Build memories for your child

Tue., May 22, 2007

Don and Dave Runyan U-Bild

Sure to capture the heart (and imagination) of any child who sees it, this cottage-style playhouse project will become a place where memories are made. It features an inviting porch, a Dutch door, flower boxes and decorative architectural details that make it irresistible to kids of all ages.

All straight cuts and full-size patterns for the angles make the project easy enough for most woodworkers. It’s also inexpensive — the walls are T111 plywood (which gives the appearance of vertical siding) over sturdy 2-by-2 framing. Comparable prefabricated playhouse kits start around $1,500, so do-it-yourselfers enjoy big savings.

How to build it

Construction is simple. A series of illustrated steps break the project down into smaller operations, from building the foundation to installing the roof. Once the structure is complete, hang the door, add a coat of paint, fill the flower boxes and help the kids move in. The playhouse measures six feet square (including the porch) and stands about six feet tall.

How to order the plan

The Cottage Playhouse plan, No. 942, is $10.95 and includes complete step-by-step instructions with photos, full-size traceable patterns, detailed construction diagrams, a shopping list and cutting schedule and a toll-free help line for project questions.

A package of two playhouse projects, No. C160, is $17.95 and includes this plan plus a plan for a rustic playhouse. A catalog picturing hundreds of do-it-yourself projects is $2. Please include $4 for postage and handling (except catalog-only orders) and allow about two weeks for delivery.

To order by mail, clip this article and send it with a check or money order to U-Bild Features, c/o (The Spokesman-Review), 3800 Oceanic Drive, Ste. 107, Oceanside, CA 92056. To order by credit card, call (800) 828-2453. Visit U-Bild on the Web at u-bild.com.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.