Building a Treehouse

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FLOORS AND ROOFS

Once the platform is secure, you need to add the floor. For this you might use exterior plywood sheets or proper tongue-and-groove floorboards. The walls can either be built in situ in the tree or prefabricated on the ground and then hoisted up into position (for larger treehouses the latter is much easier and safer).

To minimize the amount of work done while perched up in the tree, you can even add external wall finishes on the ground (some options are shown in the Image Gallery to the right) and prefix doors and windows. The roof may also be pre-assembled, but if branches are to penetrate it, or if it is an irregular shape, it is generally best to build it in situ. Once in position the roof can be covered with external plywood and finished with roofing felt (tar paper). You can use battens and then finish with local materials such as recycled shingles, thatch or palm leaves.

STEP-BY-STEP TREEHOUSE ASSEMBLY

WINDOWS AND DOORS

There's no need to adhere to convention in a treehouse. This is a place to experiment and indulge your design fantasies. Whether your taste leans toward Gothic towers or rustic cottages, the possibilities for windows and doors are endless. The important thing is to keep them in proportion to the size and design of the treehouse. For safety and lightness, use Perspex or Plexiglas instead of glass for windows. Try to use old or recycled items whenever possible.

DECK AND RAILINGS

Nothing can beat the experience of sitting outside a treehouse, right among the leaves and branches, on an outside deck, balcony or veranda. A deck can be part of the treehouse platform (it could be an extension constructed at a later date), or it might be in a separate place nearby, perhaps at a different level and reached by a rope bridge or wooden walkway. Whichever you choose, the deck needs to be surrounded by safe railings. Functional these may be, but as with doors and windows, you can still give your imagination free rein. For something different, why not make a giant hammock by attaching a strong rope net to the deck? Spread with pillows and cushions it makes a great place to relax.

TREEHOUSE ACCESS

Now that you've built your treehouse, how will you get up there? A simple wooden or rope ladder is fine if the house is not far from the ground, but steps (with handrails) are better for higher treehouses. Spiral steps winding around the trunk are always fun and look more natural than a straight flight. If higher still, it is a good idea to break the journey with a series of landings. Sometimes it is possible to build a bridge or rope walkway from an adjacent tree, building or area of high ground. For really high treehouses a rope pulley system with a harness or chair may be the most convenient method, but you need to be prepared to rappel down. A rope pulley with a basket is indispensable for hoisting up provisions, whether your treehouse is high or low.

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