A playground tower adds fun to your kid’s playtime. With or without friends, he/she will love to spend time climbing and hanging onto it. It is quite easy to construct one in your garden or if you have a backyard. It doesn’t take much time to make one. Just devote a Sunday morning to it after breakfast and you are sure to have it finished before your afternoon snack. You can also add cute hanging toys like fairy dolls or with stars and some glittery stuff if you have a little princess who imagines herself as Cinderella or Snow White. Given below are the steps to build it. Follow it and see how your little one loves to spend most of the time there.
Complexity level: Moderate
Time required: 2-3hours
Estimated cost: $100-150
Resources required:
1. 4×4 lumber, 12 feet in length
2. 2×2 lumber, 8 feet length
3. 2×6 lumber, 10 feet length
4. 2×4 lumber, 10 feet length
5. Post Hole Diggers
6. Electric drill
7. Drills
8. Tape measure
9. Framing level
10. Galvanized wood screws
11. Lag bolts
12. Plastic slide and ladder set
Instructions:
1. To start decide about the size of the playground tower. It is advised to build 5 feet by 5 feet on a height of 10 feet to imagine two five-cubic foot blocks placed with one placed on the other. This will also make the use of 10-foot lumber less without putting much pressure on your budget. Mark the areas where the playground tower will be build.
2. Take the hole diggers and using those make four holes on the ground of a depth of 24 inches so that the holes can take 4×4 lumber.
3. Two five-foot lengths of a 2×6 lumber and a 2×4 lumber should be cut next, with the latter at the extreme top of the tower while the former at the floor in the upper level.
4. Lay the four 4x4x12 pieces of lumber parallel to one another on a flat work surface, such as for the driveway, put four 4x4x12 lumber pieces on a surface at the same distance apart along their whole length. Put them into the ground after their sides have been made.
5. Taking a 2×4 piece of lumber of a five-foot length over the two 4x4s for making a big U-shape put it in such a way that it rests over the boards, not touching the ground. With the help of a tape measure the bottom of the 2×4, four feet.
6. Next put a 2×6 lumber on the 4x4s. The other board should be measured too and be ensured of their equal height. Assemble the four boards and align with galvanized wood screws. Follow the same instruction for constructing the other side.
7. To ensure safety, gravel of six inches should be poured on the four holes through which the tower will be placed. Now put the poles into the ground.
8. Taking 2×6 lumber join both sides of the tower for the floor, and 2×4 lumber for the very top using galvanized wood screws. Ensure this step with a framing level. The 2×6 boards should be equal.
9. Into the four holes in which the poles are put, pour cement. Check the level both vertically and horizontally. Water should be poured into the holes for the concrete. Though it takes many days for the concrete, you can yet carry on constructing.
10. In the midst of the 2×6 lumber put 2×6 thick pieces of wood and then put decking boards across the thick wooden pieces on the floor of the tower with galvanized screws.
11. Now take the 2×2 lumber and cut it into four-foot long pieces as the balusters so that your child doesn’t fall out of the tower. Align these vertically between the 2×4 lumber and the 2×6 lumber ensuring there are no gaps of more than five inches in width.
12. Align one stair made of plastic and slide kit to the 2×6 boards with the help of lag bolts. Drill the lag bolt holes before placing them with a metal tool for prevention of cracks in the wood.
Frequently asked questions:
Q. After how many days of construction is the playground tower safe for the kids?
A. It takes many days, almost a month or so for the concrete to dry and secure the entire structure.
Quick tips:
For digging an exact 24 inches hole, use a measuring tape.
Things to watch out for:
Make sure the lumbers you use are pressure treated.
