If you’re the owner of an old shed or metal garage that’s sitting disused in your backyard, there’s a way to breathe life into that old structure! It doesn’t have to be a spooky building that’s just gathering dust and bees. Sheds can easily be transformed from the haunted house where you store your lawnmower into a fun, colorful space for your kids to enjoy.
There are many ways to update your old shed without spending a ton of money in the process. You don’t need to be a carpenter or licensed contractor to deliver an exciting playhouse. All you need is a little spare time, a budget, and a plan. Below, we’ve compiled some of our favorite tips for turning your shed or metal building into a children’s playhouse.
The Process of Turning a Shed into a Playhouse
So, you’ve decided to pick up the hammer and throw on your tool belt! The rest is all details, right? Well, those details might be pretty important, so let’s take a deeper dive into the process of converting a shed into a playhouse.
1. Clean out your shed or garage
The first step in your project will be to clear out any old equipment, tools, or stored items in the building. You’ll want to take special care to remove anything dangerous to children. Nails, pests and bees nests, mousetraps or poison, cleaners, and chemicals must be carefully removed before breaking ground.
2. Set a budget
One of the first things you’ll need to be aware of is the budget for your project. Understanding the costs in your plan will save you plenty of time, money, and headaches in the long run. But just because you need to set a budget doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of money! There are countless ways to redo a room without breaking the bank.
3. Paint Your Shed
One of the best ways to refresh an old structure is with a nice coat of paint. By picking quirky or colorful shades, you can change a building from a dreary structure into something your kids will love.
4. Develop a Theme
Before breaking ground on your new project, you’ll want to take the time to develop a theme. Pick something that works with your kid’s unique interests! Perhaps a space theme for the child that’s into science and astronomy. Or an art studio for the burgeoning artist in your family. There’s really no limit to what you can come up with.
5. Wallpaper
A fantastic way to change up a room is by updating the walls. Of course, a can of paint can do much of the work, but colorful wallpapers are a great way to liven up any room on a budget.
6. Insulation
If you’re using a metal building as the basis for your playhouse project and you have the budget, you may consider finishing out the interior with insulation and dry wall. This will keep the space warm in the winter and cool in the summer months.
7. Install Flooring
Many old sheds have dirt, wood, or concrete flooring, which won’t do for a kid’s playhouse. You can easily purchase vinyl flooring sheets or tiles for an inexpensive way to update an old, dusty floor. (Safety flooring)
8. Curtains and window treatments
Adding curtains or blinds to windows can inject a ton of flair into an otherwise ordinary room.
9. Update the lighting
Many sheds are wired for lighting and electricity. But the light bulb and chain dangling from the center of the room looks just plain spooky! If you want to make a room genuinely livable, you’ll need to change the lighting to something that feels more relaxing and comfortable. If your shed is not wired and you’re not an need to call professional electrician for that work, LED lamps offer a safe way to illuminate your kid’s play area. Many can run for many hours on battery power alone.
10. Bring in comfy furniture
One of the most important facets of making a kid’s playhouse livable is the furniture. Kid’s need a place to sit down and relax, too! Depending on the size of the room, you may need to find smaller child’s sized furniture. (beanbag chairs)
11. Add fun objects that promote physical activity
You can retrofit the exterior of playhouses with attachments like slides, rope swings, or jungle gyms that will give your kids hours of fun. (Sandboxes)
12. Add extra touches
There are plenty of ways to add some extra flair to your kid’s playhouse, and small things like rugs and bookshelves can add up to produce a big overall effect. And the best part? You can take it as far as your time, imagination, and budget will allow! You can even install mini-refrigerators for refreshments or air conditioning units for the hot summer months.
13. Include your kids
There is no better way to spend quality time with your kids than to involve them in the process of converting your old shed into their playhouse. Give them a paintbrush and set their imaginations loose! Let them pick out various effects they’ll enjoy in their new space. You’ll be surprised at what they choose!
Conclusion
Converting your old shed or Prefab Metal Buildings into a playhouse for your kids is a fantastic way to give new life to an old structure that’s already provided you with years of service. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a wooden shed or a metal building, there’s no end to the options! You can come up with just about anything your budget allows!
By adding small touches like paint, carpets, curtains, and furniture, you can completely change a space from a practical storage room into something your child will remember as a mansion. So get up! Throw on a tool belt, gather some paint and a good plan, and turn that haunted shed into a clubhouse your kids will never forget.
Author Bio
Lucerin Saldana
Lucerin writes for topics like Home Improvement, Kitchen decor, Garden, or travel-related topics additionally; he has a passion for the metal building industry for more than ten years, Lucerin has become an experienced building specialist in this industry. His goal is to help people with his vast knowledge to assist them with his best suggestions about different Steel Buildings such as Metal Carports, garages, barns, Custom Steel Buildings, farm buildings, and commercial structures.