Customer Reviews

Playhouses You Can Build: Indoor and Backyard Designs (Weekend Project Book Series)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Someone gave this book to my daughter for her birthday and we decided to build the traditional playhouse that is on the cover. Although it took almost a month of weekends, it was well worth the time! She and her friends spend all their play dates in it and we always know where they are. This looks like the most advanced project in the book and I am a weekend carpenter, but didn't have any trouble following the plans. We are working on the "Spook House" for Halloween and the whole family is having fun adding their imput! Highly recommend this book for anyone with any building experience.

All winter long I had promised my kids that I would build them a treehouse in the spring. So, when the flowers started popping up, and they hadn't forgotten, I had to do something. I had once seen a treehouse web page that mentioned David Stiles other out of print book, "Tree House Book". I couldn't track that down, so I bought this one instead.

This book only had one treehouse design, but it was just right for my situation. (A reasonably straight tree, with the fort built around it). What's very nice about the book is that David goes into detail on _ALL_ the tools and materials you will need, including a detailed shopping list. As I'm a woodworking novice, this helped tremendously. I was able to go to my local lumberyard with the book, and I got everything I needed in one trip.

The treehouse went up just as the book stated, with only a few minor customizations.

If you'ld like to see the finished product, I've put together a web page:
http://www.gusick.com/Treehouse

- Robert Gusic

I hoped that this book would help me build a playhouse for my young daughter. Although it appears to be very detailed, it is not for the novice woodworker. There was no diagram to show how the walls were to be built and I was left to my own devices to figure out how to do it (which, being a novice, I was unable to do). I telephoned the author about this problem who admitted that the diagram was not in the book but he could not explain to me how to do what I wanted. I gave up and bought a Norm Abrams videotape and plans.

A great book! Well written and illustrated for the novice woodworker, or anyone for that matter. You don't have to be a woodsmith to build the projects in this book. Simple, straight forward plans and illustrations help you to build the playhouse of your children's dreams. If I can do it, anyone can. A weekend warrior like myself with very little carpentry experience built 2 of the projects in this book and they turned out great! Can't wait to buy the Stiles' next book.

Stiles' book is a wonderful compendium of playhouse/play structure projects. It includes "plans" for everything from a 20 minute cardboard house to a 20+ hour gingerbread playhouse. I put plans in quotes because if you are looking for truly detailed plans and a step-by-step how to guide this book is not it. It has basic architectural type drawings, some with details, some not. Nonetheless it is still an excellent guide to planning, designing and building children's play areas. The general construction tips and wood/fastener introductory chapters will be worth the price of the book for novices. All in all, this book will help you take a great step towards your project.

Please don't buy this book unless you are comfortable reading vague plans and are an experienced carpenter. For all the other "Weekenders" like me who appreciate step-by-step instruction with diagrams/pictures, detailed information on techniques for their projects, discussion regarding suitable materials and tips on finishing the project (i.e. painting, etc.) PLEASE choose a book more suited to your skill level. ... I sense impending doom if I attempt to build his cover playhouse which, by the way, seems rather small at only 6'x6'. I think I will join the ranks and order Norm Abrams plans and video as well.

Looked for weeks for a playhouse to build for my daughter. The book was easy to follow for a beginner. Excellent ideas and drawings. Only wished my own house looked that nice. The Stiles know how to put out a great book. I have since bought another great Stiles book.

The whole family has taken advantage of this book. David and Jeanie Stiles have a basic low-cost design for a playhouse made from a refrigerator carton which can be done in a couple of hours. At the other end of the spectrum, we made a traditional playhouse with gingerbread moldings that is the envy of the neighborhood. This is a terrific family book, one that has enabled us to work and play together, creating something that the kids really love. The plans and how-to instructions are clearly written. We highly recommend.

The cover of the book is enough to draw a child into imaginative thought. Plenty of good ideas, with a realistic view of the ability of the average do-it-yourselfer. Looking through the book, I did wish there were more color photos, but this would be a minor problems for those serious about following one the plans included in the book.

Overall, it's an 0K book - the ideas are good, but the descriptions are lacking. The thing that led me to write this review is to warn potential buyers that the (at least the "traditional playhouse") plans are riddled with errors. If you buy the book and plan to build the playhouse on the cover, make sure you check and double check the dimensions and angles before cutting your expensive wood. I found myself reading the scarce instructions over and over trying to figure out what the authors were talking about in many circumstances. I'd recommend, but WATCH OUT FOR THE ERRORS!