Preliminary Steps
Your son has hit the age where he has a consistent group of friends that always hang out with one another, and he’s built up the courage to ask if you can build him a treehouse. You realize this is going to be a tough task so you start gathering up the tools necessary to start building, but what is there to do before you even pick up a hammer. It’s important to consult with the local planning department about height restrictions as well as needing a building permit. Make sure you have a chat with your insurance agent about it too. You're going to want to double check your homeowner’s policy to make sure treehouses are covered. It’s also not a bad idea to talk to your neighbor just to be courteous and make sure they don’t mind if you build one, especially if it sees over into their backyard.
Is the Tree Sturdy Enough?
When you’re examining the tree that you’re going to use for your son’s new hiatus the key elements to make sure of are making sure there is a thick sturdy trunk as well as branches, and make sure the tree is clean of any diseases or parasites that will weaken the foundation. The method that is the easiest, safest and least harmful to your tree is by the post method where nothing is actually being supported by the tree itself, but just built around the tree. This allows you, the builder, to be in more control of the stability of the tree. You stick support posts into the ground around the tree, and build from there.
Although, windows would be a great addition to any tree house, Wallside Windows doesn’t do installations on treehouses. A window that does need replacing on your normal house would be no problem for Wallside WIndows as we have the best vinyl replacement windows any company can offer. As far as the treehouse goes, your best bet is to probably cut out a square in the side of it that you can stick your head out of.
Building and Finishing Touches
When actually building the house, you’re going to need many different shapes and sizes of wood depending on the size of the tree and the house itself. As far as building an access method to the tree house, the easiest method would be to install a normal wooden ladder that sometimes comes already made at hardware stores. They come already made for bunkbeds sometimes so, if you get lucky enough to find one it cuts some work out for you. If you want something more creative, the rope ladder always looks good plus it’s easy to construct and climb. Just be sure to take extra caution with these two styles of access because you don’t want to slip and hurt yourself. For extra safety, you can get a couple bags of mulch to surround the tree house or just the ladder area specifically so in case a fall does happen, the landing is cushioned.
When everything is said and done, your child will be happy that you put the time and effort into building a treehouse for them and their friends. Remember to make sure you’ve contacted everyone necessary before you start building, and make sure you have the adequate amount of help needed from your friends to help you put everything together, but most importantly have fun!
