Treehouse Architecture

noob
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noob
Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 5:15pm
Started off wanting to build something like this for my kids:



My stupid brain is turning it into a bigger project, like this:


|
noob
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noob 4/23/2010 12:31pm
4/23/2010 12:31pm
In New York:



noob
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noob 4/23/2010 12:32pm
4/23/2010 12:32pm

noob
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noob 4/23/2010 12:33pm
4/23/2010 12:33pm
Restaurant in New Zealand:




GoldenState54 4/23/2010 12:36pm
4/23/2010 12:36pm
Pretty cool. I have alway had a thing for tree houses.

The Shop

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noob
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noob 4/23/2010 12:46pm
4/23/2010 12:46pm
That's a cool one. I think it's a hotel.
noob
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noob 4/23/2010 12:47pm
4/23/2010 12:47pm
Here's one my friend is in the process of building:




Void Main
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Void Main 4/23/2010 1:01pm
4/23/2010 1:01pm
huck built one for his kids:

dirthead1
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dirthead1 4/23/2010 1:15pm
4/23/2010 1:15pm Edited Date/Time 4/23/2010 1:15pm
noob wrote:
Started off wanting to build something like this for my kids: [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/01_Stiles_treehouse6b.gif[/IMG] My stupid brain is turning it into a bigger project, like this: [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/09_Modern_Treehouse_nicko-elliott-4.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/08_Modern_Treehouse_nicko-elliott-3.jpg[/IMG]
Started off wanting to build something like this for my kids:



My stupid brain is turning it into a bigger project, like this:


Go for the bottom one. Looks cool
noob
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noob 4/23/2010 2:32pm
4/23/2010 2:32pm
noob wrote:
Started off wanting to build something like this for my kids: [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/01_Stiles_treehouse6b.gif[/IMG] My stupid brain is turning it into a bigger project, like this: [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/09_Modern_Treehouse_nicko-elliott-4.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/08_Modern_Treehouse_nicko-elliott-3.jpg[/IMG]
Started off wanting to build something like this for my kids:



My stupid brain is turning it into a bigger project, like this:


dirthead1 wrote:
Go for the bottom one. Looks cool
It looks awesome in the night photo. I need to research materials. That's translucent fiberglass siding for greenhouses, barns, etc... sounds fairly inexpensive, but I'm not sure where to find it.

I'm sketching a mid-century modern inpired design that's probably way over my head, construction-wise.
oldschoolmxr203 4/23/2010 2:50pm
4/23/2010 2:50pm
Void Main wrote:
huck built one for his kids: [img]https://26.media.tumblr.com/9cyPFQbgCnxj7a2aELgniTn8o1_500.jpg[/img]
huck built one for his kids:

Laughing Laughing Blink ,,
wow void, if thats a real pic, sure took alot of steel, wood , or concrete , to get them campers/trailers up like that,,

I was thinking about an, idea for a tree house one time, and my idea , was to have 4 trees spaced evenly, about 20-30 ft apart, and using steel collars , and cable, then a steel frame , bolt the main structure, with lag bolts, a wooden pirate ship shaped tree house, that hangs from trees, and can move slightly in the wind, like a ship tied to a pier, and have a standing staircase, with a walkway on rollers to get over,,
would be expensive to implement, and take not only expert woodworking skills, but also welding and steel fabrication.
noob
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noob 4/23/2010 3:28pm
4/23/2010 3:28pm Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 10:21pm
Here's the site:

I need to repair or replace the retaining wall before I do anything fun.

The "treehouse" won't actually touch the tree, it'll be suspended on four beams sunk into the hillside. That tree sucks.



Here's my idea:


I want it to cantilever over the retaining wall so the kids can climb directly into it from the ground level. I'm retarded.

