Hiring a contractor
Our Bear Club buildings are relatively easy to assemble however if you feel that you may want some assistance check out our hire a contractor page.
Playhouses
Bear Club
The attention to detail is sure to be appreciated with toothy smiles.
Everything about this backyard playhouse style screams fun, but thankfully in an “indoor” voice. Step inside and the steep pitch of the gabled roof soars … if you’re a hobbit. If you’re not, hand cut rafters provide extra headroom. Outside, it reaches for sky, inspiring experiments with tennis balls and chestnuts. The Dutch door – taking its inspiration from that magician’s trick where he pretends to saw the helper in half – is guaranteed to inspire hours of imaginative play. Get started on yours now!
overview
-
Everything about our Bear club playhouse kit screams fun, step inside and the steep pitch of the gable roof soars while outside it reaches for the sky. Lastly, this playhouse wouldn’t be complete without the magnificent Dutch door.
-
![Bear club playhouse]()
Features
- A spacious gable roofline for added headroom. - Hand cut rafters. - Plexiglass doors and windows.
Popular options:
- Playhouse Dutch doors
- Playhouse windows
- Shutters
- Storm shutters
- Asphalt shingles
- Extra overhang
Floor plans
Below are a few sample Bear Club kit floorplans to get you started.For more ideas and photos please visit Interiors under inspiration.
Popular Bear Club floor configurations
Try this Floor Planner Tool to design your own Bear Club space and share as you like. You may also download graph paper and print out a few sheets to help designing your own space!
Available Bear Club design sizes
Bear Club playhouses have sizes ranging between 35 sq.ft to 60 sq.ft.
If you cannot find your size please contact us.
Assembly
Level of Difficulty:
Like all of our buildings, our Bear Club kit includes easy-to-follow instructions, diagrams, and assembly videos that will help you through the process.
Below is a series of photos showing one of our Bear Club playhouse building being assembled.
-
Sub-floor installation for the Bear Club
-
![Finished Bear club playhouse]()
Finished Bear Club design (click image for more details)
details & specs
Bear Club Dimensions
| A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUILDING DEPTH | BUILDING HEIGHT | FLOOR HEIGHT | WALL HEIGHT | ROOF HEIGHT |
| 5' | 7' - 1 3/4" | 0' - 5 5/8" | 4' - 10 1/2" | 2' - 4 1/4" |
| 6' | 7' - 5 1/4" | 0' - 5 5/8" | 4' - 10 1/2" | 2' - 6 3/4" |
Our measurements (i.e. 8ft. x 12ft.) are taken from the outside of the floor & wall framing, therefore, they don't include the siding, and/or sheathing.
For true interior measurements, subtract the thickness of the wall framing; 3 ½” for 2x4 walls, and 5 ½” for 2x6 walls. Note: 2 x 4 is actually 1 ½” x 3 ½” and 2 x 6 is actually 1 ½” x 5 ½” due to the properties of "finished” lumber.
Wall Plan
Wall plan drawing for a playhouse
For true exterior dimensions, add the siding, sheathing (if applicable), and corner trim pieces. The Canexel siding is 3/8" thick, the cedar siding is 3/4" thick and the log siding is 1 1/2" thick. The wall sheathing varies from 7/16” to 3/4”. The corner trim is 3/4".
If you have any other questions pertaining to the size of your Bear Club playhouse kit, please do not hesitate to ask us, we're here to help.
Roof Framing Plan
The Bear club playhouse kit has a gable roofline, which typically features a continuous ridge, with two sides sloping from the center toward the walls of the structure.
Gable roofs are much easier to frame, sheath, and finish, giving the vertical wall component of a gable roof its style, known as “gable ends”.
Ventilation is easy to install. Due to its geometry and access to gable ends, roof vents can be placed on the gable ends rather than the roof itself. Consult with your contractor or roofing company, for the most effective ventilation system for your roof.
Roof frame drawing for the Bear club kit
Overhang Detail
Soffits are the cedar trim pieces that are attached to the underside of the rafter ends. Fascia is typically the cedar 1x4 that’s used to cover the rafter tips and provide a nice straight level line for the bottom of your roof.
