“The Nuthouse” – Kids’ Clubhouse Project
Summer of 2020, the idea I had been mulling over for years finally became reality. Kids stuck at home brought a need to draw the kids outside. Our kids’ clubhouse project sprang from tree house and clubhouse concepts. The only hard and fast requirements were that (per my wife and kids) we needed monkey bars and (per me) it needed to be big enough to sleep in.
After much debate, the clubhouse was named “The Nuthouse” for the tree next to it that every year showers the (very happy) local squirrels (and us) with black walnuts. It certainly may have a double meaning with respect to our “normal” house too.
DESIGN RESPONSIBILITIES:
Art Graf served as architect, lead carpenter, timber framer (thanks to much input from a REAL timber framer friend, Ryan Larson), tree trimmer, etc. It’s great puzzling out a plan and working with your hands!
Kids and wife played sub-contractors in carpentry, framing, siding, architectural design assistance, manual labor, moral support, and final product testing.
Thanks to the many friends and neighbors who helped dig, lift, and set materials for this project!
A work in progress… climbing wall, 2nd floor deck and roof still to be completed. 
Plans were drawn completely by hand. 
Notching timbers with circular saw. Finishing with hand chisels. 
A completed timber. 
One of my helpers! 
“Timber framed” plates ready to raise into place. 
Buckets helped the kids roll the last plate into place. 
Straigtening before permanently setting in ground. 
Drying wood presented a challenge to straighten and tie together properly… 
First day of play, late summer 2020. 
