Indoor Wooden Castle

Today for the world's biggest show and tell I have an indoor wooden castle. It's an 11 foot wide, 4 foot deep, 9 foot tall castle I built for my boys in our living room. Don't ask me how I got my wife to ok this, I'm not even sure.

I made it out of plywood, 2x4's, MDF, screws and paint for just a few hundred dollars.

After a few sketchup drawings, room measurements and some internet research on castles. I came up with this original design.

The build took a few weeks because I was designing and constructing during those precious few weekend hours during the boys nap time.

Step 1: Walk through

Starting from the left you have a 12 inch step up to a double padded and carpeted platform. This serves two purposes. One, it gave me some storage space and two it keeps very little ones from trying to climb up where they should not be. This leads to two windows that are actually the steps to the upper level. A built in handle helps get us older "kids" up to the top level. (Picture 1)

The top level has a nice large carpeted play area that leads you across a bridge giving access to the tower with fireman's pole. (Picture 2)

In the tower foam padding lines the hole and side walls with a custom made pillow fitting around the pole at the bottom. (Picture 3)

After sliding down the pole you find two built in shelves in the tower for storage and a side entrance to the main castle hall. (Picture 4,5)

Inside the main hall we have a nice dragon tapestry covering the back wall and a medieval looking mirror. (Picture 6) Just inside the front door is a push button light switch that controls the inside string lights and outside torch lamps. (Picture 7)

The front has two plastic torches that actually flicker for a great effect. A wooden shield is attached above the main door which was saved from my childhood. The tower has two long thin windows resembling the archers windows used in real castles.

Comments

[jovad]

You make lovely things! Especially this castle and the prayer kneeler are nice...

[Kallandra]

Wow, that is amazing! I'd love to have one of these for myself, 17 years and all. Absolutely brilliant, 10/10.

[lobodawg]

I did it!! Took me 3 weekends to build and another week to collect the materials. Thanks for the plans. The sketchup helped a great deal. I've always wanted to build a dollhouse for my daughter, but she's 10 now and she has 3 younger brothers. Figure I'd better build this or I'd regret it for the rest of my life. For the fire pole, I found a 10 ft fence post works great and costs much less than an electrical conduit.

[lobodawg]

Someone requested better pictures. Here you go!.

[Stryker]

That looks great.  I'm so happy someone actually used one of my instructables.  Post more pictures if you have them I'd love to see more.

[amylooraptr]

I really want to say that I will build this for my kids, but that's a lie, I will actually be building this in my new home for myself and my husband hahaha. I can't wait.

[Sowee]

You really like to build things for your sons! Very cool castle!

[-gabe-]

Hot damn! I would move into something like that if only my mom would let me build it. That's pretty sweet though

[mcmatt11]

That's frickin awesome!

[Stryker]

Thanks, it was fun to build and the kids love it.

[diablopartain]

woe I like, you put a lot in to it. the detail is outstanding. I'm very impressed

[Shinta786]

wow, this is very nice. I'd never come up with such an idea. The kids must have loved this. BTW, do you have a video of your 72V bike?

[Stryker]

Thanks it's a lot of fun. Sorry no good videos of my bike. I'll try to take some this year.

[porcupinemamma]

ahhhh yes-I make lists for my husband, but he just glares at me lol. Still a fab looking ible though:0)

[porcupinemamma]

would you make one for me too? I am technology challenged lol

[Stryker]

Sorry my woodshop is closed for the winter and the wife has already got my spring to do list started.....

[The Porsche Fan]

How do you vote? I'll vote for this

[The Porsche Fan]

you convinced your wife? WOW that's impressive :) the castle is cool too haha

[ichiwazaryu]

Cute, looks very doable

[alkacojo]

Congrats on becoming a finalist in the contest. You deserve to win

[radiorental]

Excellent instructable. Curious about the plywood you used... it looks sort of green in the photo - its not pressure treated is it??

[Stryker]

Thanks. No it's not pressure treated, it must just be the lighting.

[porcupinemamma]

My son would have LOVED this when he was a young boy. Utterly fantastic!

[Grey_Wolfe]

I'm 26 and I want one, lol. Maybe I'll have to make one. . . for my kids, really... lol Very cool Instructable, Stryker.

[junisponds]

very cool - looks like fun!

[teamcoltra]

I think this is EXACTALY what I need for my spare room that I couldn't think of anything to do with.

[LaPorte_H]

This is awesome! Fantastic job. Wanna build one at our house?

[bassclarinet23]

Awesome idea! but I don't want my mom to murder me.

[phreakincool]

Awesome job! I wish I had kids young enough to enjoy something like this.

[bedbugg2]

thats amazing! great use of space.

[Rishnai]

I think it's great when people build things like this for kids. It's something your boys will remember and charish long after your wife wants her living room back.

[skunkbait]

Nice job!

[wonderbro]

Great instructable, great idea, great job

[GraceandMercy]

Lends to the imagination.

[nitrox027]

That is awsome, I wish i had one even though i wouldnt fit -GREAT JOB 2 thumbs up

[grantdevine]

Wish I had one of these when I was a kid but failing that I can't wait to have kids of my own to build this for. I'm thinking knight costumes and big dragon marrionette puppets XD

[alkacojo]

I have seen this in person and it is unbelievably great. It totally makes the playroom. It looks great and is totally kid safe and friendly. The kids love it. There is a sliding pole in one part of the castle that is fun for the kids as well. Also you have to be a certain height as a kid to be able to climb up to the top part -small ones can get up there but it requires an adult's help. A lot of thought and imagination went into this build.

[shadowninja31]

woah! 5*

[omnibot]

I want you for a parent!!!

[qwerty29]

me too

[roxygirl]

Love the castle; it's truly amazing; and that you did it all during naptimes!

[strykersuncle]

fabulous. it doesnt get any more fun than this

[porcupinemamma]

Fabulous! just added 5 stars!!

[Robotic_mage]

Awesome Job, I have a seven year old, and a two year old, and I just recently made a castle bed for the seven year old, but yours really turned out really nice. RoboticMage

[a2m3a6d9a5]

(removed by author or community request)

[alinke]

way cool! my wife would have kicked me out of the house for sure, your kids must love it

[otterhopdotcom]

You have some really lucky kids! This is AWESOME. Love your use of Ikea items--always wanted to buy those myself but could never justify how I'd get use out of them..nice touch.

[Stryker]

Thanks for all the nice comments. I'm planning on adding a foam drawbridge looking door to front.

[canida]

This is so cool! Nice job, your kids must love it.

[DSawczuk]

My wife may ban me from this site :) Really cool project

[eash]

Wow! This is so amazing! I wish I had one of those growing up.

Maybe it can be my first project when I get my new house. ^-

[Weissensteinburg]

Wow! Your kids must be in heaven!

[seamster]

Wow dude--you went nuts! I like to make stuff for my boys... but I can't let my wife see this, or she'll start getting ideas! I'll definitely send a vote your way. Good luck in the contest.

[JakeTobak]

This is truly epic.