Overhang drawing detail
Foundation
The Bear Club design is well suited for a traditional patio stone foundation. A concrete pad is also ideal for poolside applications.
Visit Foundations Page for detail.
Bear Club foundation example
Materials
Like all summerwood designs, the Bear Club playhouse is a fantastic display of premium grade materials coming together for any of your outdoor needs. Our materials are chosen for their aesthetic appeal, durability, and environmental friendliness. Construction is engineered for garages and cabins but ideally suited for storage sheds and pool cabanas as well.
| item | material | dimension | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| runners | pressure treated | 2x6 | underside of floor framing |
| joists | pressure treated | 2x4 | 16" on center |
| sheathing | spruce | 48" x 96" x 5/8" | tongue & groove |
| material upgrades | |||
| pine flooring | white pine | 1x6 | tongue & groove |
| item | material | dimension | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| wall plates | spruce | 2x4 | bottom, top, double top |
| wall studs | spruce | 2x4 | 16" on center |
| siding | cedar channel | 1x8 | standard horizontal siding |
| material upgrades | |||
| clear t&g cedar siding | canexel | 1x8 | studs & plates |
| interior cedar siding | cedar | 1x8 | studs & plates |
| item | material | dimension | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ceiling joists | spruce | 2x4 - 2x6 | ceiling framing |
| rafters | spruce | 2x4 - 2x6 | 24" on center maximum |
| ridge board | spruce | 2x6 - 2x8 | n/a |
| sheathing | osb | 48" x 96" x 7/16" | n/a |
| material upgrades | |||
| cedar roof boards | cedar | 1x6 - 1x8 | n/a |
| cedar rafters | cedar | 2x6 - 2x12 | n/a |
| roof insulation | expanded polystyrene | 3 1/2" & 5 1/2" | on roof surface |
| item | material | dimension | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| cedar trim | cedar | 1x4 - 1x8 | corners, soffit, fascia |
| material upgrades | |||
| maintenance free trim | versatex | 1x4 - 1x8 | corners, soffit, fascia |
Popular upgrades
Enhanced Siding Package
If you are thinking of adding insulation to your building, consider adding one of our "enhanced siding packages". It's a layer of sheathing (OSB or plywood) and house wrap (Typar and optional HomeSlicker) that provides a moisture barrier to your structure.
Enhanced siding package upgrade
Interior Cedar Siding and Framing
The Bear Club style allows for a wide array of interior finishes. Our cedar siding or framing interior upgrade can be incorporated on the walls and/or ceiling, providing a warm rustic feel.
Cedar siding choices for a Bear Club playhouse design
Extra Overhang
The Bear Club playhouse roof features a standard 6” overhang where the roof meets the walls. The overhang is trimmed out with a soffit and fascia board. Extra overhang is offered in increments of 6” (i.e +6 (12”), +12 (18”)).!
Bear Club extra overhang drawing & building image
Finishing
Once your Bear Club building is complete, there are a few things you can do on the inside to add to the comfort and enjoyment of your new Summerwood Bear Club design.
Please see Interior Finishing under Advice for more information
Insulation
Enjoy your Summerwood Bear Club playhouse kit in any season and remain comfortable by implementing insulation in the floor, walls, and/or roof.
Insulation for a playhouse
Electrical
The inside of our Bear Club is deliberately left exposed to accommodate various electrical applications.
Electrical configuration example
Plumbing
Bear Club style is required to accommodate change rooms, bathroom or bar sinks.
Plumbing image for a playhouse image
pricing
Visit "options and accessories" for detail and pricing of our accessories.
Find below pricing for all of the Bear Club sizes that we have built so far. Don't see your size? Ask us and we will provide you with a quote.
Note that pricing below is for the base kit only. Doors, windows, and other options are à la cart so that you can customize to your hearts content.
Custom Designs
Summerwood will take your custom design and make it your own. If you have something different in mind, talk to one of our designers about bringing it to life.
get a professional involved
Our seasoned designers would love to help you find your ideal design.
We're just a phone call away.