Build memories for your child

Playhouse opens door to hours of fun

Don and Dave Runyan   /  U-Bild

The playhouse plan measures 6 feet square and stands about 6 feet tall. (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.

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.

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.