The first photo is of my plan which was sketched on a cereal box.
How to build a treehouse roof around a tree.
Measure the tree at the desired height so you can decide on the right size for your platform.
Also one thing to remember is that you want your roof to hang off the side of the treehouse a bit for water protection.
Add joists on 16 inch centers and build the floor with deck boards or 3 4 inch plywood.
The first is a bit dramatic.
Find a section where the trunk separates into a v shape and build your platform in this area with 4 points anchoring the base to the tree.
I have seen a treehouse built in four cedars designed this way and it works remarkably well however it is not practical for most applications.
Put the load over the base of the tree not on one side.
Use exterior bolts to make sure they are heavily bolted in to the tree on all sides.
Ours was approximately 4 inches off each side.
I found david jeanie stiles books especially easy to follow and i also consulted the 1st edition of this treehouse book the design changed as i was building it i didn t end up adding the braces drawn in the bottom left elevation and i built an entrance platform that i hadn t.
When building on one main trunk level the main.
Minimizing tree damage for diy treehouse.
When your rafters are all on lay down the plywood for the roof an leave a good 2 and 1 2 space around the tree so it can sway in the wind without hitting the roof.
Top off the tree just below the roof line and build a solid roof above.
The roof s primary role is of protection and so it is a good place to get right.
Build the diy treehouse in mid summer.
A tree house will act like a sail in strong winds adding a large load to the tree s roots.
The build took about six months start to fin.
The second solution is to build a wall vapor barrier around the trunk on the inside of the treehouse.
The ideal roof is impervious to water but also needs to rapidly shed water so there is no chance of pools or damp patches building up.
For heavy tree houses consider spreading the weight among several trees.
This is a tree house that my friend aza and i built for a customer shortly after i built my original tree house.
When you go to cut the angle you want to make sure you re keeping your longest side at 46 inches.
Once your treehouse plans have been mapped start by installing the supports using 2 x 12 cuts of wood decking board.
If your design calls for a flat roof try to introduce even a small slope of 3 5.
Rails sides and a roof complete the treehouse.
I read around a lot first of course.
In high wind areas build your tree house in the lower third of the tree.
I used shingles cut in half to seal around the tree and shingled the rest of the roof like normal.
