long "Torpedo" type plastic level will work fine. Also, this small level will fit in any tool box.

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8. A pry bar. This is your tool for fixing goofs, or for helping with alterations and room additions later on. Sometimes called a "Wonder Bar"; Stanley Tools makes the best one.


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9. Sawhorses. These are necessary for sawing boards safely. You can buy a set or build the ones shown above. The lower height ( 24 inches) of these hand-built ones is better for young builders.


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Extra: A Nail pouch or tool belt. Lumber yards sell these canvas ones for very little.



How to find wood and other stuff

 

You can either buy new materials or find them around your neighborhood.

If you don’t have any money, finding the wood for your clubhouse can be a challenge, but it can be done. Keep an eye out as you walk or bike-ride around your neighborhood. Ask around! Is there an old shed nearby that you can tear down in exchange for the wood? How about that fence that fell down a month ago? Does so-and-so want that window sitting in his garage? With patience and persistence, you’ll likely get the lumber, windows, paint, and whatever else you’ll need for your clubhouse with the help of your friends and neighbors.

Getting materials is also where co-operation comes into play. If your friends (and their friends) can help donate the stuff you need to build the clubhouse, then everyone will benefit! This is the point where you might want to write up some sort of club agreement where everyone who contributes wood or other materials can be part of the club on some level. Trust will play a big part here.

It is also likely that you will have to buy some of the lumber and the nails from a lumberyard, so you will need money and a car. If you still need the Basic Tools listed in Chapter 2, you’ll need to shop for them as well. This, along with the permission thing, brings up co-operation with grownups. If you offer to give them something they need, beyond what they already expect of you, there is a good chance you will get the materials and tools you will need. In the process you’ll become very good at real-world negotiating, a great lifetime skill!

 

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          You can find cheap recycled stuff at salvage yards, resale shops, St Vincint de Paul’s or other thrift shops. Hardware store paint departments often have returned custom-color paints for sale at $2. to $5. a can, and it’s good paint if you like the color! (Avoid oil-based paints, though)  

          Another good source: Habitat for Humanity operates The Restore, a chain of used building-material outlets. They have everything including lumber, odd furniture, nails and hardware. It’s an adventure!



Wood and Nails

Once you've drawn a plan and have permission, you can start looking for wood for your clubhouse.

 

A clubhouse can be built with just a few different kinds of boards, all held together with a few sizes of nails. It's a good idea to learn the carpenter words for the boards as they are used. This is what the frame of a possible clubhouse might look like, and what the pieces are called:

 

 

 

The floor is held up by two 4" by 4" thick beams called foundation sills that are 8 feet long. These support  seven 2" by 4" thick floor joists 6 feet long, which then support the floor boards.  The floor supports the walls which support the roof. To make them strong, the walls are built with studs, plates and other pieces; all from 2" by 4" thick boards. Thinner boards or plywood then cover up the 2 by 4s. I'll show you how to put all this together in several steps!

 

Most nails come in one-pound or five-pound boxes. For starters, get a couple of 1-pound boxes of 6d, 8d and 16d construction nails called "coated sinkers". Exterior galvanized nails are good for nailing on trim boards or siding that will get rained on. These are the kind used in house building everywhere. There are a few other kinds of nails or screws you might be using as well: 

 

 

 

Next: How to find wood and other stuff ... 

Find a Building Site

 

Take some time to find a good place for your clubhouse. Your own fenced-in back yard is the best, but any space out of the way will work. Front yards are made to look at, so your parents (and complaining neighbors) probably won’t let you build there. A vacant lot or nearby woods might work, but there is a chance that other kids will wreck it while you’re away. A tucked-away corner in a back yard, maybe by the garage, often works the best. If your summers are hot, try to find a shady spot.