How Do Treehouses Stay Up? [The Unobvious Answer!]
As a child, did you ever ask your parents, “how do tree houses stay up?” Tree houses feature prominently in many of our childhood recollections. They have been a special place for many of us, from inviting friends over to form a club to be our secret hideouts.
How Do Treehouses Stay Up?
Tree houses typically stay up because they are frequently erected or tied to trees that are not too tall in order to make it easier for kids to access it. Moreover, tree houses also use a wooden ladder and plenty of ropes to hold it in place. You can also utilize a pulley system or a mix of rope paths, depending on the height.
This way, the tree house stays upright and does not move from its position. Plus, it will not only make it safer for children to climb up to their hidden hideouts, but it will also make cleaning and carrying items up and down the nook easier.
Based on our extensive research and knowledge, we have put together this guide to help you understand how tree houses stay up for so long without being moved or destroyed.
Keeping Your Tree House Upright
Every year, the trunk of a tree grows larger, and the tree climbs taller by sprouting new branches.
Existing branches maintain their length. As a result, your tree house will remain the same height. However, the width of a trunk must be taken into account.
Since the branches and trunk remain in place, any adornment will remain in place as well, which is why tree houses will remain the same and in their original location.
A tree house will usually stay up at the same height it was when it was first attached to the tree since the tree will grow around it. However, some maintenance may be required to guarantee that the tree house stays safe and sturdy as the weather changes.
Are tree houses safe to live in?
Yes, find a healthy tree and build your treehouse with sturdy construction materials. Ideally, you must build a treehouse close to the ground, no more than 10 feet (3 meters) off the ground. Children (and adults) are protected from deadly falls by using sturdy, well-placed ladders and tall railings.
Instead of glass windows, consider using acrylic plastic sheets. Sand down rough edges to avoid splinters. It’s also critical to safeguard the tree during and after construction.
You can use a colossal spiral stairway that leads to a luminous, spherical treehouse.
How do you secure a treehouse around a tree?
Keep in mind that trees are living, growing organisms.
Allow for future expansion in your treehouse construction plan, and don’t chop away branches or parts of the trunk to make room for the support system, or remove huge amounts of wood or bark, which could expose the tree to illness and infection. Trees are also protected by construction procedures.
Pick a sturdy species of tree like oak, maple, or hemlock.
The railings, decks, doors, windows, and platform access are all components of a tree house.
Here’s how you can keep your tree houses upright for a long time:
The platform is the first stage in putting together your tree house because it serves as the support system.
The platform should be built near the trunk, allowing for future growth of the tree when building your treehouse. It should be level and well-balanced in the middle.
Instead of using nails, you can use single, big bolts for the main supports. Nails are weak, and readily loosen, and since so many are required, the tree is likely to be damaged.
The tree will spread over the bolts as it grows, a process known as compartmentalization. Over time, this establishes a strong link between the tree and the house.
After the platform is finished, add the roof, walls, and floor, which can all be pre-assembled on the ground to reduce the amount of work done above ground.
Make sure no component of your tree house contacts the tree; it should entirely rest on the support system to ensure it lasts for a very long time and isn’t destroyed when the tree sways or grows in the wind.
A rope or wooden ladder, depending on how high you’ve built your tree house, is usually sufficient to hold it in place.
Consider spiral or straight steps with railings for tree houses that are really high.
How do you stabilize a tree house?
Some of our experts in the industry have come up with some of the best approaches while keeping the tree house’s basic structure in mind.
It’s likely you’ll have a design that necessitates an entirely different strategy, but don’t worry; these methods will provide you with the basics on how to stabilize a tree house.
Make use of adaptable support
The foundation of a ground-based construction is fixed and reinforced by tons of material, whereas the foundation of a tree house is not permanent. A single trunk or numerous trunks are used to support the tree house foundation.
This implies that if the tree house structure shifts, so does the trunk.
To counteract or limit this movement, make sure that each branch of the tree moves independently and isn’t attached to a single immobile object. You can accomplish this with the help of a flexible support system.
Make use of trees that are adaptable
If you use the correct tree or collection of trees, you can make your tree house completely stable right from the start.
Trees, especially tall ones, are naturally flexible. The tree house can move about in a much better method as it gets higher.
You might be able to make really stable treehouse support if you combine our first approach with a group of trees. Yes, it will be challenging work because there will be so many fixed points to deal with, but if done well, it can result in a very sturdy foundation.
Make use of poles
This method is very handy if you want to create a tree house that is no more than 8 feet tall. In this situation, rather than using the tree trunk as a support, you may simply utilize poles that are properly fastened in the ground as a basis.
This support system is used by many treehouse enthusiasts.
Pick the right place
Another approach to improve treehouse support stability is to pick the right place on the tree. Choose a branch or trunk that does not move much even in heavy winds when deciding where to install the support system on the tree.
A decent rule of thumb is to go with a sturdy trunk and a low profile.
Floor System Bracing
Another technique to stop the migration is to keep the tree house together as a single sturdy unit. The best method to do this is to brace the floor with it. Simple plywood can be used and screwed to the beam system.
Ensure that the screw is used every six inches along the beam.
How are tree houses supported?
When beginning to construct a tree house for your kids, the most important thing to remember is to minimize the risk of the tree’s development or sway factor.
These two variables might cause fasteners to shear and your tree house frame to be damaged.
Treehouse attachment bolts are the most effective and practical means to hold big items in trees. TABs are specially designed bolts for supporting heavy loads in living trees. Fixed joints are used for connections between trees that do not move much, whereas flexible joints are used for those that do move.
Many sources of tree house information will tell you that flexible joints are required for huge buildings; however, this isn’t true for houses in smaller trees. So, make sure you know what you’re up against.
How do you support a treehouse without hurting the tree?
It’s easy for a treehouse to cause harm to the tree if it’s badly planned, but by following a few simple recommendations, you can minimize the damage. Although it is difficult to inflict no harm at all, trees have developed a number of strategies to cope with damage and remain healthy.
Start by attaching eye bolts on the exterior of the floor near any limbs instead of wedging planks between them.
Wrap the rope around the branches at least four times before passing it through the eyebolts and securing it with a knot. To keep the tree house’s foundation firmly attached, use at least two eye bolts under the floor.
Screws are required to provide additional support to fixtures.
However, several screws are required to make the fittings strong. In the case of a tree house; however, this is not a smart idea because screws do harm trees. If you absolutely must use screws, use as little as possible. Additionally, stainless steel screws should be used to avoid rust accumulation over time.
Tree compartmentalization, on the other hand, allows trees, particularly healthy ones, to quickly recover from harm.
When a tree becomes compartmentalized, it begins to defend the injured area by blocking disease transmission and rotting. This is accomplished by creating layers or “walls” around the impacted area.
