Child's outdoor reading nook

[gselquestions]

Hello - complete amateur alert - 

I was wondering if anyone could please tell me what I would need to buld this structure?

Apart from:

Matrix 2410 x 1205mm screen panels and 

Easyroll 100mm 125kg Load Transparent Swivel Plate and Brake Castor 

What sort of timber and base would we need?

It is going to be outside so would we need to treat the timber?

Many thanks in advance!!!

[Jason]

Hi @gselquestions,

Looks like a great little project. I'm sure plenty of Workshop members who have built outdoor play equipment for kids, including @ProjectPete, @Yorky88 and @Tara86 would be happy to share some advice with you. 

Welcome to the community. We're rapt to have you join us and look forward to seeing this project come together. Feel free to post anytime you need a hand. 

Jason

[Brad]

Timber has a pallet feel to it in the photo. Treated pine is not meant to be used for furniture coming in contact with people, hands up all the people that used to play in schools or parks with perma pine. It is hard to get a nice natural looking wood finish on it. Timber options include pine cheap and easy to stain not all that durable, Meranti not so cheap more durable easy to stain or clear coat, Tas Oak/Vic Ash more durable and costs a bit more but looks good with clear coat, Jarrah is most durable looks good with clear but it is darker than the photo and it is hard to get it stained a lighter colour and you have to go searching to find it and it may be recycled so it may have nail holes in it. There are others that are around in the hard to source range and you pay for that. Looks like a ply floor and most common plywood is pine or Meranti, you could use decking but that will need gaps to allow for the timber to move with the change in seasons. Bugle head screws will sit flush unless you want to make the screws a feature coach screws are easiest but cup head bolts have the best look from one side and are harder to use and the inside unless you set them into the timber.
So you have the option of pallet wood. pine with ply. Meranti with ply or other with decking. I would go other and probably use protector 50mm posts and Ekodeck as part of the design as that would match my existing screen.

[Tara86]

@gselquestions  What a great idea for the kids!! Big question is on how much you want to spend? Great range available for Merbau, Cedar, slotted gum etc but this hardwood can get expensive. Cheaper option is treated pine. It might help breaking down what areas you can get away with cheaper timber and areas you can’t. For anything load bearing make sure you get structural timber eg: the A frame. You can save using sleepers for the base and build your flooring on that. 

Tip: Base your dimensions on the timber sizes available. Saves money and less cut offs.

I built my kids an outdoor 2 story cubby/fort fo Christmas. I was able to save a lot by using 6ft pallets I got for free from a customer. These were used for the walls and bottom level flooring. I spent extra on the posts, joist and bearers. Treated Pine posts and structural treated pine for joists/bearers from Bunnings. I had left over Merbau from our deck which I used for the top level flooring. 

Good luck!