This is a collaborative post.
It wouldn’t be an outrageous claim to say most of you reading this grew up wishing they had a treehouse. I know I did, I’d dream of having this cool little den to play in up a tree, it was an amazing thought. Of course, treehouses aren’t always right for everyone. I mean, if you don’t have any trees in your garden then you can’t build one.
But, for people with trees, it makes the perfect DIY project. You can build a treehouse for your kids and watch as they go wild with joy. Naturally, you’re wondering how you do this. So, I have a few tips and hints you should follow to get a good job done.
(Photo credit: http://bit.ly/2s9UdyQ)
Pick A Suitable Tree
Before you even start building anything, you need to ensure you have a suitable tree. Suffice it to say, you’re going to need something pretty big and sturdy, with a very good amount of thickness. Oak trees are absolutely perfect for treehouses, they’re almost made specifically for them. They’re big, strong, and can easily withstand some wooden beams being screwed into the trunk. Beech, maple, cedar, and ash are also very suitable for treehouses.
When it comes to trees that aren’t suitable, you’re looking at pretty much any thin tree out there. Thin trees just don’t have the strength to support a treehouse and can easily be prone to breaking or suffering damage during harsh weather.
Also, make sure the tree is healthy, and there aren’t any signs of rot or damage. You wouldn’t build a house on damaged land so why build a treehouse on a damaged tree. Pick the right one, and you’re ready for action.
Start With A Strong Support
It makes sense to begin construction from the bottom up. After all, your treehouse needs strong foundations to sit on. This comes in the form of some wooden fixtures that are stuck in the tree. They should start near the bottom and be angled slightly outwards. Then, you can begin placing the flooring on the top of the fixtures, and you have yourself a solid base.
A quick note on these support fixtures; make sure you use really durable and solid wood. You want them to be reasonably thick and heavy, but not too heavy so that you can’t lift them and get them drilled into place. The wood should also be clean and fresh, don’t just use some junk wood that’s cheap, rotting, and got a bit of water damage.
I also highly suggest that you keep the support fixtures low down on the tree. You don’t really need to build a treehouse high up, there’s no point! Your kids won’t mind, they’ll be happy enough with a super cool treehouse. It’s a lot safer to keep it low to the ground, so ensure you don’t set them up too high.
(Picture link: http://bit.ly/2sa3c3a)
Make Every Joint As Secure As Can Be
The biggest fear when building a treehouse is that the joints aren’t going to hold when there’s a lot of weight on them. After all, you’re only using a few screws here and there. Thankfully, there are two things you can do to ensure every joint and every screw is as firm and secure as can be.
The first is to use a power screwdriver to do everything. They’ll provide you with more power to really screw everything in as tight as can be. Without one, you may struggle to have the strength to properly get a screw in tight, and it may start getting loose over time.
The second tip is to use some glue or adhesive to help keep things stuck together even more firmly than usual. You will find loads of companies like Kenyon Adhesives that provide the glue that’s specifically meant for constructing wooden objects, and that’s resistant to bad weather. Complement your regular screwing joints with glue, and they’ll stay firmer for longer.
Keep It Lightweight
If you speak to anyone that makes a lot of treehouses, they’ll say you should make the main part of the house as lightweight as possible. What they mean is you should use wooden planks that aren’t heavy.
Why? Because it’s incredibly hard to build a house in a tree when you have really heavy planks of wood. Of course, the support structure can be heavy, but the actual main structure of the treehouse should be made out of planks that are lightweight yet still very sturdy and strong.
To end this guide, I will say it makes sense to get your wood from a credible source with the planks already cut and ready for you. This just makes your life easier and ensures everything will fit perfectly. Now, you’re ready to make a wonderful treehouse for your kids!
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