Playhouse loft bed with stairs

Submitted by Benjies on Fri, 08/16/2013 - 13:24

This was my first "real" project other than making a small bench to hold my miter saw in order to make this project! :)

Saw these plans and instantly fell in love. I knew my daughter's birthday was coming up soon (she turned 4) so I got to work!

I used Poplar wood that had different nominal dimensions than the standard making this project not nearly as easy as what it should be. A lot of headaches, but seeing Tatum's smile on her face when we revealed her surprise made it ALL worth it!

I mostly used my Kreg Jig and Kreg screws. Used my nailer to tack up all trim. used wood screws to secure all of the walls together through the legs.

For the stairs, I purchased a large bathmat from Walmart and cut it to fit each step. I tacked it down with some staples and adhesive. I used 12" continuous hinges for the stairs and they worked perfectly.

Keep in mind other expenses, as the bill can increase rather rapidly!

My total wood bill was $398...but I used Poplar. If you go with pine, it will cost you less. $40 for primer and paint. $100 for new twin mattress. $30 for protective mattress cover. $75 for pottery barn quilt set (eBay). $13 for carpet on stairs. $24 for hinges ($8 each)!! $28 for 2 sets of sheets...bringing the grand total to a whopping: $708!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
2 coats of primer then Glidden latex paint from Walmart.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner