Tree house for children

Recommendation points

• Preparation for construction
• What a tree should be
• At what height to build a house
• Building materials
• Drawing up a house plan
• House construction
• House plan

So the long-awaited summer has come, and, of course, many families have already moved to the village or to the dacha. Because it is there that children spend a lot of time in the fresh air, run, jump and climb everywhere. You can make children’s activities more interesting by building, for example, a tree house. This is a good opportunity to spend time with children and at the same time keep them busy – they can help you with construction.

Preparation for construction

Making a plan and building a house will help show the creativity of the whole family.

Firstly, immediately before construction, you need to determine the location of the house and the tree on which it will be located. Check how strong the branches are. They must support not only the weight of the house, but also the weight of the children who will play there. Also, the tree must withstand snow and strong winds. Determine the height of the house depending on the age of the children. The older the child, the higher the house can be built..

Try to stick to a plan that you can do and can afford.

Secondly, one of the main steps is to make a good plan of the house and draw a blueprint for it. It is better to draw several drawings and choose the one that is more suitable specifically for the tree on your site. Think over all the details, stairs, doors and windows to make the house functional and comfortable, perhaps the house itself will be insulated for playing in the cold season.

When drawing up a plan, it is recommended: not to build capital walls, perhaps in the future you will want to move them apart to enlarge the house; part of the roof can be made removable in order to add a second floor in the future; if several trees grow in the neighborhood, you can make suspension bridges.

What a tree should be

First, the tree must have a well-developed root system and strong wood. Oak, poplar, ash are quite suitable for construction.

Secondly, make sure that the trunk of the tree is at least the same volume as your body, and the branches on which the house will be located are at least 20-25 cm in diameter. Check for rotten and other weak spots on the branches.

The soil in which the tree grows must be firm and dense, not too sandy – the tree must stand firm.

The tree should not be sick or dead to keep your house as long as possible. The tree should have as many thick branches as possible so that the house has several points of support, and they can support the weight of both the house and the children..

At what height to build a house

The higher the house is built, the more chances that the house will sway more strongly during strong gusts of wind. If the branches pass through the frame of the house, they make the entire structure less durable, since under the influence of the wind they loosen the fastenings of the house. Weak, too thin branches above the house are best cut off immediately, otherwise they can fall on the house at any time and destroy it. If you wish, you can build a house on several levels by connecting them with stairs.

Building materials

The next step in preparing for construction is the choice of materials. What can you build a house from? If the budget allows, then suitable materials for the house can be found in a hardware store. These are either boards made of real wood or made of artificial materials, they are lighter and will not overload the wood. At least artificial materials can be used to make a base for a home..

To protect the bark, a rubber or rubber covering can be placed between the house and the tree..

Cover the places where you hammered the nails with a special solution to prevent wood decay and destruction.

Think over the cladding of the frame of the house, there are several types of siding (sheathing strips) and their fasteners.

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Drawing up a house plan

Drafting a house is the most responsible and difficult stage. Try to take into account every little detail before direct construction or work with wood, for example, sawing off unnecessary branches. Thinking over the size and design of the house, it is recommended to adhere to the following:

1. It is recommended to take several photos of the tree from different angles before construction. In the pictures, sketch a diagram of your future house from the side and bottom. This will help you determine what the walls will be near the house, what will be its base..
2. Calculate, at least approximately, how many children will be in the house at the same time.
3. Will there be any furniture and how many items.
4. Will there be windows and how much.
5. Next, you need to answer the following questions:
6. Will the house sit around the trunk of a tree or stand on the branches, provided the branches are thick and strong enough? What support will the house have? Spacers fixed to the trunk, or the base of the house will be supported by poles dug into the ground?
7. Consider how the children will enter the house. Usually, several planks are taken and nailed to a tree trunk. But do not overdo it, as too many holes will quickly destroy the wood. You can attach a rope or rope ladder. This method is good for training and strengthening the muscles of the arms and legs. The stairs will be safer. Although it will require some skills and construction experience to build it. A regular ladder will also work..
8. The larger the tree, the larger the house. Don’t build too large a house on a small tree. This is not only a waste of money and time, but most importantly, it is very dangerous for your children..
9. Even on the ground, use pegs and twine to determine the area of ​​the house. On site, you can determine its dimensions and, if necessary, adjust them.
10. Pay attention to the structure of the roof. It is advisable to make it streamlined so that snow does not accumulate on it, so that the house can withstand strong winds. It will be unpleasant if the house collapses a few days after construction, and all your efforts go to waste.
11. Think about how the children will get into the house, where there will be stairs, maybe there will be some kind of ropes or pipes for quick descent. The more funny details you have at home, the more fun your children will be..

How the base of the house is made: beams (1) are attached to two load-bearing supports (2), on which the floor is laid (3).

Usually, the floor support of the house is attached to the tree 30 cm below the level where the floor will be located. Then the cross beams are installed as in the photo below..

To ensure complete safety and stability of the house, diagonal supports can be made.

House construction

The construction of a house begins with the base and floor. Once the floor is installed, you can move on to the house itself. Everything else will go easy. The house itself can be partially built on the ground and then erected on the foundation. Or the whole house can be built on a tree at once. It’s just your choice.

When building the base of a house, it is recommended to leave a gap between the base and the trunk of the tree. This space will allow the tree to grow quietly further..

Try not to peel the wood whenever possible. Having lost the bark, the tree will die very soon, and your house will have every chance of collapse..

The walls of the house are often assembled on the ground and then attached to the floor with screws and screws. Then, if you want to change something in the house, for example, expand it, the walls can be unscrewed.

House plan

This sample of a children’s house can be considered as a basic version that can be rebuilt according to your desire, taste and capabilities. For example, you can replace a railing with walls with doors and windows and build a roof. Even the house itself can be raised higher if you have large children, by using longer floor supports, or you can nail the floor platform to the tree at a higher level.

This plan is only a general guide to building a house, since this particular plan is drawn up for a specific house and tree. This house is designed for small children: a ladder with low steps will be safe for children, if the house is intended for older children, the steps can be replaced with a rope ladder or ropes.

Below is an approximate plan for the construction of a house, which can be changed depending on the tree available for construction.

Figure 1. Top view

Figure 2. Side view

	Chip off the beams that will serve as the base for the platform of the house around the tree.
	Install temporary supports for the base beams to the required height. Any wooden posts can be used by stapling them to the beams. Then secure the structure with a rope around the tree. Make sure the beams are flush.
	Dig holes to the desired depth, approximately 30cm x 30cm x 60cm at each angle. Select the uprights so that the top end of the upright is flush with the base beams. Secure the posts and base with staples, make sure the structure is stable.
	Make a cement mixture: in the proportion of three parts of pebble, two parts of sand and one part of cement, add water and stir thoroughly. Gently pour the mixture into the holes dug in the ground until about 7-8 cm below the top of the hole.
	Once the cement has set, bolt the base and uprights together. Then you can remove the temporary supports.
	Insert and secure the intermediate beams. To make the floorboards fit closer to the trunk and branches of the tree, nail the trims of the boards onto the beams around the branches or trunk, they will serve as support for the floor.
	The next step is to make a ladder for the house. But before that, it is necessary to design the landing. Connect the landing beams to the main platform using galvanized metal fasteners.
	Begin laying the floorboards by nailing the first plank, making sure that the plank is level with the first plank of the platform.
	After covering the entire floor, you can, if desired, install a slide.
	Make a template that can be used to mark the steps on the future staircase. Take a piece of cardboard and cut out a rectangular triangle with sides approximately 30 cm x 20 cm. Place both bowstrings of the future ladder on two supports. Attach the piece with the longest side to one of the ends of the string and circle. Repeat this step five more times on each string. Make sure the pattern on both bowstrings is symmetrical.
	To draw the location of the steps, use an unnecessary piece of timber about 60 cm long and thick corresponding to the thickness of the steps. Place the bar on the string as shown in the photo below and draw lines on both sides of the bar. You will get the place where the step is attached.
	Next, you should adjust both bowstrings to the height of the stairs. Place them on the landing and check their symmetry and stability.
	Replace both bowstrings on the supports. Use a circular saw to make cuts in the marked places where the steps will be attached.
	Use a hammer and chisel to remove the sawn wood. Remember, the more cuts you make, the easier it will be to clean out the remaining wood and prepare the notch for the degree..
	Insert the front of the step into the prepared slots. The step consists of two parts, each 15cm wide and 5cm thick. Secure the steps with nails or self-tapping screws.
	Nail the second bowstring. Then install the second half of the steps and drive it in until there is a distance of about 1 cm between the first and second halves. Secure the steps with nails or self-tapping screws.
	Install the ladder and nail it to the landing. Dig holes under both bowstrings, fill with cement mixture and secure the ladder with cement. A variant of another ladder is possible, which is easier to manufacture. You can also use it as part of one of the walls of the house..
	Prepare the necessary material for the handrail: handrail posts, handrails of suitable material. Place the handrails of the desired length on the edge of the platform of the house. Determine the locations of the future handrail posts and mark them with a pencil on the handrail and on the platform itself. Distance between posts no more than 10cm. Place handrails and uprights on a flat work surface. Carefully screw or nail the uprights to the handrails at the marked locations. It is recommended to nail one of the nails in the center, and the other two along the edges of the posts at an angle. Fasten the finished railing to the platform. Nail the railing at the locations marked on the platform in the same way.
	Place two posts on either side of the slide. To fix the pillars, cement is not required, it is enough to dig them into the ground by about 50 cm and tamp the holes around the pillars. Adjust the height of the posts and secure them with a horizontal bar.
	The next step is to make a handrail for the stairs.. It is recommended to nail the handrail posts to the handrail at a distance of 6-7 cm from the top edge of the handrail so that your fingers do not touch the posts when sliding your hand over the handrail.
	If desired, as well as in the presence of suitable materials, you can make a swing. The swing can be attached to a suitable bar. To do this, the crossbar is fastened either with one end between strong branches of the tree, or two racks are made on which the crossbar is fixed. Place the crossbar at a height of approximately 2.5 m from the ground. Be sure to fix the swing posts with cement mortar. The swing posts can be made in the shape of the letter A. Use a crossbar to temporarily secure both posts to maintain the shape of A. When the posts are ready, dig two holes 60 cm deep and 2 m between the holes to install and secure the posts. Install the racks in the pits, fix and fill carefully with cement mortar, without adding about 7-8 cm to the edge of the pit. The temporary crossbar can be removed after the posts have been installed and cemented.
	After the cement has set, place the crossbar on which the swing will hang on the posts. Secure it with nails and metal plates. Then you can hang the swing.