# Kid's play structure

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-play-structure/511274>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 23, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-play-structure/511274 "2009-09-23T18:43:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-play-structure/511274/1 "2009-09-23T18:43:55Z")

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I’m building a backyard play structure for my son out of cedar.  
I’ve got some 5/8" thick x 5" wide planks. Are these too thin to be used as decking spaning 24"?

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**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-play-structure/511274/2 "2009-09-28T20:15:33Z")

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> [@Hampshire](#):
>
> I’m building a backyard play structure for my son out of cedar.  
> I’ve got some 5/8" thick x 5" wide planks. Are these too thin to be used as decking spaning 24"?

Yes. 5/4 deck boards (1 1/4 inches thick) would be the minimum with joists 24" on center.

Where did you get 5/8" stock? That’s pretty thin. I wouldn’t know how far apart to space joists with that.

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**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-play-structure/511274/3 "2009-09-28T21:40:21Z")

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Yea, I kind of figured they were too thin when I placed them between a couple of 4x4s on the ground and stood on them. I’ll probably use them as slats for the pitched roof portion.

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**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-play-structure/511274/4 "2009-09-29T15:56:41Z")

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> [@Hampshire](#):
>
> Yea, I kind of figured they were too thin when I placed them between a couple of 4x4s on the ground and stood on them. I’ll probably use them as slats for the pitched roof portion.

Another advantage to deckboards is they have an eased edge, which is much more friendly on the feet.

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**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-play-structure/511274/5 "2009-09-30T20:28:43Z")

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BTW, 5/4 is only 1 1/4 inch thick before surfacing.