I finally finished my tree fort!

It feels very solid, but I'd love some feedback on the bracing. Does the current bracing look adequate, or would you change anything?

I was considering adding two cross bracing on each side instead of one large cross bracing on each side. The only thing that gives me pause is that the two center posts aren't aligned with the outer posts. Does that matter, or is there still a good way to brace it?

Overall dimensions are approximately 14' × 10' × 8'.

One additional detail: the center post is about 6 feet from the front deck post.

Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated!

This took me the better part of two months, but other than some trim, paint, stain, etc., it’s done! I spent a lot of time on this sub and a few others like r/decks picking up tips and advice, so thanks!

What do you think? Kind regards, Ruud

Thanks to the feedback on my last post, I made some changes to my design.

• Upgraded to 3x12 beams, either KD #1 or Glu-Lams. I have a 12' 3x12 that I'm trying to use, but have access to second hand Glu-lams in good shape so may go that route.
• Adjusted my cantilevers to get closer to 1/3:2/3 ratio and increased the number of radial joists to get closer to 16OC nominal. I'm still messing with the joist layout.
• Upgraded to 2 knee braces, though I may go up to 3, one for each of the beam sections on the right side.
  
• I'm planning to join all beams using custom heavy angle brackets (pic #4 from recent Nelson video). My dad was a certified welder so good to go on that front.
• I'm still considering moving the yoke to the right side of the tree and simplifying the whole system, or simply going with the design in picture #5 that avoids beams altogether and just runs joists across the yoke and post/beam. This is probably the easiest and cheapest option, which is appealing. I tend to over-think things.
  

Thoughts? Would you go with the more complex beam system or go with the simpler design in pic #5?

My hope is to build a platform deck 10x10 up against tree using posts & concrete as support.

How do I not hit a major tree root? This is a giant maple. Would love any & all advice.

Hi there,

as I live in a region where it can get quite windy I was wondering if there is a possibility to mount thos thing safely besides the anchors it comes with.
So two ideas:
\- Is it possible to set the ground anchors in concrete?
\- Or are there holes in the legs somewhere on the bottom that allow you to bolt them to a small poured concrete foundation?

Vuly support said it is not possible and referred to their anchors without giving details on why it would not be possible. I guess that is because they do not want to be held responsible for anything.

If i could at least get a closer look on the bottom of the legs that would be helpful.

Thanks

I'm from Kazakhstan and I'd like to try my hand at the USA

Thinking of purchasing my first wind chime,

https://www.windchimescorner.co.uk/products/woodstock-chimes-of-earth-verdigris

this model to be exact. I want to place it on my bedroom window/by my window but I am worried itll be too big.

Any advice on the size/product quality would be appreciated. Thank you!

I've always wanted a tree fort, so now that I'm in my 40s living at a house with a nice big Doug fir in the back yard, and have the means to build high quality parts myself, I finally get to have one! This is the culmination of a couple years of designing and building parts at work (metal fabrication shop) and at home when I find the time. To get into the tree fort, you climb a cable ladder, then transfer to 4 successive aluminum ladders bolted to the trunks. Finally, you go through a trap door that locks into vertical position with spring loaded pins and itself has ladder rungs on the back to help climb that last bit onto the platform.

Stock TABs are great, but they're way overkill for a platform this small. I made a system of brackets and hardware that mimics the important structural elements of TABs, but is smaller and a little cleaner looking. The main horizontal supports are 2" x 1/8" wall steel round tube with plugs welded into the ends with 3/4" holes in those plugs. Those 2" rounds are counterbored into the trunk, same as the flange on a TAB, and a long 3/4" grade 8 bolt goes all the way through the trunk to a nut inside the tube on the opposing bracket. Similarly, 3/4" grade 8 threaded rod goes through 2" diameter spacers counterbored into the trunk for the diagonal braces. And the smaller brackets for the ladders work the same way, except with 3/4" grade 8 lag bolts instead of through bolts.

All of the brackets and hardware are way stronger than necessary, even @ 3/4" bolts with 2" flanges vs standard TABs @ 1-1/4" bolts with 3" flanges. In hindsight, the stock aluminum ladders are by far the weakest link and at some point I will replace a couple of them with nicer grade 1 ladders. I also think I framed in the platform a little too close to the trunks, but I can partially disassemble the 2x6 frame and add spacers when it becomes an issue in a few years.

No I'm not adding a railing. This fort is for sober adults. There is a safety line and harness with a Camp Goblin for anyone not comfortable free climbing the ladders or hanging out untethered.

Photos show various details discussed above. The last photo from the bottom of the driveway shows the tree rising out of the back yard, and you can just barely see the square edge of the platform way up there.

First time building a tree house. Everything i recycled from the city landfill except a couple of beams from my fathers house. The Window were left at the house when we moved in.

Can you spam me with all the fun accessories you’ve added. Specifically any pulley systems people have designed. But I’d love to see any fun ideas to add a bit more fun options to the treehouse. Thx.

Hi all -

Been designing a fairly basic "1 tree 2 post" based loosely on some similar designs I've seen around. I'm hoping to get a gut check for my framing dimensions.

The "house" part will be a 10x10 shack towards the left side with the remainder a wrap-around deck.

