Perfect Tree House (Part 2)

Build one with your kids.

In the summer of 2003 and 2004, the perfect treehouse took shape in a four-stem maple in the back yard of a house in Acton, MA.

The Perfect Treehouse (Part 1)

The treehouse was built by @ErikJHeels and his kids. This is a video tour of the treehouse.

Part 1 – Red House, Red Cat House, Red Treehouse

Part 2 – Apple Tree Ladder, Foundation

Part 3 – Opening The Entrance Hatch

Part 4 – Opening The Back Hatch, First Counterweighted Hatch

Part 5 – Second Counterweighted Hatch, N-Hatches, Double-D Hatches, Emergency Escape Hatch

Part 6 – Trunks, Branches, Holes, Roof, Loft

Part 7 – Sleeping Arrangements For Five, Second Floor Carpeted Loft

Part 8 – View From The Treehouse, My Brother Mark

Part 9 – Chicken-Head Hatch, Safe Way For Kids To Descend

Part 10 – Alternate Way For Adults To Descend

Comments

Eric says...

Sweet!!

Pingback: How I Sold My House In Acton 01720 In 5 Days @ErikJHeels

Noel E says...

Very nice treehouse. Looking for ideas for the hatch on my treehouse now. Almost finished version is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZI3MxOFO2E

Devi McDaniel says...

Wonderful house. Just the color of ours. Now to build a tree house.
Thanks for sharing.

Erik J. Heels says...

It’s been a few years since my treehouse project, but here’s what I remember about construction.

The summer before I started, I had an aborist install criss-cross anchor wires to the four stems (i.e. in an “X” configuration), about 10 feet above the top of the roofline. This makes the (inherently insecure) multi-stem tree more secure.

The lowermost 2×8 pieces are attached to the tree with lag screws (big ones). The box that sits on that is attached to the 2×8 with brackets (I believe).

Pics:
http://erikjheels.com/3053.html

Videos:
http://www.erikjheels.com/1980.html

Book:
Tree Houses You Can Actually Build
by Jeanie Trusty Stiles and David Stiles
http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Houses-You-Actually-Build/dp/0395892732/

The pics and videos give you a good overview of the project. The above book was essential for me. My foundation is based on a design from the book. The rest I had to improvise.

How does one build a treehouse? One piece at a time.

Good luck!