I came up with a cheap idea for a playpen recently, when trying to figure out what to do with some old paintings on masonite.
Masonite is really cheap - $4 for a huge piece, and Home Depot will cut it for you. I like to get them cut into quarters, which is a really nice size for a single playpen panel. Two pieces of masonite, cut into quarters, would provide enough pieces for a very large playpen. Add hinges to the panels, and voila! cheap playpen! If you buy your hinges cheaply, you could make the playpen for under $15. Also, if you're careful about how you attach the hinges, you could make the whole thing fold flat.
Masonite is really awesome because it's a particle board that's slippery on one side and smooth on the other. The slippery side would be great for the inside of a playpen, because there's no way they could climb it.
Masonite is really cheap - $4 for a huge piece, and Home Depot will cut it for you. I like to get them cut into quarters, which is a really nice size for a single playpen panel. Two pieces of masonite, cut into quarters, would provide enough pieces for a very large playpen. Add hinges to the panels, and voila! cheap playpen! If you buy your hinges cheaply, you could make the playpen for under $15. Also, if you're careful about how you attach the hinges, you could make the whole thing fold flat.
Masonite is really awesome because it's a particle board that's slippery on one side and smooth on the other. The slippery side would be great for the inside of a playpen, because there's no way they could climb it.
