DIY a Teepee

Teepees make awesome forts, hideaways, and storage spaces for just about anything. While they can be water-resistant, they aren’t entirely waterproof, so it’s essential to carefully consider the materials you use to make the teepee and what you put inside of it.

Gather your teepee-making materials and get started. Make a teepee in your backyard using just a few supplies, some of which you may already have lying around the house.

Step 1 - Create a Floor

If you want an indoor teepee or one that's exceptionally comfortable or clean, you will want to have more than a dirt floor. Before you begin constructing the frame and walls, lie an old blanket or an extensive section of cloth on the ground. This will be the floor of your teepee. It’s completely okay if it extends wider than your teepee does.

Step 2 - Position the Poles

The easiest way to create a stable teepee is to tie the first three poles together to create a semi-triangle shape and add poles around that base. Two of the triangular poles should be near the front of the teepee and the other one in the back center. Additional bars should be added one after the other, installing in the same direction, either clockwise or counterclockwise.

Step 3 - Tie the Poles Together

Use rope or twine to tie all of the poles together. The first three base poles should be tied together first, then after you add all the others, weave the rope or twine through the poles where they meet at the top. Lastly, wrap the string or yarn around the top of the teepee several times, then tie a solid knot several times to hold the rope tightly. Non-synthetic rope will work the best and hold the knots.

Step 4 - Cover the Teepee

After you've created the frame for the teepee, wrap the large canvas or other weather-resistant material around the frame. The best shape to cut the material into is a half-moon shape, which wraps around the teepee nicely, leaving material for the door. Start wrapping the fabric around the teepee, beginning where the front door is, and leave a bit of fabric for the door.

Attach the canvas or other material to the teepee frame by cutting a small, 1-2 inch hole in the edge of the fabric and slipping it over a teepee pole. After the material is where you want it, you can secure the canvas by wrapping rope around it and the top, as you did when securing the pole frame.

Step 5 - Create a Door

The two front poles should have several feet of vast space between them to create a door or entryway into the teepee. The extra fabric leftover on each end of your half-moon fabric piece can be left hanging, tucked just inside the pole on each side, or wrapped and tied tightly around the two bars that make the door frame.

Step 6 - Decorate the Inside

Depending on whether your teepee is indoors or outside, you can decorate the inside however you like. If your teepee is inside the house, make your teepee cozy by adding blankets and pillows to the interior. If outdoors, add some patio furniture, camping blankets, or create a play space for the kids with toys.