How to Build a Wooden Play Set

Determine the best location for the wooden play set. The ground should be as level as possible, with no nearby hazards such as tree stumps or jagged concrete. Clear away any rocks and debris, and any plants that are poisonous if eaten such as irises and daffodils. Remove the sod if desired.

Use a post-hole digger or auger to make holes for the posts. Dig holes 2 feet deep for stability. Place the center of the holes 4 feet apart, making three rows of four holes for a total of 12 holes. Follow the instructions and prepare the quick-set concrete mix, pour the mix into the holes, and sink the 4-by-4-inch posts into the holes. Allow the concrete to cure according to the manufacturer's instructions on the mix.

Drill holes for bolts through the posts, placing two holes, one above the other, about 2 inches apart, keeping them at least half an inch from the edges of the boards. Countersink the bolt heads so they don't stick out and create a hazard when children are playing. You can use a paddle bit that is larger than the bolt's head to shave away about 1/4 inch of the wood around where the bolt's head will sit. Have your helpers lift a 2-by-12-inch board into place, while you slide a washer onto each bolt, insert the bolt through the two boards, and finger tighten the nut. When all of the bolts are in these vertical posts and 2-by-12-inch boards, tighten them with a socket wrench. You now have the frame for your wooden play set. The 2-by-12-inch boards should run all the way around the outside of the posts. Connect some of the inner posts as desired. Where to locate them will depend on where you wish to locate other elements of your play set. They can be added in later if needed.

Decide which 8-by-8-foot area you want to become the sandbox. Bolt the 1-by-12-inch boards to the posts at ground level and bracket them to each other to make a sandbox that is 12 inches deep. Spread polyethylene on the ground in the sand box, pushing carefully into the corners. Fill the sand box with sand, and cover with the plywood sheets.

Measure and mark every 12 inches down the length of one of the 2-by-4-inch by 8-foot boards. Stack two of the boards so that they make a 4-by-4 inch "block" with the pencil marks showing. Clamp them together or have a helper hold them together tightly. Select a paddle bit that is the exact size of the wooden dowel rods. Put the paddle bit in the drill, place the point of the paddle bit on one of the marks you just made, and gently pull the drill's trigger. Cut most of the way through the "block" you just made, then flip it over and cut through the rest of the way. Cut holes through the rest of the length of those two boards with the paddle bit. Sand lightly to remove any splinters.

Place the two 2-by-4-inch-by-10-foot long boards on top of the unit near the vertical ladder you just attached. Mark the points where the boards lie on the 2-by-12 inch boards. Cut out notches at those points, making each notch 1 inch deep. Use a router, table saw, or sharp chisel to cut out the wood from the notch. The notch needs to fit over the 2-by-12 inch boards at the top of the play set. Measure and mark first, before cutting. Sand lightly.

Repeat steps 5 and 6 to make a second ladder from the notched boards. Rest this ladder on top of the play set's frame, so that the children can climb up the vertical ladder and onto the horizontal ladder. Secure the second ladder with hurricane ties if you want it to be immovable. If you want to be able to move it to other locations, don't fasten it to the 2-by-12 inch boards.

Drill pilot holes for the eye bolts that will support the swings into the 2-by-1 inch board on the opposite end of the play set. Insert the eye bolts and attach the chains for the swings.

Add any other elements you desire, such as 2-by-4 inch boards that run horizontally between vertical posts for climbing bars, or add a slide. Platforms can be added by attaching short scraps of 2-by-4 inch boards to the vertical posts at the desired height with 3-inch wood screws, placing 4-by-4 foot plywood pieces on them like cleats, and securing down through the plywood and into the cleats with 1 inch wood screws.