Anyone (Cam P?) know if two 2x6 cedar beams sandwiched and notch jointed to 6x6 posts are strong enough to cantilever like in my drawing?
88sdad
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88sdad 4/23/2010 3:56pm
4/23/2010 3:56pm
We have a pretty sweet tree house. I can draw up some plans if you like?


noob
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noob 4/23/2010 4:06pm
4/23/2010 4:06pm
88sdad wrote:
We have a pretty sweet tree house. I can draw up some plans if you like? [img]http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/3605/treehousea.jpg[/img]
We have a pretty sweet tree house. I can draw up some plans if you like?


Rad!

Did yosmithy design that?
88sdad
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88sdad 4/23/2010 4:16pm
4/23/2010 4:16pm
I was going to ask yosmithy to help with the plans.

I'm a better Carpenter than draftsman.
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slowvet 4/23/2010 5:28pm
4/23/2010 5:28pm
88sdad wrote:
We have a pretty sweet tree house. I can draw up some plans if you like? [img]http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/3605/treehousea.jpg[/img]
We have a pretty sweet tree house. I can draw up some plans if you like?


Now that is tight. Whatever you do, do NOT put an abandoned dog house up there like I did when I was a kid. Complete with a flea village and a chit load of spiders.
Robert
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Robert 4/23/2010 8:10pm
4/23/2010 8:10pm
noob wrote:
Here's one my friend is in the process of building: [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/Thurop_Treehouse_03.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/Thurop_Treehouse_04.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/Thurop_Treehouse_05.jpg[/IMG]
Here's one my friend is in the process of building:




Very cool!
supr_fly_tnt
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supr_fly_tnt 4/23/2010 10:47pm
4/23/2010 10:47pm
your design will work just fine. but you need to put your back posts 3.5 to 4 feet deep or one center post up front if you keep the hill on an angle like that. the extra weight times the gravity pushing against that wall will eventually make it fall forward. i would flatten out the hill 7 feet back and use garden rock as the new retaining wall on the bottom, and then use rail ties as the retaining wall in the back and then tie your support beams into the rail ties. that treehouse will be solid as a rock. but it all depends on your budget. but from the looks of it, that exisitng retaining wall is going to have come down and be rebuilt, like you said. just my .00001 cents tho

b
CamP
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CamP 4/24/2010 5:00pm
4/24/2010 5:00pm
noob wrote:
Here's the site:I need to repair or replace the retaining wall before I do anything fun.The "treehouse" won't actually touch the tree, it'll be suspended...
Here's the site:

I need to repair or replace the retaining wall before I do anything fun.

The "treehouse" won't actually touch the tree, it'll be suspended on four beams sunk into the hillside. That tree sucks.



Here's my idea:


I want it to cantilever over the retaining wall so the kids can climb directly into it from the ground level. I'm retarded.

Anyone (Cam P?) know if two 2x6 cedar beams sandwiched and notch jointed to 6x6 posts are strong enough to cantilever like in my drawing?
Use 2x8 around the outside perimeter of the floor plate. Bolt them on the outside of the posts with 3/8 or 1/2" lag screws. No need to sandwich or notch the posts.

Pit Row

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fcr
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fcr 4/24/2010 7:08pm
4/24/2010 7:08pm
Our tree fort when we were kids was a 2x4 nailed to the top of a tree we topped and would see who could get to it first to sit on it. Some of us fell out trying to get there 1st.
noob
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noob 4/25/2010 3:26am
4/25/2010 3:26am
supr_fly_tnt wrote:
your design will work just fine. but you need to put your back posts 3.5 to 4 feet deep or one center post up front if...
your design will work just fine. but you need to put your back posts 3.5 to 4 feet deep or one center post up front if you keep the hill on an angle like that. the extra weight times the gravity pushing against that wall will eventually make it fall forward. i would flatten out the hill 7 feet back and use garden rock as the new retaining wall on the bottom, and then use rail ties as the retaining wall in the back and then tie your support beams into the rail ties. that treehouse will be solid as a rock. but it all depends on your budget. but from the looks of it, that exisitng retaining wall is going to have come down and be rebuilt, like you said. just my .00001 cents tho

