How to Build a Camping Platform

With a few basic building materials, you can build a great small platform for camping, a place to pitch a tent without worrying about what's on the ground (also flood proof). A camping platform can be added on to later, it's the first step toward something bigger, or just a convenient way to make a wooded spot more habitable.

Things You'll Need

• 12 to 20 concrete blocks
• 7 to 10 2x6 boards
• 4 2x4 boards at least 12 feet long
• Thin boards in 4 foot sections

Instructions

Before you begin

1. Clear the area. Check for dead branches or dead trees overhead. Camping under dead wood is dangerous. If you need to set up camp in a particular spot, you might have to do some timbering.

2. Level the ground where you want the platform to be. You don't need a backhoe, just a couple of shovels and picks, and some muscle.

3. Get your materials to the site. Find a way to bring the lumber and block to where you want to build. You might have to carry it in by hand.

Building

1. Lay the concrete blocks. Position the blocks at key points on a perimeter where they will support joists. Then check them with a level. If the blocks are not level, dig one out and check again.

2. When the blocks are level, set your 2x6 joists where you want them, in measured distances 3 to 4 feet apart.

3. Use your 2x4s to fix the joists together. Lay the 2x4 on top of the joists at the perimeter and start nailing. When all of the boards are nailed together, the frame will be complete.

4. Nail your 4 foot sections onto the frame, straddling two of the joists. Complete the floor, and you're done.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan your platform before starting. Draw a diagram and make sure your joists, frame and flooring sections will be the right size. These materials are just approximations: building a successful platform requires deciding on a square footage and adjusting the materials accordingly.