Tree House Ideas Anyone?

oldlob

Dear All

Have just bought a bit of field at the back of our house and now have our own big oak trees, and i mean BIG.

Does anyone have any ideas or pics or links to good treehouses that they have tried and built and found to be fab? The little ones are nagging about wanting their own 'famous five' - type den.

many thanks for your thoughts.

oldlob
xxx

keith969

I built a tree house for the kids in the place we used to live in, it had half an acre of woodland at the back so no shortage of trees!

The base was made of some 6 by 2 joists (actually roof timber off the old garage) in a triangle between 3 trees, plus some 4 by 2. On top of this went some marine ply - I think 12mm stuff - and a frame for the walls made of 2 by 2. The sides were also made of marine ply, I think a bit thinner.

One thing I learned: trees grow at different rates. The base was level when I built it, but after a few years it wasn't!

The other is that like any outdoors construction, they can get filled with outdoor life (mainly spiders) if you don't clean them regularly!

Google 'tree houses' and you will find commercial outfits that will build one for you... at a price!

mkaibear

oldlob wrote: »

Dear All

Have just bought a bit of field at the back of our house and now have our own big oak trees, and i mean BIG.

Does anyone have any ideas or pics or links to good treehouses that they have tried and built and found to be fab? The little ones are nagging about wanting their own 'famous five' - type den.

many thanks for your thoughts.

oldlob
xxx

If you're good with the old DIY thing then grab a copy of the Dangerous Book for Boys - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Book-Boys-Conn-Iggulden/dp/0007232748/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278334857&sr=8-1 - it has a really good basic treehouse design and you can then expand it to suit.

macman

What about planning permission?

ormus

make sure you use big timbers. 6x2 or 8x2.
use knee braces from underneath. sliding joints are better than bolting direct into the tree.

(remember trees move).