Hi

I am looking for information on building a children's climbing frame.
What I am after is a wooden structure that spans the width of our garden and
is raised off the ground by approx. 7 ft.

What I am hoping to achieve is to concrete into the ground 4 wooden posts,
two each side of the garden. The posts will be about 6ft apart at each end
and the total span across the garden is 17ft.

The structure will be used for a 'tree house' type play den raised off the
ground and will also have possible a slide, and one or two swings.

The information I need is:

- WxD dimensions of the 17ft cross pieces to support up to approx 20 stone
(300lbs)
- Best type of joint for the upright support posts to cross posts
- Would I need 45 degree supports from uprights to cross post.
- Best type of wood to use (permanent structure)
- Best type of wood treatment.
- Best way to sink posts into ground (metal spikes, concrete) and depth of
hole.


Any advice or links to information will be much appreciated.

"Paul" wrote in message
...
Hi

I am looking for information on building a children's climbing frame.
What I am after is a wooden structure that spans the width of our garden
and
is raised off the ground by approx. 7 ft.

What I am hoping to achieve is to concrete into the ground 4 wooden posts,
two each side of the garden. The posts will be about 6ft apart at each
end
and the total span across the garden is 17ft.

The structure will be used for a 'tree house' type play den raised off the
ground and will also have possible a slide, and one or two swings.

The information I need is:

- WxD dimensions of the 17ft cross pieces to support up to approx 20 stone
(300lbs)
- Best type of joint for the upright support posts to cross posts
- Would I need 45 degree supports from uprights to cross post.
- Best type of wood to use (permanent structure)
- Best type of wood treatment.
- Best way to sink posts into ground (metal spikes, concrete) and depth of
hole.


Any advice or links to information will be much appreciated.



This link cropped up a few days ago and may be of some interest
http://www.plansnow.com/playhous.html


I like this one myself and am tempted to look into it once I eventually get
all the real DIY around the house finished.. probably in time for the kids
leaving home:-)

cheers
David

I have managed to sketch out the idea of the structure, or one end of it
anyway as it will be the same both ends.
The image is a 39k jpg, if anyone is willing or able to offer any advice,
please can you email me at

paul_ponting at hotmail dot com

and I will reply with the jpg.

Thanks


"David Moodie" wrote in message
...

"Paul" wrote in message
...
Hi

I am looking for information on building a children's climbing frame.
What I am after is a wooden structure that spans the width of our garden
and
is raised off the ground by approx. 7 ft.

What I am hoping to achieve is to concrete into the ground 4 wooden
posts,
two each side of the garden. The posts will be about 6ft apart at each
end
and the total span across the garden is 17ft.

The structure will be used for a 'tree house' type play den raised off
the
ground and will also have possible a slide, and one or two swings.

The information I need is:

- WxD dimensions of the 17ft cross pieces to support up to approx 20
stone
(300lbs)
- Best type of joint for the upright support posts to cross posts
- Would I need 45 degree supports from uprights to cross post.
- Best type of wood to use (permanent structure)
- Best type of wood treatment.
- Best way to sink posts into ground (metal spikes, concrete) and depth
of
hole.


Any advice or links to information will be much appreciated.



This link cropped up a few days ago and may be of some interest
http://www.plansnow.com/playhous.html


I like this one myself and am tempted to look into it once I eventually
get
all the real DIY around the house finished.. probably in time for the kids
leaving home:-)

cheers
David

Paul wrote:
Hi

I am looking for information on building a children's climbing frame.
What I am after is a wooden structure that spans the width of our garden and
is raised off the ground by approx. 7 ft.

What I am hoping to achieve is to concrete into the ground 4 wooden posts,
two each side of the garden. The posts will be about 6ft apart at each end
and the total span across the garden is 17ft.

The structure will be used for a 'tree house' type play den raised off the
ground and will also have possible a slide, and one or two swings.

The information I need is:

- WxD dimensions of the 17ft cross pieces to support up to approx 20 stone
(300lbs)

I'd be very wary of going that low on the spec.
Consider 3 kids, bouncing up and down, could easily exceed that.
And if a kid gets stuck in some way, and you have to go up to help
them down?