Learning from the Experts

When I was a kid we lived in a newer neighborhood where houses were always under construction surrounded by lots of scraps for building forts and tree houses. Our tree houses varied from two-story clapboard shacks to sitting platforms atop the a pine trees behind our house. I cringe to think how loosely our lives dangled by a few bent nails and split 2x4s. This tree house was for my kids, so it would have to make any OSHA inspector proud! To build a great tree house that was also safe I needed an experienced guide.

I read reviews of many tree house books and decided on Tree Houses You Can Actually Build: A Weekend Project Book by David and Jeanie Stiles. The Stiles have been building tree houses, cabins and playhouses for over 30 years and have faced almost every situation and made almost every mistake. Who better to be my mentors on my first "real" tree house project. The Stiles publish many books on building tree houses, but this one had ample, clear illustrations and text where most needed. It does not have all the answers, but it is full of practical advice on most major issues and gives many examples and optional features for many kinds of tree houses. This book has been my constant companion throughout this project.

I also found many YouTube videos helpful - some for inspiration, some for practical advice. Here are a couple:

How to build a treehouse by Meadowview Construction - A short video showing the progress of a professionally built treehouse. More for inspiration, but I found a few helpful things in the video.

Charming Treehouse - A time lapse video of a beautiful treehouse in upstate NY in the fall. Far fancier that I could build, but great for dreaming.

I will add to this as I remember things that helped and as I run into new resources.

On Tools: The Stiles recommended many tools, but I started out with an old, corded drill, circular saw, tape measure, small combination square with level and the usual hand tools. Following several recommendations I bought a cordless drill. Having two drills - one for drilling pilot holes and one for sinking screws - was a huge help. It also gave me a way to involve my boys. They drilled pilot holes or sank screws while I did the other. I also bought a 36-inch-long level for leveling long boards. Later my father-in-law gave me on old circular mitre saw to use. This made cutting wood a breeze, especially when I needed to cut several pieces at the same angle. You will need a long level for leveling your platform and walls.