Treehouses & Playhouses You Can Build [Paperback]

David Stiles (Author), Jeanie Stiles (Author)

Book Description

Treehouses & Playhouses You Can Build shows how average "do-it-yourself" families can easily and affordably bring to life a "Hobbit's Treehouse," a "Pirate's Playhouse," or a "Crow's Nest" in their own backyards! There are a lot of books out there filled with enchanting photos of elaborate treehouses and playhouses built by professionals and costing tens of thousands to build. For the rest of us, there's bit of elbow grease, a lot of imagination, a trip to the hardware store-and Treehouses & Playhouses You Can Build.

Authors David and Jeanie Stiles are the best-selling authors of a number of books on treehouses with sales of over 150,000 copies. They have created another straightforward how-to-build book filled with beautiful hand-drawn step-by-step illustrations that are easy to follow and describe in detail how to create each project. They include tips on budgeting, using basic tools, buying materials, and kid- and adult-friendly instructions! Even for DIY novice types, this book simplifies the building process and inspires families of all types to work together and build cool stuff.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Every kid dreams of a cabin in the sky, so take advantage of the warmer weather and build a treehouse together. -- Family Circle, April 2007

From the Inside Flap

Treehouses& Playhouses YOU CAN BUILD

David & Jeanie Stiles

Nails, screws, lumber and some elbow grease are about all that's needed to create the magic and adventure of a private hand-made wooden kids' club in the treetops. Build an imagination inspiring Hobbit Treehouse, a Pirate Ship Playhouse with working water cannons, or any of 40 unique projects by following simple steps in Treehouses & Playhouses You Can Build.

Detailed step-by-step instructions and beautiful hand-drawn illustrations make these backyard-construction activities as much fun to craft as they will be to use. Parents and children can spend time together sculpting in the sky and learning woodworking skills just by setting aside a few weekends to go outdoors and build. Kids and adults alike will have a beautiful, wild space to call their own for hours of creative play or relaxation.

Treehouses & Playhouses shows the average "do-it-yourself" family how to easily and affordably bring such structures to life by their own hands in their own backyards. Build a treehouse or playhouse on a budget, using basic tools and minimal building experience. Choose from different projects including a Victorian Playhouse or Treeless Treehouse, a zip line, a crow's nest, an escape hatch, a secret lock box, a hidden message board, pulleys, lifts, lofts, skylights, ladders, bridges and swings. Use the skills you learn from the detailed projects to build "fantasy" structures such as a Climb & Slide Mountain, Delta Wing Space Vehicle, Dragon House, Giant Glasses, Jet Racer, Meditation Hut, Suspended Monster Playhouse or Swinging Treehouse.

For regular dads and moms or weekend carpenters, this book offers a layperson's manual to bring the dream of an exciting and personal spot for the kids into reality.

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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith; 1 edition (August 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586857800
• ISBN-13: 978-1586857806
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,867 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Decks & Patios
  • #50 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Small Homes & Cottages
  • #86 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Carpentry

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for the young builder, February 20, 2008

By 

Steve @ ArtisanTreehouse.com (Bryn Mawr, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treehouses & Playhouses You Can Build (Paperback)

This is the latest installment in a long string of wonderful books from David and Jeanie Stiles. Inside you won't find glossy, double page spreads of extravagant treehouses ... this is not a coffee table book. Rather, it is a how-to book, and the best one available for those that want to build their own whimsical play structure. Inside you will find excellent line drawings and readable explanations of intelligent, creative, and well though-out designs.

David starts with the basics: tools. From there you follow a complete and logical progression to completed treehouse. In between you'll get solid building advice. David has built his designs. He knows how to make life easier for you by using common materials and minimizing cuts. The building advice is spot on throughout.

The huge, huge, huge problem with this book is the 20 or so options David gives you for connecting lumber to tree. They are almost all bad. Never girdle a growing limb with rope or cable. Never use nails. This leaves you with only lag bolting. To be sure, there are other ways. But the only safe and tree-friendly way presented in this book (and any of his other works) is to use lags.

This is the by far the best book to give to a young builder and is probably a treasure to any 8 or 9 year old lucky enough to have a copy. It will get their mind working. The crazy schemes they come up with will amaze you.

The ideas inside this book are great. Fun, imaginative, unique. If you know a young boy (or girl) with a tree, get him this book. And when it comes time to actually build their creation, call an arborist and he'll set you straight about properly attaching it to a tree.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Treehouse Book!, March 8, 2007

By 

Kat in Austin, TX - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treehouses & Playhouses You Can Build (Paperback)

This book is a wonderful how-to book for those who need all the help they can get on building a treehouse. The plans are great and we are building the basic treehouse which is perfect for our 8 and 5 year old kids. Lots of ideas on everything from picking trees, buying lumber, safety tips, to flexible extras. We bought all three of David Stiles treehouse books and this was by far the best and we could have just bought this one and been happy but are glad to have them all. Would highly recommend to parents contemplating building a treehouse or for kids who want to dream of one.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a wonderful book!, October 10, 2006

By 

HT - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treehouses & Playhouses You Can Build (Paperback)

This book is a must-have for anybody interested in building treehouses, sheds or small out-buildings of any kind! It is filled with all the information an amateur would need with step-by-step instructions on the building process, tools and materials and inspirational photographs of projects by other amateur builders that will inspire and motivate anybody interested in trying a building project in their backyard. The authors have provided clear, concise instructions and have taken the intimidation out of building. The authors are clearly interested in the reader having a joyful, successful building experience. Our own building projects have all been inspired by Jeanie and David Stiles' encouraging books. Thank you!