Tree house

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

KaptJaq

Minister of Fire
Jan 31, 2011
718
Long Island, NY
The boys have been asking for a tree house for a couple of years. Finally felt they were ready for one.

Attached is an image a month ago as it neared completion and today as it disappears into the leaves.

KaptJaq

Img_5533_a.jpgImg_5684_a.jpg
 
Wow! That's way cool.
 
Great job building memories. They will love it I'm sure
 
That is way cool.... I remember my Tree house. Lots of memories up there.

You did an awesome job and they will remember it there entire lives. Good job Dad.

My Son is 10 and he has been asking... Might be time. How high up did you go??
 
My Son is 10 and he has been asking... Might be time. How high up did you go??

My boys are twins and will turn 9 this summer. The treehouse is located in a gully on the side of a hill. The ladder side is about 8 feet high, the other side about 11 feet. Due to the steep slope, looking out from one side it appears to them to be a mile high...

KaptJaq
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScotO
My boys are twins and will turn 9 this summer. The treehouse is located in a gully on the side of a hill. The ladder side is about 8 feet high, the other side about 11 feet. Due to the steep slope, looking out from one side it appears to them to be a mile high...

KaptJaq

The pics make it look Much Higher.... Very Nice job. Mine was about 10 ft.. Seems like a mile when your young... !!
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScotO
I built my kids a "tree house" last summer (its UNDER the tree, not in it!) The deck is 9' off of the ground, with a ladder on one end, a bridge leading to the cabin, and a spiral slide out of the cabin. Still have to make some screens for the windows and install the door, so they can sleep out in it without getting slaughtered by mosquitos! Great job Kap, they'll have many memories of that cabin when the get older!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DexterDay
...The deck is 9' off of the ground, with a ladder on one end, a bridge leading to the cabin, and a spiral slide out of the cabin. Still have to make some screens for the windows and install the door, so they can sleep out in it without getting slaughtered by mosquitos! ...

Scotty,

Would love to see some pictures of your creation. My guys want a "zip line" exit but the boss doesn't think it is a good idea just yet. A slide sounds like a good compromise.

KaptJaq
 
Scotty,

Would love to see some pictures of your creation. My guys want a "zip line" exit but the boss doesn't think it is a good idea just yet. A slide sounds like a good compromise.

KaptJaq
Kap, if I had room for a zipline, my kids would be in HEAVEN! Here's some pics of our cabin/playset. I had to put an extra piece onto the spiral slide because the deck was too tall, luckily I found them on Craigslist for a decent price. The beam hanging out on the one end will be home to this summers addition, a tire swing.
2012-05-20_14-12-05_621.jpg
2012-05-20_14-11-47_491.jpg
2012-05-20_14-12-25_841.jpg
 
Yep Lucky Kids nice
 
great job and very wise decision to base the house in one tree (prevents alot issues in years to come with different growth rates as well as wind/sway problems), may i ask how you obtained the first photo from what seems like an aerial photo? did you climb a 100" tree and snap that shot LOL?
 
I wanna play. Whats the weight capacity on that slide??
Don't tell anyone, but I weigh 203lbs and it supports me! ;) I go down that slide from time to time (just to test it for safety reasons, of course!)
 
Don't tell anyone, but I weigh 203lbs and it supports me! ;) I go down that slide from time to time (just to test it for safety reasons, of course!)

Ummm...its gonna need to hold quite a bit more, if I am gonna slide down.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScotO and Eatonpcat
great job and very wise decision to base the house in one tree (prevents alot issues in years to come with different growth rates as well as wind/sway problems), may i ask how you obtained the first photo from what seems like an aerial photo? did you climb a 100" tree and snap that shot LOL?

There were three trees growing in a perfect equilateral triangle that the boys felt we should make the treehouse between. They were all oaks so the growth rate would be about the same. To show them why I didn't want to build it there I tied some rope between the three trees and hung some old cow bells from it. I also put a 10 ft 2x4 between two of them. When the wind started blowing that night the bells started ringing. The trees were swaying every which way. The next morning the 2x4 was on the ground with the ends split to shreds. The boys understood that the treehouse would not last long under those conditions. Sometimes show & tell comes in handy.

Both pictures are taken from the deck of our house. We are on the edge of a ridge looking down on our property. From the lowest point to the highest is about 120 feet vertical and 250 feet horizontal.

KaptJaq
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScotO
There were three trees growing in a perfect equilateral triangle that the boys felt we should make the treehouse between. They were all oaks so the growth rate would be about the same. To show them why I didn't want to build it there I tied some rope between the three trees and hung some old cow bells from it. I also put a 10 ft 2x4 between two of them. When the wind started blowing that night the bells started ringing. The trees were swaying every which way. The next morning the 2x4 was on the ground with the ends split to shreds. The boys understood that the treehouse would not last long under those conditions. Sometimes show & tell comes in handy.

Both pictures are taken from the deck of our house. We are on the edge of a ridge looking down on our property. From the lowest point to the highest is about 120 feet vertical and 250 feet horizontal.

KaptJaq

that was some pure genius thinking to make sure you tested with a 2x4 first (i wish i had done the same) LOL , ill post some pics when i get a chance of my second try (a much better result) LOL
 
Nice escapes for the kids guys. They bring back the memories of my younger years. I am going to have to build one for the kids, but the littlest one is too small yet. I will wait another year I think.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScotO
These tree houses certainly don't look anything like the
ones I built in my childhood. My treehouses were built with
cast off 2 x 4s, nothing was level and it's a wonder my
siblings and I didn't fall off the side or through the floor
and end up in the ER . . . they certainly were not this fancy . . . or safe.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Eatonpcat and ScotO
Nice escapes for the kids guys. They bring back the memories of my younger years. I am going to have to build one for the kids, but the littlest one is too small yet. I will wait another year I think.
When I built that thing the kids (and the wife, even) were in tears with excitement. Neither her nor I had anything like that when we were kids, and it was great to be able to fulfill one of my childhood wishes for my kids to enjoy. Definitely worth every penny and every drop of sweat I have invested for it (drove over two hours away to get the slide)! They use it almost every day
 
  • Like
Reactions: Eatonpcat
These tree houses certainly don't look anything like the
ones I built in my childhood. My treehouses were built with
cast off 2 x 4s, nothing was level and it's a wonder my
siblings and I didn't fall off the side or through the floor
and end up in the ER . . . they certainly were not this fancy . . . or safe.

Same here. There was a building boom in the area so we had unlimited supplies. Not one treehouse lasted more than one summer but each year they got bigger and more creative. By Thanksgiving my father would help us rip it down before it fell down under the weight of the snow... The worst injuries I can remember were some splinters and a few bashed fingers as we learned how to hang from the branches and build the initial platform. Size was limited to the length of what we scrounged but additions were always added as friends joined the club...

KaptJaq
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScotO
Status
Not open for further replies.