How we built a playroom rope bridge

When we set out to build a dream playroom for our kids I just knew it had to have a bridge. How hard could it be, right? Actually, it turns out there are not a lot of resources showing how to do it yourself.

Because I have received a number of questions about how we constructed the bridge, I thought I would share what we did.

The construction

The key to the bridge is the base supports, and the material we used is retired fire hose. The hose has the tough durability the bridge needed, while at the same time it is flexible enough to string from one side to the other with just the right amount of give. We found a 20 foot section of hose on Ebay for $20, so the price was great, too. We attached it to the main cabin and the side reading nook with long bolts.

The base of the bridge is composed of wood planks made from inexpensive furring strips. They are attached from the bottom through the fire hose.

That is it for the main bridge support. The ropes are not part of the actual support structure, though they do attach to the main structures via four points that are also secure. We simply looped the rope around the planks and fire hose.

 

That’s it. We built this thing about six months ago, and it is holding up without an issues. This despite having born kids far bigger than we ever intended it for and a certain three year old that insists on treating it like a trampoline.

The bridge is not far off the ground as the ceilings are only eight feet high. At the mid point it is 29 1/2 inches from the ground, and at the ends it is 35 inches from the ground. Had it been higher we would likely have sprung for taller net railings.

Yes, my toddlers have exited the bridge via the sides, no, no one has been hurt on the it. Yes, I would definitely do it again.

 

There you have it, one indoor diy play bridge. I don’t pretend to be an expert and would caution you to always check and recheck to insure that what you build is sound and safe.

Happy building, and playing!