Bijou Build assembly
A play structure that folds away and travels. Add your own 2x4s and clip on the panels.
A Bijou Build is unlike other sets: a modern, collapsible teepee-frame of a steel bracket and fabric panels over five 10ft 2x4s you buy locally. The first build takes about an hour with two adults, then it pops open and folds away in minutes.
A collapsible, portable play structure
Bijou Build makes something genuinely different: a modern, good-looking play structure that collapses and moves. The kit, the Mainstay, gives you a powder-coated steel hinged top bracket, five interchangeable UV-resistant fabric panels made from recycled bottles, a solar LED panel, a platform, anchor feet, ground stakes, straps and all the hardware. What it does not include is the frame lumber, five standard ten-foot pressure-treated 2x4s that you buy at any hardware store, no special cuts.
The first assembly takes about an hour with two adults, an eight-foot step ladder and a drill, some owners take a bit longer and the video helps a lot. After that, it pops open and folds away in minutes: unstake it, fold the panels down, strap it, and carry it to a new spot or store it for the season.
So the story is not a permanent backyard build, it is a portable, reconfigurable structure ideal for small or urban yards, taking to the grandparents’ or the lake, and tucking away when you like. The care is in the lumber, a few pilot holes, and staking it down.
The build
About an hour the first time. Then minutes to set up.
| Model | Time | People |
|---|---|---|
| Buy five 10ft 2x4sStandard pressure-treated, no cuts. Or order shipped. | a quick trip | 1 |
| Frame and bracketPilot the holes; the screws strip easily. See below. | 30 min | 2 |
| Clip on the panelsFive panels, any order you like. | 15 min | 1 to 2 |
| Stake it downFifteen U-stakes into soft ground. See below. | 15 min | 1 |
| Later setups / takedownPop open or fold and carry with the straps. | minutes | 2 |
Assembled it weighs around 150 pounds, so two adults handle it with the carry straps. It needs a flat, soft surface it can be staked into, not hard ground.
What a Bijou needs
Buy five 10ft pressure-treated 2x4s, no cuts
The kit does not include the frame lumber. You need five standard ten-foot pressure-treated 2x4s, which you can grab off the shelf at any hardware store, and Bijou can even arrange for them to ship from your local Lowe’s or Home Depot with the kit. The nice part is there are no special cuts, the design uses full ten-foot lengths as-is. So sort the lumber before build day and you are ready to go.
Pilot the holes, because the screws strip easily
The one fiddly bit owners flag is the wood screws, which can strip if you drive them hard or dry. Bijou’s own guidance is to drill pilot holes through the joists first, which also prevents the lumber splitting. So pre-drill your pilots, drive the screws on a low clutch setting rather than full torque, and if a head strips, swap in a good exterior screw of the same size. A few minutes of pilot-drilling makes the frame go together cleanly.
Stake it into a flat, soft surface
A Bijou is a climbing structure, so it must be staked down, and it comes with fifteen U-shaped ground stakes for the job. That means it needs a relatively flat, soft surface it can be staked into, a lawn or soft ground, rather than concrete or a hard patio. Choose a level spot clear of trees, fences and low branches, and drive all the stakes so it stays put during energetic play. Proper staking is what makes it safe to climb on.
Watch the video, and expect the first build to take a bit
Bijou quote about an hour with two adults, and while many hit that, several owners found the first assembly took longer, so give yourself the time and, crucially, watch Bijou’s assembly video, owners repeatedly say it makes the process far clearer than the manual alone. The good news is that the first build is the only long one, after that, setting it up or folding it away takes just minutes, which is the whole appeal.
Rearrange the panels however you like
The five fabric panels, a doorway, a window, a solid wall, a crawl-through and a climbing wall with rings, attach with velcro straps in any order you choose, so you can configure the structure to suit your kids and re-arrange it whenever you want. This modularity is part of the fun, and it means the same Bijou can be a fort one week and a climbing den the next. Just make sure every panel is properly secured before play.
Enjoy that it moves, stores and grows
The reasons families love it: it suits small and urban yards, folds down to travel to the grandparents’ or the lake, and stores away in minutes when you want your space back, all without being a bright plastic eyesore. A solar LED panel lights it for evening play, and add-ons like a swing arm or a rope bridge expand it as your children grow. For a portable, sustainable structure rated for ages three and up, it is a genuinely clever alternative to a fixed set.
Before you build
Buy five standard 10ft pressure-treated 2x4s, or order them shipped with the kit.
Have a drill for pilot holes, an eight-foot step ladder, and ideally better screws on hand.
Choose a flat, soft spot it can be staked into, clear of trees and fences.
Watch Bijou’s assembly video before you start.
And plan for two adults, it is heavy once assembled.
Where an installer helps
By sourcing the lumber and building the frame cleanly, pilot-drilling so nothing strips or splits, which is the one part that trips people up.
By staking it securely into a suitable flat, soft surface, the essential safety step on a climbing structure.
By configuring the panels and any add-ons and showing you the quick fold-and-move routine.
The first build is the only involved one, so help is most valuable there, getting it up correctly and safely the first time, after which you can pop it open and fold it away yourself in minutes.
What an installer does
- Sources or confirms the five 10ft 2x4s and preps the frame.
- Pilot-drills and builds the frame so screws do not strip or split the wood.
- Attaches the fabric panels and any add-ons in your chosen layout.
- Stakes it firmly into a suitable flat, soft surface.
- Fits the solar light and confirms the structure is stable.
- Shows you the quick setup, takedown and move routine.
Get it built by someone who has built one before.
Tell us your ZIP and what you bought. Installers near you will quote you directly, and you deal with them, not with us.
Questions people ask
Does it come with the wood?
No, you supply five standard ten-foot pressure-treated 2x4s, available off the shelf at any hardware store, or you can have Bijou ship them from your local Lowe’s or Home Depot with the kit. There are no special cuts, the design uses full ten-foot lengths, so the lumber is easy to source.
How long does the first build take?
About an hour with two adults, an eight-foot step ladder and a drill, though some owners find the first assembly takes a bit longer. Watching Bijou’s assembly video helps a lot. After that first build, setting it up or folding it away each time takes only minutes, which is the point of the design.
Any tips for the assembly?
Pilot-drill the holes and drive the screws gently, the included wood screws can strip if driven hard, and pilot holes also stop the lumber splitting. Keeping a low torque setting and having a few good exterior screws as backup makes the frame go together cleanly. It is the one fiddly part of an otherwise quick build.
Does it need to be anchored?
Yes, it is a climbing structure and must be staked down, and it includes fifteen U-shaped ground stakes for that. It needs a relatively flat, soft surface, a lawn or soft ground rather than concrete, so it can be staked, on a level spot clear of trees, fences and low branches. Drive all the stakes before letting children climb.
Can I really move and store it?
Yes, that is its main appeal. Once built, you unstake it, fold the panels down, strap it and carry it, so it travels to the grandparents’ or the lake and stores away in minutes when you want your yard back. It weighs around 150 pounds assembled, so two adults handle it with the carry straps.
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