A TREEHOUSE ......

[SEYMOURyesterday]

YES A TREEHOUSE ....
I have promised the kids a tree house and even though I failed every woodworking exam I ever took I am determined to succeed. Having found a couple of sites that have given me ideas I am ready to go shopping for the wood….AH !
1st problem…. What sort of wood do I buy ? it obviously will need to withstand East London rain storms and tropical heat that we experience annually. Do I go into the nearest store and buy the cheapest 2 x4 and worry about coating it with something once it is built or are there other options ? – OK so this may sound a bit dim but with a little help from the experts (i.e you lot who know about woodwork because this is a woodwork forum) I can and will succeed. If you’re really nice I’ll put up some pictures whilst I go along to show you what an silly person who knows nothing can achieve.
C’mon then people of internetland, show me what you’re made of. I have plans, I have tools I have the will to succeed and I have a tree.
1st step ….buy wood make 4 legs from 2x4- dug in the ground and ready to fix a platform on.
All messages of support welcome.

I look forward in making your internet lives a little more interesting.

 

[Shultzy]

SEYMOURyesterday, welcome to the forum.

I'm assuming that the phrase "1st step ….buy wood make 4 legs from 2x4- dug in the ground and ready to fix a platform on." means you are not building a house in a tree!

In which case, you need to buy "tanalised" timber (the green coated timber)

I think 4x2 is not strong enough to stand the rigours of the children, I would use 4x4. Make sure you treat the portion that you encase in concrete with more preservative. Slope the concrete away from the timber to allow water to drain away. Use 4x2 for the platform set at 16" centres.

Round off all corners and counterbore any bolts.

 

[OLD]

Put tree house plans into google and learn all about them.

 

[Chris Knight]

SeymourY

I built a treehouse (sort of) with my grandkids. Because I laid down a rule and kind of stuck to it, that it wouldn't progress unless they too worked on it, it has stagnated at a platform (half supported by a tree (Hornbeam) and half supported by legs) with walls, a door but no roof. From the platform, rungs nailed to the tree lead to a crow's nest platform fixed to the tree on welded brackets - also accessed by a bosun's chair and a long rope ladder (projects that sidetracked us along the way).

We all had a great time with it, I learnt a lot about the children and how different they were in their approach to risk (abseiling, climbing heights etc.), woodwork and so forth. They all learnt elementary woodworking skills and the eldest learnt that saws, chisels etc. can all cut you quite badly..

I doubt we'll ever finish the tree house and in some ways I am sorry but I think my starting premise was correct - at least in part. The kids needed to earn some equity in it to appreciate it and the sidetracks were great fun and brought out a lot of inventiveness in the children.

For wood , I used mainly tannalised garden stuff. Also construction ply and Ronseal weatherproofing stain.

 

[mahking51]

Chris,
Interesting sidelight on how to go about a project like this.
I would do it the same way, only problem - NO KIDS!
Regards,
Martin

 

[SEYMOURyesterday]

I'm assuming that the phrase "1st step ….buy wood make 4 legs from 2x4- dug in the ground and ready to fix a platform on." means you are not building a house in a tree!

correct - its going around it.

Well this is a good start - thanks everyone. 45 minutes after posting and you're already helping. I'f you don't hear from me for a while it'll be because i'll be busy in the garden - thanks again - i'll be back another day ....

 

[tinfoil]

SeymourY

Avoid tanalised timber - it is toxic to some degree (heavy metals and arsenic!). Officially the risk to kids is very small, but I don't think I'd let my grandson play with it.

http://files.recycleworks.co.uk/files/Wood preservatives.pdf

 

[DomValente]

Built a tree house, not in a tree, for my kids many years ago.

Used fence spikes, because I hate mixing concrete.

Four spikes in a 7' square, 4 of 4" by 4" by 8' timbers in the spikes .
4 of 4" by2" timbers all around the perimeter a few inches above the ground two more timbers cut into primeter to stop floor bowing. Lay flooring.

Another four timbers around the perimeter about 5' above the ground and two more crosswise again to stop bowing lay second floor, cut hole for access from ground floor.
Hang wall around outside,I used tongue and grooved, from base to top of 8' timbers.
Cut window and door holes in ground floor.
Place small ladder inside for access to turret.
You could put crenellations up top so it looks like a fort.
Use lots of Bolts and coach screws for strength( they are your kids.
I used tanalised for the main structural beams and both boys survived.

Good luck

Dom

 

[Shultzy]

tinfoil, its amazing what you learn on this site. I had no idea that "tannalised timber" had so much toxic chemicals in it.

 

[Travis Byrne]

Hi
Here is pic of the tree house that I built for grandson.
Maybe it will give you some ideas what to do and-------what not to do.
Grandson has outgrown it and its just stands there in between the trees being lonesome :evil:
Travis

Travis

 

[Wanlock Dod]

Seymore,

I would certainly build the supporting structure out of something that will last. Being closest to the ground it may be most likely to rot, and it is not the part that you will want to have to replace.

I had no idea that "tannalised timber" had so much toxic chemicals in it.

The whole idea is to kill the bugs that would otherwise be eating your timber :shock:

Cheers,

Dod

 

[PowerTool]

Tinfoil - although the concerns about wood preservatives are very valid,the document is dated 1996.Since then,the CCA type preservatives have been almost completely phased out (at work,we used to move them by the tankerload for Rentokil/Protim/Solignum) to be replaced by Tanalith E,which is a (slightly) more environmentally-friendly version

Andrew

 

[tinfoil]

Point taken Andrew. Thanks for the correction. I did say that officially the risk to kids is very small. Even though I've sawn through tons of treated timber in my time, not washed my hands immediately after touching it or taken any other precautions and (so far) have not suffered any consequences, I would still feel unhappy about letting kids play on it.