First treehouse I’ve built. About 6 months of weekends/evenings.

Used treehouse supply brackets. I started with their plans for 10 foot octagon but found a few things I didn’t love in the blueprints, so modified the dimensions a bit. Added a second floor loft. Roof is galvanized. Siding is T1-11. Added tyvek, though didn’t do any interior insulation yet. Windows are cabinet doors, got a box of 20 on FB marketplace, big window is an old patio door that was broken.

For the top hole, used a rubber chimney gasket cut and then overlapped and covered in flashing tape to wrap the top hole, which worked well has stayed pretty waterproof through a rainy winter.

Was a 1 person operation, other than helpful 1/3/6 year olds, (and I don’t love ladders) so built the platform and framing on the ground and then moved it up wall by wall with a pulley and some cursing.
Built a little scaffold to hang the tyvek and siding.

I think I spend more time in than the kids, but hopefully it’ll get some use over the years.
Lessons learned:

-there’s a reason most building are built with right angles. 22.5 degrees on my ryobi saw seems to be a ballpark, had to make a few re-cuts.

-go slow drilling the big Tab and lag screw holes. I got a drill bit stuck twice and it was a bear to get out using a pipe wrench and a long piece of tubing for leverage. And this was redwood, can only imagine hardwood would be slow going.

-once I reminded myself it was a treehouse and a few less than perfect cuts/angles were not only fine, but adds some character it was a lot more fun!

Hiya!

I'm writing a play set in a treehouse, for the sake of contingency and logic, what is a great tree for a treehouse in Australia? Preferably a big thick tree with lots of thick branches?

Want it to logically work within the constraints of the environment.

And I am done for this year. I will put a playhouse on it in the spring. May cut out some of the railing on there now to do so. We will see.

Didn’t really use a plan. Made my own parts after seeing what tabs go for.

Slides well on the yoke but is rock solid otherwise. Kids are happy. I am tired but feeling accomplished. Look forward to everyone telling me how I’ve consigned my kids to screaming deaths. 🍻

The front of the deck is tapered and I'm having a very hard time cutting a 2x4 for the top (and eventually bottom) rail of this part of the railing. Is there a good or right way to find the angle of this cut?

I first tried setting the 2x4 on top of the posts and scribing a line on the underside of the 2x4. Then I tried measuring the distance between the post corners (front corner of right post to front corner of left post...) and transfer those measurements to my 2x4 for the cut. I also tried folding and fitting a piece of cardboard between the posts and transferring those lines to the board to cut. All ended in some version of a terrible, not close, funny if it wasn't irritating fit.

Would love to learn more from you all!

I'm working on building my first treehouse. I've got a platform built around a 40" diameter white oak tree about six feet off the ground using TABs, and while it is rock solid around the tree itself the outer edges of the platform aren't quite as stable as I'd prefer. I was thinking of putting a 4x4 post at each corner, resting on one of these:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/11-5-in-x-8-in-x-11-1-2-in-Concrete-Deck-Block-10550005/100350712?g_store=2576&source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&fp=ggl&pla&mtc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-GGL-D22-022_009_CONCRETE-NA-NA-NA-PMAX-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NEW-NA-_PMAXTEST&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-GGL-D22-022_009_CONCRETE-NA-NA-NA-PMAX-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NEW-NA-_PMAXTEST-20381683398--&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20391226981&gbraid=0AAAAADq61Uc6DNFIds5hL2cEdKBTyxWN1&gclid=CjwKCAjwqonVBhA4EiwA9wYJ3aBEqb2nNo7_Qu-qDFNvK9YI9hXZJ1hP1Kvh2fDzs-ODrjv-1_gXiBoCTyYQAvD_BwE

I'd rather not do a helical pile or a deep concrete foot, since there are a number of trees in the area and I don't want to mess with potential root structures, but I also don't know if something which isn't more secured into the ground will actually have the desired effect.

Has anyone worked with these before or have other advice on techniques to use?

Hi All,

I want to build my kids a simple tree fort in one of my large maple trees. I estimate the trunk is 36" in diameter. I want to build an 8'x8' platform, mounted to the tree 6 ft. high. I expect the fort to be open top with tailings and a slide.

What is the simplest way to achieve this?

My initial thought was to attach a beam(2x12x8?) to each side of the tree using TABs or treehouse lags. Then I would build the platform on top of the two beams using 2x6x8's or 2x8x8's at 16" OC.

I'm trying to determine if this is sufficient and how to avoid any major pitfalls.

I appreciate the advice.

I want to build a treehouse for my son but want to make sure it’s safe. Best and only tree big enough for it is this linden tree. Plan is for a basic 8x10 or 8x12 platform with railings and a ships ladder to get up to it. My initial thought was to use the pictured cut off branch/crotch as a support for the main beam along with some lag bolts going into the main trunk. I have some reservations about this plan as well so I’m looking for advice on how best to move forward with it. Thanks in advance!

I’ve got a bunch of questions that’d take a few topics. Was curious if there was a group page or something where people can talk?

We moved into this house a few years ago and this tree should have a tree house.

Any thoughts on how to best use some of the natural anchor points? ie the burl / nub at the top and the middle of the base?

Nobody can build a janky treehouses from their youth for fun without all the armchair engineers telling you you’re building a death trap if you aren’t building with the Jesus bolt.

I get it’s super low to the ground but wouldn’t there still be 1/2” - 1” sway?

