The Perfect Treehouse (Part 2)
Posted October 16, 2009, in About, Erik's Favorites, How To, KnowltonDrive.com, Photos, Random, Technology, Videos by Erik J. Heels (permalink: http://www.erikjheels.com/1980.html)
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
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Sweet!!
[...] The Perfect Treehouse Build one with your kids. [...]
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
Wonderful house. Just the color of ours. Now to build a tree house.
Thanks for sharing.
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!