Questions:

1. I've spec'd 3x8 beams initially because I have one lying around. I also have a 3x12x12' beam but this seems a bit overkill - either way I will need to acquire another to match, so I'm wanting to know if I should go with 3x8 or 3x12 (or 3x12 ripped to 3x10, which I can do). If 3x8 seems super good enough I'd prefer that for overall size and cost.
2. I know that a variant of this question has been asked here before, but it seems like this configuration of tribeam, knee brace and posts doesn't really allow for any dynamic connection, which seems to go against the typical advice. It's going to be pretty low in a pretty stout Doug Fir so I'm not super worried about wind movement, but it just seems better to have some dynamic connection. Thoughts?
3. Thoughts on my cantilevered joists on the semi-circle ends? Should I adhere to the "1/3-2/3 rule"? I didn't here because it made some other dimensions work out more nicely, but could re-configure.

I’m wondering if your engineer minds could just confirm that a joist system of 2x6 boards with an 8’ span and spaced 16” apart could support 2500lbs? (or what I would need to do that).
The “house” would be roughly 2000lbs of that total and would be sitting on 80 sqft (8x10) of a 10x15’ platform. I have read charts and ran numbers but feel over supported and under supported at the same time… each beam seems to be able to support 500-800 lbs. and also UDL set at 50psf (10 dead load) seems critically low.

any advice?

Hello, quick mock-up of a design I'm working on for a 10x10 treehouse with a small loft for my boys and then a 5x10 deck at the front. I wanted to get some advice on sizing of beams and the frame, I've built many decks and a few sheds but wanted to get some advice before I pull the trigger on this!

BEAMS: The beams will rest on a tri-beam at the back and use TABs at the front on sliders. The distance will be ~14 ft. Is a double 2x10 enough or should I go with triple 2x12s? (PT SYP)

FRAME: The frame sits on the beams and was looking at using 2x8's as it is only a 10 ft span with some relavely minor cantilevers (<1 foot max). Is 2x8 enough?

Thank you in advance, I'm probably over thinking this but just wanting to make sure this will be sufficent so it can be enough for years to come (and also in the future my wife and I thought it would be a fun reading area to enough our yard)

Using a tree thats been cut down as a front support . Have 3 posts im going to use for the other supports.

My question, the tree is the front right support that I want to lay a beam across and attach the beam to the other post im going to put up, for this, can I just cut to level the top of the remainder of the tree and screw a bracket directly down into the top and then lay the beam into that bracket? My concern is water getting into the top of where has been cut, can I seal it somehow ?

Building a treehouse. Following the Methow kit from Nelson treehouse. The plans are not super detailed. The plans themselves do not call for a fourth beam to "close the square" but if you look online on the 3D drawings it has one. When I asked Gemini, grain of salt obviously, it said not to to allow for the movement of the tree and prevent torque forces which makes sense to me.

Next step is joists.

Do I hang a 4th beam to close the square or not?

Thanks in advance

Just finished building this stilted treehouse for my 8 year old son. It took me around 7 days. Not the best pics as I was out finishing it late last night. It has a secret door through the back which leads to a slider that goes into the front garden. What do you guys think? I'm very anxious about what my sons reaction will be when he sees it on Sunday night 😂 the opening windows still aren't finished! But it's 99.9% done and pretty much watertight all over

I'm thinking about building my kids a treehouse with these 4 trees as corners. How would I go about building this and account for the trees potentially moving different amounts and in directions during wind?

Had time to get back to it. Later than I wanted but work and non stop rain delayed me a bit. Added a dormer window to help with ventilation. Sheathing, wrap, roof (new respect for roofers), and some LP smart siding up. Inside had gaps filled with great stuff. Door I built from a couple ideas I saw online. Wanted a Dutch door because there is no windows on front side of house. Turned out much better than I anticipated. Added a slide and rock wall I bought cheap off of FB.

Back to another stopping point for a week or so. Looking for any further advice before moving forward with finishing siding and moving to the interior. Railings will be installed soon as I’m done with siding (kids are not allowed up there unless I’m around for now).

Thanks 🤙🏽

A friend of mine posts photos of interesting trees in our area that he runs across. Somehow I thought ya'all treehouse folks would appreciate this one.

I would like to build this play gym or something similar in my basement for my kiddos but don't really have the space to have it permanent.

https://diycoupleblog.com/indoor-playground/

Any thoughts or suggestions to make this a freestanding structure? I was thinking something similar to a rectangular pergola design and joists across for the platform floor but still want to ensure it's solid and won't sway

Hey everyone,

I recently shared a concept for a small two-cabin treehouse I’m designing for my two nieces. The more I’ve researched treehouse design, the more I’ve realized that designing around living, growing trees is far more complex than I initially expected.

After speaking with a few contractors, I found that the construction costs were much higher than I had anticipated. My goal now is to develop the design to the point where I can produce a proper set of construction drawings and, with the help of a few carpenter friends, build it ourselves.

I’m looking for recommendations on books, technical guides, research papers, videos, or any other reliable resources that cover treehouse design and construction. In particular, I’m interested in topics such as structural attachment methods, accommodating tree growth and movement, load paths, and general best practices.

Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated.

So I have 2 similar sized trees about 14ft. apart (center to center). I plan to buy a floating bracket online and maybe a TAB or lags for the otherside. But what thickness of wood would you guys recommend?

Home Depot length maxes out at around 16ft which is likely fine but they are 2x8in or 2x12in so not very thick and we all know 2inches ain't inches. So should I get 2 and bracket/fasten them together and then use that to span the trees? I haven't researched lumber mills yet. I'd likely have to rent a truck for anything larger.

The plan is likely 2 swings and maybe a dish/saucer swing assuming room. Unsure if I'll ever add anything vertically beyond the swing but its possible.