playground design

If you own goats--the self-designated "demolition crew" of the farm--you already know that whatever goes into their enclosure must be strong and built to last. Goats chew everything they can get in their mouths---so please use only nontoxic stains or paints, and do not use treated lumber. This multilevel jungle gym provides a solid base structure for you to customize with ramps or other additions, providing long-lasting fun and exercise for your herd.

• Layout a rectangle 4 feet wide by 12 feet long directly on the ground in the place your goat jungle gym will permanently occupy, using a measuring tape and chalk line.

• Draw chalk lines across the width at 4-foot intervals to divide the rectangular space into three 4-foot-by-4-foot squares.

• Dig a 12-inch-deep, 12-inch-square hole at each point where two chalk lines intersect--a total of eight holes. These will be for the foundation piers for the jungle gym.

• Mix the concrete according to bag directions and pour around each post to secure it in an upright and level position. Allow the concrete to cure for at least 24 hours.backyard playground equipment

• Drill a 3/8-inch hole centered 2-1/2 inches down from the top, all the way through, from the outside face on all posts--moving down the line from one to another along the outside on the long sides of the rectangle so that all the holes on the 12-foot sides of the rectangle are parallel to one another. Each of the holes in four in-line posts will be inline with the holes in the other four posts

• Use nails to temporarily tack the 2-by-8 planks on each end of the 3-foot posts, aligning the top edges of the 2-by-8s to the top of each post.

• Use a pencil to mark the position of all of the drilled post holes on the inside faces of the 2-by-8s.

• Remove the boards and drill holes all the way through at the marked locations.

• Put the boards back up on the posts and fasten them in place with bolts from the outside, placing the washers and nuts to the inside.

• Paint the bottom 18 inches of each of the eight posts with a nontoxic outdoor grade wood sealer and let it dry according to can instructions.

• Place the four 5-foot-long 4-by-4 posts into the four holes making up the center square of the rectangle; level and prop them temporarily in place.

• Place the four 3-foot-long 4-by-4 posts into the remaining four holes--two on each side; level and prop them temporarily in place.

• Mark, drill and attach two of the 4-foot-long 2-by-8s in place near the top of the 5-foot posts above the 12-foot boards, using the same procedure as in previous steps.

• Drill a 3/8-inch hole centered 3 inches from the top all the way through from the outside on the end faces of all posts.

• Mark, drill and attach four 4-foot-long 2-by-8s in place using the same procedure as in previous steps to complete the platform framing.backyard playground equipment

• Space the remaining 4-foot-long 2-by-8s equally across the tops of the three framed platforms--with gaps of approximately 1/2 inch between boards to allow rain to drain off.

• Attach with 3-inch flat-head wood screws, two per each board end.

• Apply nontoxic deck sealer or paint to finish, or leave natural.backyard playground equipment

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