b
Thanks. I am worried about it's weight encouraging the hill to slide.
noob
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noob 4/25/2010 3:28am
4/25/2010 3:28am
CamP wrote:
Use 2x8 around the outside perimeter of the floor plate. Bolt them on the outside of the posts with 3/8 or 1/2" lag screws. No need...
Use 2x8 around the outside perimeter of the floor plate. Bolt them on the outside of the posts with 3/8 or 1/2" lag screws. No need to sandwich or notch the posts.
Thanks for the input, Cam. I'd prefer to not have to notch the posts... but wouldn't the entire weight of the fort be resting on the lag screws alone, instead of being distributed onto the posts?
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CamP 4/25/2010 5:34am
4/25/2010 5:34am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 10:23pm
It is small and won't see heavy loads so you can build it like a common deck. I built this 12x12 deck ten years ago and used single 1/2" lag screws on the corners and it's held up fine, even with a lot of people on it. You will have minimum of 8 lag screws holding the floor plate and they can handle quite a bit of weight.


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J.F.S 4/25/2010 6:23am
4/25/2010 6:23am
YZKEN250
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YZKEN250 4/25/2010 6:33am
4/25/2010 6:33am
Just remember on a cantilever if you want the cantilever to extend 4' you need 8' back. Say your house is 8' wide and your deck extends 4' you would need 12' joists to carry the weight. 2x6s will work fine if you follow above.
noob
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noob 4/25/2010 1:05pm
4/25/2010 1:05pm
CamP wrote:
It is small and won't see heavy loads so you can build it like a common deck. I built this 12x12 deck ten years ago and...
It is small and won't see heavy loads so you can build it like a common deck. I built this 12x12 deck ten years ago and used single 1/2" lag screws on the corners and it's held up fine, even with a lot of people on it. You will have minimum of 8 lag screws holding the floor plate and they can handle quite a bit of weight.


Thanks, Cam
noob
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noob 4/25/2010 1:05pm
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J.F.S wrote:
[img]https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_13Q5gTx0XOE/SHJu3lH2a8I/AAAAAAAAAv4/GtvUPscXU0A/s400/twin-treehouse.jpg[/img]
Very cool pic. That's in a book I've had since I was a teenager.
noob
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noob 4/25/2010 1:09pm
4/25/2010 1:09pm
YZKEN250 wrote:
Just remember on a cantilever if you want the cantilever to extend 4' you need 8' back. Say your house is 8' wide and your deck...
Just remember on a cantilever if you want the cantilever to extend 4' you need 8' back. Say your house is 8' wide and your deck extends 4' you would need 12' joists to carry the weight. 2x6s will work fine if you follow above.
I was guessing I could only cantilever out half the distance of what's anchored. Thanks for confirming it.
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Cygnus 4/25/2010 1:09pm
4/25/2010 1:09pm
We built a 5 story tree house when we were kids and all of the wood came from constrution sites.
noob
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noob 4/25/2010 1:47pm
4/25/2010 1:47pm
noob wrote:
Started off wanting to build something like this for my kids: [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/01_Stiles_treehouse6b.gif[/IMG] My stupid brain is turning it into a bigger project, like this: [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/09_Modern_Treehouse_nicko-elliott-4.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr170/STFUnoob_photo/08_Modern_Treehouse_nicko-elliott-3.jpg[/IMG]
Started off wanting to build something like this for my kids:



My stupid brain is turning it into a bigger project, like this:


Har! I have another friend (not the one building the treehouse I posted earlier) who built several that way. Got pics?
noob
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noob 4/25/2010 1:50pm
4/25/2010 1:50pm
After reading more about the one with the translucent fiberglass walls, I think I might bag the cantilever idea. That one is supported by only 3 4x4 posts, maybe I should do two posts in the hillside and one on flat ground (or vice versa).

I don't want to cause a hill slide. My house is only 8 feet away from that hill!

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