How to Build a Playhouse

Gather your materials. This is the most extensive and time-consuming method of building a playhouse, but it offers the best results. There is quite a long list of supplies though, so make sure you have gathered them all before you start building.^[1]

• The materials you will need include 2x8 boards, 2x4 boards, ¾” plywood, 3” galvanized screws, 1”x6” decking planks, wood siding, quarter-round molding, shingles, and roofing nails.
• You will need an assortment of tools including a circular saw, a jigsaw, a reciprocating saw, a drill, a level, a framing square, a hammer, a straight edge, a utility knife, and tape measure.
• An option is to include plexiglass to create real windows rather than open-air spaces in your playhouse.

Choose a location. The playhouse will measure 6x8 feet, and will need at least that much space plus a little extra room for an entrance. This playhouse is meant to be outdoors, but could certainly be placed indoors if you desired.^[2]

Create the base. To build the base of the playhouse, you will be using your 2x8 boards and then covering it with the decking planks. This base will form the platform for the playhouse to sit on, and will also prove a 2’ porch in front of the entrance.^[3]

• Form a 6x8 foot rectangle by measuring and cutting your 2x8 foot boards. Cut the two side boards to be one inch short so that they can fit between the two longest boards perfectly.
• Use your 3” screws to butt-joint the boards together, creating an empty rectangle.
• To add stability to the floor, use an additional two 2x8 foot boards to create floor joists. These should be cut to fit the space running lengthwise in the center floor, making the base four boards running the distance of 8 feet (2.4 m), and two boards on the ends running 6 feet (1.8 m). Use your three inch screws to secure these to the sides.
• To cover the foundation and create the floor, measure and cut your 1”x6” deck planking to fit the base widthwise (the shorter distance). Use enough that they cover the entirety of the base, with no spaces between each board. Use your 3” screws to make sure they are completely attached.
• Cut off any excess boards with your circular saw.

Create the wall frames. To build the walls of the playhouse, you must first make empty frames for the sides to attach to. Measure 1” in on the perimeter of the base, because the wall frames will sit on the floor rather than being attached to the outside.^[4]

• To make the back frame, first measure the boards which will create the top and bottom. These should be cut from your 2x4 boards, and measure 7’11” so that it doesn’t overlap the edge of the floor. Then take five 2x4 boards and measure them to 3’9” so that they will join evenly with the other frames without overlapping the desired 4’ width. Attach two of the 3’9” boards to the edges of the two 7’11” boards, creating an empty rectangle, Then add in the three support beams to the center of the rectangle, evenly spaced between them to create four smaller empty sections.
• Create the front wall frame by doing the same process explained above in making the back wall frame. In addition to that, add a cross-board six inches below the topmost board between your choice of two studs. This will create the frame for the door.
• Make the side walls by taking your 2x4 boards and cutting four of them (two for each side wall), to a length of 3’9”. Take four additional 2x4 boards and cut them to be 3’4” for the top and bottom of the sides. Use your galvanized screws to attach these, creating two rectangular sides. For each side, cut two 3’9” boards to add to the center of the frames for support. Add these to the centers of each side frame and attach them with the screws.
• In each of the side frames, measure 9” from the top and bottom and add a board to fit between the studs here. This will create the frame for two side-windows.

Attach the wall frames to the base. Starting with the back wall, stand it upright on the edge of the baseboards. Use multiple galvanized screws to secure it to the floor. Then, move to the side walls; attach these to the floor first, and then to the edges of the rear wall with more screws. The last wall to be added is the front wall. Remember, this one will have a two-foot space in front for a porch. Screw it into the floor and then to the two sides, making sure that it fits smoothly with the other wall frames.^[5]

Build the roof. Once the wall frames are firmly attached to the floor, you can move onto making the roof for the playhouse. To do this, first create a frame, and then cover it with plywood.^[6]

• Measure the ridgeboard, the board that will run lengthwise through the center of the triangle-shaped roof, to 7’11”.
• Cut the struts, the supportive edge of the roof, out of 2x4 boards to 14” long. Miter these to the correct angle to fit against the ridgeboard and the top of the wall frames.
• Create the eight rafters made from 2x4 inch boards. You will use four of each of these boards in the centers of the roof between the struts to give support to the roof. Miter these to fit the angle of the ridgeboard and the top of the wall frames.
• Begin by attaching the struts to the ridgeboard, and then add the rafters. Attach this roof frame to the tops of the wall frames. There should be two empty isosceles triangle shapes at the ends of the frame, above the two side walls.
• Cut plywood to fit the roof. You will attach shingles to the top of the plywood, so make sure the entirety of the roof frame is covered (excluding the side triangles). Screw these pieces to the top of the frame once you’ve gotten the correct measurements.
• Screw the rafter and struts to the frame directly above the studs to add extra support to your playhouse structure.

Finish the walls. Use your wood siding to add the outer edge to your walls. Measure the wall frames to make sure you get the correct size, and then cut the wood to fit. The two side pieces should be in the shape of a pentagon to include the triangle-shapes formed by the roof.

• Screw the walls into the frame along the support beams.
• Mark out the space for the windows and door. Use a jigsaw to cut out these pieces, sanding the rough edges when you finish. If you chose to use plexiglass for the windows, insert them now. Finish the windows (with or without the plexiglass) with the quarter round molding around the edges.

Shingle the roof. Line up the first row of shingles along the edge, and then have all adjacent rows of shingles slightly overlap each other. Use four roofing nails per shingle to attach them to the plywood roof. Because the ridge board will be exposed, cut the sheets of shingles into individual pieces and turn them sideways. Nail them to the ridge board so that the entire roof is covered. Use your utility knife to cut off any excess shingles.^[7]

Finish your playhouse. At this point, the building-process of your playhouse has been completed. Now you can add the finishing touches to it to make it unique. Paint the outside, add window-box planters, and put small-sized furniture inside. Enjoy your completed playhouse!