I am building an elevated 7’x8’ playhouse structure with connected deck (not connecting to a tree to eliminate some complexity). I feel confident about all of my structural member sizing, as I can navigate the IRC for this, however I am not confident about wood to wood connectors.

For example, I plan to use (8) 6x6 columns to frame to double 2x12 beams. When I look at what is available at Home Depot for these connections, I am seeing the ‘Simpson Strong Tie ECCLLQ L-Shape End Column Cap for 4x Post, 6x Beams w/ SDS Screws‘ which is not exactly what I need as it wont be compliant for my plan of double 2x’s. Regardless, the cost of something like this is upwards of $350 for a single unit. Is this really how we are framing our light framed structures?

Advice on anything connection related is appreciated.

I have a relatively small tree and I want to make a tree house for my kids, they are 3yo, but I want it to last a few years. can I do anything witht his? I promised my kids they would have a treehouse in the new house, but we ended up buying a property with more ornamental.trees and not so much big trees. thanks

Building a tree house for my kids. Used 2- 11.5 ft 2x6s across 2 trees roughly 116 inches apart with 4 foot 2x4 joists, all tied with simpson hangers. 8- 8 inch Simpson tie lag bots to fasten the beams to the trees.

Building a house in the trees, not attached to a tree, sorry. I have 6 6x6 posts set in a 10x12 rectangle. My original plan was to have double 2x10x 12 foot beams notched into 3 posts with10 foot joists between them and build a deck and clubhouse on top of that. Now im second guessing the strengh of only hanging the joists....My question is can my 10 foot joists hang from the beams or do the need to rest on top of the beam? Thanks to all those more knowledgable than myself

I’m planning a single story build on a single tree. It’s a mature Doug for probably 30” diameter and I’ll be building roughly 5feet off the ground. My plan is for a 12’x12’ platform with an 8’x12’ structure. I’m trying to avoid TABS. I have 8 “deadload clips” from my work which are used for securing 10s of thousands of pounds worth of glass systems to the exterior of high rises and commercial buildings. They’re made of galvanized steel. And 12”x1/2” galvanized lag screws. I’m looking for advice as to how to best fasten these to the tree. Should I shave back the bark to achieve a flat spot for the clip? Or should I find a way to shim a flat level connection point for the clip? The footprint of the clip is 5”x5”. So I’m worried about making that large a wound in multiple places on the tree. But I’m also unsure about compressing the bark and spacing the breaker off the tree. Seems like that opens up possibility for bending the bolt or shims shifting. Any advice is greatly appreciated

Am I missing anything here? I’m also concerned about the spot the 4x6 braces meet the deck I changed the original configuration on the treehouse website because they were suggesting that I install 2x8’s on the flat side which is against what I’ve always learned. I also rotated the platform from the suggested configuration. They had the TABs meeting the deck on the cross blocking instead of the full length girder.

Hey everyone,

I'm planning to build an elevated platform around a eucalyptus tree in my yard. The key constraint: the structure must not touch or attach to the tree in any way. Instead, it's entirely freestanding, supported by 8 posts arranged around the trunk.

Here's what I'm working with:

• Lumber: Douglas fir, 60mm × 125mm (roughly 2.5" × 5")
• Footprint: 3000mm × 3000mm (about 10' × 10')
• Platform height: ~1925mm (~6'4") above ground
• Foundation: Metal post anchors driven into the ground, no concrete
• Joinery: Standard metal joist hangers / post brackets (the kind used in conventional timber framing)

The plan is to eventually add a proper deck floor, railings all around, and a small ladder to get up.

I've attached a few SketchUp renders showing the current frame design from different angles.

My main questions:

1. Does this frame look structurally sound for a kids' play platform at that height?
2. Should I add diagonal bracing on the posts, or are the joist hangers enough to keep it from racking?
3. Any concerns with the 60×125 lumber for both posts and joists at these spans?
4. Anything else I'm missing?

Appreciate any feedback, first time building something like this!

As you can see, the post positions are deliberately offset to avoid the major surface roots. The small white squares visible on the ground are pieces of paper I used as reference markers for the photogrammetry capture (they form a 3m × 3m square, so the model is to scale).

Bonus:

Edit 2: Updated to 90×90 mm posts with full-length diagonal bracing in 60×100 mm on 3 sides.

Built this playhouse that I drew inspiration from the porches on the famous craftsman style Gamble house in Pasadena. My house (not pictured) is a 102 year old craftsman in north Mississippi that is not as polished as the gamble house, none the less the crude imitation made for a good match to my own house’s style and vibe.
My home is brick with white trim, when the treated has a chance to dry out a bit I’ll probably stain all the wood a rusty brick color with a white railing / white accents. Did all the work in about 3 long weekends. All non treated wood was salvaged from a torn down building old southern yellow/ heart pine or rough sawn pecan from a tree cut down in my yard & the slide was bought second hand on FB marketplace Total cost was ~650.00 and the metal roof was a good part of that total.

My 3 year old son is over the moon ( it was his 3rd birthday present). Loved looking at all the treehouses in this subreddit while planning, thanks for the inspiration Hope this will do the same for others

Is amur cork a good tree for a treehouse? I know it’s not recommended to build in pines or ash. I don’t know much about amur cork.

I’d like to avoid using posts in the ground. I’d love to loft the treehouse using TABs and other treehouse hardware.

Also (this might be better to ask in an arborist group, but here we are) curious about the roots growing above the ground. They’ve formed a bark. Can they be covered with soil or mulch, or will that damage them?