How to Build a Treehouse
Things to consider when learning how to build a treehouse
When you first set out to discover how to build a treehouse, there are many things to take into consideration before you get started.
By far the most important consideration for your new treehouse is the tree you are starting with. Weak, sick, or rotting trees might be a real danger to you and your family, so it’s important to really inspect your tree before you begin.
How old is your tree? Is it the kind of tree with a deep enough root system that can handle all the extra added weight? Is there at least one sturdy branch that will help anchor your treehouse to the tree? Will you be able to spread out the weight throughout the tree to make your structure more solid.
It is crucial to start with the perfect tree before you get into the essentials of how to build a treehouse…
Make a Treehouse Design
Now that we have determined you have the prefect tree for building a treehouse on, it’s time to start out with some basic treehouse designs. Start with the structure first and then figure out how elaborate you plan to go with your treehouse.
One of the easiest ways to figure out how to build a treehouse is to take some pitures of the tree from many angles. After this, you will need to print out pictures of your tree and then make some black and white or color copies of your photos. Make a few of each.
On these photos, you are going to sketch out a few rough ideas of what your finished treehouse is going to look like. This is where having many angles of your tree will come in handy. Pictures shot from the side will help you to figure out what the basic look of your treehouse will be and pictures shot from below will help you to figure out the basic floorplan for your treehouse.
This is a good time to figure out how people will get in and out of your treehouse. Will you be using stairs or a ladder or both? Are you adding any rope access or even a fireman’s pole for easy exit? The more thought you put into getting in and out of your treehouse, the more fun it becomes for anyone using it. This will also dictate how much it actually gets used; if you make it too hard (or dangerous) to get in and out of, no one will use it!
Treehouse Features
The next step in how to build a treehouse is to consider what it’s going to look like beyond the basic structure. What will the roof look like? Will it have windows? Will it have a conventional door or a trap door? If you live in a colder climate, will it be insulated? Can it be locked?
The more features you add to your treehouse, the better it becomes and the more likely that you are creating something that adds value to your house when it’s time to sell it.
The best part is that you can always add to your treehouse design later as you dream up improved design functions and as your budget for building a treehouse increases.
The Sky’s the Limit!
Since you are building a structure that probably doesn’t require a building permit (unless you are building a house-sized tree house), you can pretty much do anything your imagination can think of. However, you are limited by the weight restrictions of the tree. After a certain point, you may have to run supports down to the ground to take some burden off the tree and make a more solid treehouse.
Other than that, your only other limitations are your treehouse building budget and your imagination.
Now would be a great time to check out some books on how to build a treehouse to get a solid idea on what you are about to design and how to handle some of the common problems you will face when building a treehouse.
Designing a treehouse can be a lot of fun. It can also be a pain if you don’t have the proper design before starting. Anyone can build a treehouse, but as with most things in life, if you don’t have a decent guidebook, you might very easily get discouraged and have yet another unfinished project for people to nag you about.
So don’t blow it before you even get started and get a book to help you every step of the way!
