Playhouse Redesign?

Here's the relocated second floor window on the east wall that I wrote about yesterday.

Today I also have the notion to break up the roof into two parts so that I can more easily make a second floor window on the south wall, which will have the nicest view looking out from the playhouse.  Here's my first pass at this approach.

The problem with this idea is that it will cut into the head room people will need as they climb up from the first floor to the second floor.  Perhaps I will stick with the previous single roof design and put in a "dormer roof" where I want to place the second floor window on the south side.  Of course I don't know how to build a dormer roof.  So that's another thing I have to learn!

Back to the Playhouse III

Today my energy level still was not 100%, so I moved in slow motion and did not build as much as I planned.  I cut the pieces for the east wall and fastened about half the parts together.  I did not fasten the parts in the middle.  I found myself redesigning the wall on-the-fly.  Originally, I was going to make two windows with the top window smaller than the bottom window.  Then I decided to simplify my design, and make both windows the same size.  So here's the framing as I just described.

But now I have a new idea to just have one window in the east wall frame and move the top window up to the portion of the wall formed by the roof framing.  I'll post a picture of this tomorrow.

Back to the Playhouse II

This morning I swam laps for the first time since our Hawaii vacation, and somehow I felt really drained and anemic through out the rest of the day.  So I had just enough energy to buy building materials and haul it back home with the Home Depot rental truck.  Then Ele helped me unload the materials and bring them to the building site.  Given my low energy level today, I feel like this was a big accomplishment worthy of posting a photo!

In addition, I revised the design for the east wall.  Originally, I strictly observed the practice to space all the studs on 16 inch centers from one end of the wall to the other.  But this resulted in an asymmetric frame design.  Since the studs in the east wall are just transferring their load along the length of a single joist at the end of the floor frame, I don't think it's necessary to stick to the 16 inch centers rule.  So I redesigned the east wall to have symmetrically located studs.

Back to the Playhouse

Now that we're back from our Hawaii vacation, I am refreshed and ready to finish the playhouse!  Right???  Well we shall find out.  Tomorrow I am going to get more material for the north and east walls.  I revised the north wall design slightly to reinforce the corners of the playhouse with an additional king stud.

I also added more dimensions to help me figure out wood cutting and placement.  Since this is just for my own reference, I let myself get a little sloppy with the placement of the dimensions.  Of course, I wouldn't let myself be so sloppy when I make drawings at work!

Playhouse in Real Life II

This posting is late and counts for July 2nd's posting.

We have a backyard barbecue today, Sunday July 3rd, so I worked all day yesterday in the hot 100 degree weather to finish securing the joists and screwing down the floor panels.  Our back yard is not that big, and I wanted to finish the foundation and floor so that people can safely stand on it.  I finally got it done late late Saturday night.

My body aches!  I admit I enjoy doing this project.  I've never done a project this big.  Still it would be more fun if it weren't sooo hot.  I want Ele to take a picture of me working on the playhouse next time, so the kids remember how hard I'm working on this!

Playhouse in Real Life

This posting is late and counts for July 1's posting.

The ultimate purpose of this blog is to promote my own creativity.  Sketching is a way to encourage me to be creative, and I've extended the definition of "sketching" to include 3D sketches like clay sculptures for Ele and Mom.  So by the same token, I  include my construction the playhouse as a 3D sketch.

I finally started building the real playhouse foundation and floor last weekend on June 25 and 26.  I didn't get nearly as far as I wanted, and I left myself a lot of loose ends to do.  The fourth of July weekend is due to be really hot, so I worked on it Friday night, and I took a picture of it Saturday morning.  It's a 8 feet wide by 12 feet long with (really heavy) 2x6 and 4x6 lumber.  My body aches the day after I lift all those heavy pieces in the hot sun!