SUPPLIES
- Plywood
- Circular Saw
- Hammer
- Roofing felt
- Shingles
- Rubber mat
- Nails
- Wood glue
- Paint (indoor and outdoor)
- Staple gun
Overview
Building a clubhouse is a perfect project that you and your child can do together. This can be bonding time and your child can have an experience of accomplishment that he will feel for a lifetime. He will probably not remember every moment spent in the clubhouse, but he will always remember the time he spent building it with you. Building a clubhouse is not as difficult as it may seem. Hard work and time must be put into it, but the end result is more than worth it.
Step 1
Draw up designs for the clubhouse. Before starting to build, you need to develop plans to work off of. You can always purchase plans off the Internet.
Step 2
Pick out a work area. This can be in the back yard or wherever you have space to build. If you only have a little time to work on the clubhouse each day, make sure that this work area is out of the way and not where children play.
Step 3
Designate a spot in the yard to house the clubhouse. This is where it will sit once completed. Choose an area that you are prepared to give up.
Step 4
Outline the door on a sheet of plywood. This will be the opening to the clubhouse. You can make this as wide or as narrow as you like. This also depends on the size of your plywood and how big you are making the clubhouse. A good starting point is to take 1/3 of the length of the plywood piece. For instance, if your plywood is 6 feet long, then make the opening 2 feet. Once you are finished outlining the area, use the saw to cut out this piece.
Step 5
Outline an area for a window. You can use the same piece of plywood that you cut the door out of or another one for a side window. Use a circular saw to cut out the window.
Step 6
Nail all four sides together for the foundation. This can be square or rectangular, depending on the size of your plywood. If you want a clubhouse that is equally proportioned, then make sure all of your plywood is the same size (4 feet by 5/8 inches). For a longer rectangular clubhouse, make sure that your front and back pieces are a couple feet longer than the side pieces. Make sure that the door is in the front. You will need someone who can hold up the sides while you nail them together. To reinforce the walls, use the wood glue also.
Step 7
Move over another piece of plywood to the spot you designated as the clubhouse area. This piece will be the floor. Carry over the foundation and line it up with the floor.
Step 8
Attach the foundation to the floor with nails and the wood glue.
Step 9
Add the final piece of plywood for the roof by nailing it down and using the wood glue. Nail the roofing felt on top of the plywood. Attach the shingles with the staple gun. Use two staples per shingle; one at the top and one at the bottom.
Step 10
Attach the rubber mat to the clubhouse as a door flap. Make sure that the rubber mat matches the size of the door opening. From the inside of the clubhouse, nail the rubber mat to the top of the opening you made for the door.
Step 11
Paint and decorate the clubhouse as you see fit. You can allow the child to draw fun shapes and characters to add her personal touch.
Step 12
Add kid-sized furniture to the inside of the clubhouse. You can also paint the inside and add more drawings to the wall. Adding wallpaper and a border is another way to personalize the inside of the clubhouse. Leave most of the inside décor up to the child since this will be his special place.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Add a welcome mat to the outside of the clubhouse for a more homey feel.
Ask the child to design and draw a sign that can be hung from the outside of the clubhouse. You want to make her feel like she has contributed a lot to the place.
