Treehouses and other Cool Stuff: 50 Projects You Can Build - Softcover

Stiles, Jeanie; Stiles, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1423603958 ISBN 13: 9781423603955

Publisher: Gibbs Smith, 2007

Synopsis

Remember the handcrafted mischief of the gangs on The Little Rascals, Gilligan's Island, and The Swiss Family Robinson?

This cleverness is back in the old-fashioned fun of Treehouses and Other Cool Stuff You Can Build. Imagine building an old-fashioned go-cart, an A-frame treehouse, a portable lemonade stand, a seesaw, a scooter skateboard, a tub fiddle, and even the ultimate in entertainment-an erupting volcano.

Also included is a useful section on carpentry tips and tools such as: Sawhorse, Saw Guide and Crosscutting, Ripping Wood, Pilot Holes and Drilling Screws, Toolbox.

Author bios

David and Jeanie Stiles have been writing "how-to" books together for the past twelve years. Most recently, the couple built a treehouse on The Today Show in Rockefeller Center in New York. They divide their time between New York City and East Hampton, where they live in a renovated barn.

About this title

About the Authors

David and Jeanie have been writing "how-to" books together for the past twelve years. Most recently, the couple built a treehouse on The Today Show in Rockefeller Center in New York. They divide their time between New York City and East Hampton, where they live in a barn they renovated together.

David and Jeanie have been writing "how-to" books together for the past twelve years. Most recently, the couple built a treehouse on The Today Show in Rockefeller Center in New York. They divide their time between New York City and East Hampton, where they live in a barn they renovated together.

From the Back Cover

PROJECTS INCLUDE:

A-Frame Treehouse

Tarzan Swing

Lemonade Stand

Exploding Cannon

Downhill Racer

Trolley Ride

Fake Barbells

Pogo Boat

Playhouse Bed

Ski Sled

Monster Treehouse

Secret Lock Box

Alka Rocket

Ad Hoc Tree Fort

Treasure Chest and more!

From the Inside Flap

Treehouses and Other Cool Stuff provides instructions and plans for fun projects that parents and kids can build together. Many of them can be built in one afternoon using discarded materials found around the house; some may take longer to construct. All the projects are designed to encourage kids to be creative while having fun. From a Swinging Treehouse, Monster House and Jet Racer to a Box Sled, Treasure Chest and Exploding Cannon, you can build a variety of projects that create lasting memories with your children.

“With its joyful drawings and crystal-clear instructions, Treehouses and Other Cool Stuff delivers a wealth of imaginative, iconic outdoor projects guaranteed to tempt and thrill the adventurous child of all ages.” ―Don Metz, architect and author of Confessions of a Country Architect

David Stiles, a designer/builder who has built several houses in the East Hampton area, is also an illustrator specializing in how-to books. David has worked as an architectural renderer for most of the leading architectural firms in New York City and has received two awards from the NYC Planning Commission for his playground design for handicapped children.

Jeanie Stiles is an actress/model who has appeared in numerous television commercials and print ads. With a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Wheaton College in Massachusetts, Jeanie has also taught ESL and English at Baruch College in New York City.

David and Jeanie have been writing how-to books together for the past fifteen years. Most recently, the couple built a treehouse on The Today Show in Rockefeller Center in New York. They divide their time between New York City and East Hampton, where they live in a barn they renovated together.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Materials list for treehouse using 4 posts:

Qty. Description Length Location

(4) 4x4 ACQ posts 10' support posts

(7) 2x6 #2 fir 8' floor frame

(1) 3/4-inch ext. ply. 4'x8' sheet floor

(6) 5/4 x 6 cedar 8' deck

(2) 2x4 cedar 10' knee braces

(1) 4x4 cedar 8' railing posts

(4) 5/8" ext. ply. 4'x8' sheets roof, front and back sides

(14) 2x3 spruce 8' framing

(1) 2x4 fir 12' ridge board

(2) 2x6 cedar 8' railing

(8) 2x2 cedar 8' balustrades

(4) 11/16" x 1 3/8" solid crown molding 9' roof edging

(3) 2x6 cedar 8' ladder

(2) 1x4 cedar 8' ladder step supports

(4) 80-lb. bags sacrete post footings

(4) 3" galvanized butt hinges windows

AC ply. = A/C grade exterior plywood

Ext. ply. = exterior plywood

ACQ = pressure treated

T1-11 ply = textured 1-11 plywood

o.c. = on center

i.d. = inside dimension

Optional: Asphalt shingles for treehouse roof.

Note: If you shingle your treehouse, use staples instead of nails to attach shingles. Clear your building site from brush and rocks and mark out an area with string that is 89 1/2 inches wide and 66 1/2 inches deep. This represents the exact center of where the 4 posts will go. Check the diagonal measurements from corner to corner to make sure they measure the same. Dig 4 holes where the strings intersect, 12 inches wide and 36 inches deep. Place the 10-foot-long 4x4s in the holes loosely. Don't backfill until the frame is in place. Temporarily brace the posts to keep them plumb.

Edition details

• Publisher: Gibbs Smith
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1423603958
• ISBN 13: 9781423603955
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 136