I have an existing play structure that I built myself during covid lockdown, I designed it myself mostly based on googling information and borrowing some powertools and wanting it to fit in a certain footprint where prebuilts wouldn't fit (not that any were available at the time!). The 8x8 platform was first with the green slide, it was a bit high as we haven't done the ground cover yet, and then I built a smaller platform in front with a smaller slide for the younger one to play on (3 years).
Now I want to add off that platform at the front some monkey bars. There is a PT wood shortage here and I was fortunate to have gotten wood at various times, recently I was lucky enough to score 4 12' PT 4x4's (of the 5 remaining) and they're even pretty straight. The 8x8 posts at the back are 4' down in a 1' diameter of concrete. The 3 additional 4x4 posts I used for the addition are around 3' deep in 8" of concrete.
The top of the 4x4's are around 7' up and the interior dimension between them is 24". I've found some 28.25" monkeybars, and my plan was just to plant two 4x4 posts 12' from the end (the yard slopes towards the home and so I would likely have to bury them about 4.5' deep or trim them) and then run a pair of 4x4s on a 12' span. The swings going on the side furthest from the fence and monkeybars between them.
I expect I may want to brace those existing 4x4s somewhat and can do that later when I get more wood. Since this won't be a classic A-Frame for the swingset (for which I can find many connectors that look pretty sturdy!) I wasn't sure what bracket to use.
I'm concerned about is this connector that was recommended by the hardware store - it seems to me it will be the weakest point of the construction given the dynamic force, though the monkey bars should help distribute the load to the second 4x4 and it's connectors. Should I be building some extra framing or something around the join?
Thanks so much! Sorry if this is long-winded, I wanted to include as much detail as I could.
Now I want to add off that platform at the front some monkey bars. There is a PT wood shortage here and I was fortunate to have gotten wood at various times, recently I was lucky enough to score 4 12' PT 4x4's (of the 5 remaining) and they're even pretty straight. The 8x8 posts at the back are 4' down in a 1' diameter of concrete. The 3 additional 4x4 posts I used for the addition are around 3' deep in 8" of concrete.
The top of the 4x4's are around 7' up and the interior dimension between them is 24". I've found some 28.25" monkeybars, and my plan was just to plant two 4x4 posts 12' from the end (the yard slopes towards the home and so I would likely have to bury them about 4.5' deep or trim them) and then run a pair of 4x4s on a 12' span. The swings going on the side furthest from the fence and monkeybars between them.
I expect I may want to brace those existing 4x4s somewhat and can do that later when I get more wood. Since this won't be a classic A-Frame for the swingset (for which I can find many connectors that look pretty sturdy!) I wasn't sure what bracket to use.
I'm concerned about is this connector that was recommended by the hardware store - it seems to me it will be the weakest point of the construction given the dynamic force, though the monkey bars should help distribute the load to the second 4x4 and it's connectors. Should I be building some extra framing or something around the join?
Thanks so much! Sorry if this is long-winded, I wanted to include as much detail as I could.
