Cody
=== DESIGN (updated 7/10/2021) ===
To minimize splinters, I switched to composite decking at the floor and platform levels. I also tweaked the dimensions of everything after modeling the basic frame in FreeCAD. After some comments about the high winds of Colorado, I also increased the depth of the concrete pads to 24" below (plus about 6" below grade already for the first level supports).
| Incremental | (mm) | Cumulative | (mm) | From Ground | (mm) | |
| 0 | ||||||
| Concrete Pads | 24 | 609.6 | 24 | 609.6 | ||
| Floor 2x6s | 5.5 | 139.7 | 29.5 | 749.3 | ||
| GROUND LEVEL | 0 | 0 | 29.5 | 749.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Floor decking | 1 | 25.4 | 30.5 | 774.7 | 1 | 25.4 |
| Level 1 clearance | 58 | 1473.2 | 88.5 | 2247.9 | 59 | 1498.6 |
| Platform 2x6s | 5.5 | 139.7 | 94 | 2387.6 | 64.5 | 1638.3 |
| Platform decking | 1 | 25.4 | 95 | 2413 | 65.5 | 1663.7 |
| Level 2 clearance | 36 | 914.4 | 131 | 3327.4 | 101.5 | 2578.1 |
| Roof railing supports | 3.5 | 88.9 | 134.5 | 3416.3 | 105 | 2667 |
| Roof peak | 15 | 381 | 146 | 3708.4 | 116.5 | 2959.1 |
=== DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS (original) ===
I want to have ample clearance under the raised platform so he doesn't hit his head. He's about 4'7" tall, so I'll add a few inches to that.
No sharp edges - every corner needs to be rounded off.
Minimize splinters - sand and seal every piece of wood he could touch.
His two favorite playground activities are slides and climbing walls. I will have the climbing wall at a slight angle so it's still fun but a bit less dangerous for him.
He knows when seizures are coming, and he seeks a place to sit safely - especially corners. For this reason, I will make the climbing wall and slide on the same side of the platform. That will provide him with three safe walls and two corners he can lean against.
We need to keep visual contact pretty much all the time, so the structure needs to be designed accordingly. The slide has to be open-top instead of fully enclosed. The railing on the raised platform needs to be a bit further spaced out than normal, but I will add plexiglass to provide a see-through protective layer he can lean against. Also, the lower side facing our house will be open so we can see him underneath the play tower.
We don't want him to be able to climb out of the play tower, so the railing and plexiglass on the platform needs to go at least four feet up (or all the way to the roof). I will drill a fair number of small holes in the plexiglass to enhance ventilation.
He loves to dig, so I will make the raised platform home to a sandbox structure. Instead of sand, I will use some kind of rubberized mulch so he doesn't get super dirty.
He loves tools, but he's also prone to walking off with the tools. One side of the lower level of the structure will have an area he can "saw" and screw and hammer, but all of the components will be physically attached to the play tower so they don't walk off.
He likes to sit comfortably, so I will hang an outdoor mostly-enclosed hammock chair under the covered part of the platform.
He loves the wall-mounted play sets (like moving pieces around on a map where the slots in the map determine where you can move the pieces). One side of the lower level will have modular panels so I can keep it interesting. I have a laser cutter, so I am exploring custom wall-mounted play set designs I can make myself.
We don't want the area under the tower to become muddy, so I will make a layer of sand and gravel for drainage, covered by an artificial turf that also drains. This should provide a comfortable surface that doesn't get too muddy.
ReidDye
joseph
I built a playscape when the kids were small, and I was appalled by how badly the wood splintered, no matter what I did. I think it's just an unavoidable fact with lumber made from essentially force-grown trees. It would be nice if there were some kind of composite material for structural elements, something like a mix of resins and sawdust that could be extruded into smooth, strong, sturdy members.
Don't mean to discourage, just hate to see you put a lot of effort in only to have to hunt for splinters constantly. Or maybe you'll have better luck than I did, or start with better lumber. Good luck!