Once a Root Beer Stand

In 1990 my daughters and I went on expeditions around our home in Northeast Wisconsin to find clubhouses or playhouses. In Kaukauna, we learned that this playhouse was originally built as a root beer stand and then remodeled.  My kids enjoyed posing in front of it to show off the careful attention to scale and detail.

It's still there today, and it definitely looks 23 years older. My kids have grown a bit since then as well.

Our Second Clubhouse

      After our first clubhouse out on the vacant lot (above on masthead) got wrecked by some kids, four of us formed a club and build this clubhouse.
      It turned out that Kathy (seated at right) got us permission to use a fenced-in back yard her parents only used for storing junk and extra lumber; Chris, in the doorway, knew how to find really cool stuff in the trash, Chele, seated at left, was Kathy's friend, and I (who took the picture) was able to build it. The other kids helped by finding some of the wood.
     We built this from wood we found or that the neighbors donated. As Christmas approached, we needed paint and more nails to finish the clubhouse. When my mom asked what I wanted Santa to bring me, I quickly replied, "About five pounds of 8-penny nails and a gallon of turquoise paint!" Santa came through, and the clubhouse, in this picture, was bright turquoise!

The One That (Almost) Got Away



On large estate-house grounds, elaborate playhouses were often constructed for the kids. This one Is my favorite of any I've seen so far. It was discovered by New Jersey resident John Rickershauser:

John lived near an old country estate in New Jersey, which was eventually razed for a condominium development. Just before the demolition, he was out walking (fortunately with his camera handy) when he spotted this wonderful but neglected playhouse on the grounds. These estate playhouses often had running water, wood- or coal-fired cook stoves and electric lights, and I suspect this one had it all. The fence alone is an architectural treasure.

 

I drew a floor plan of this in case anyone wants to build it!

 

Photos contributed by John P. Rickershauser

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.