Treeless Tree House.pdf

Page 1

Right about now your saying,

What do you mean TREELESS

I see a tree in that picture!"

You sure do...but let's face it,

how many of us have the

perfect tree in our back yard at

the spot we want to build a

children's playhouse?

That's right... so we are going to

build a tree house on a tree we

will place exactly where we

want it to be. A second

benefit to this approach is that

the woman in our life will

probably have something to say

if this project isn't "beautiful".

We're going to make sure it's

beautiful and enhances your

back yard.

Because we normally don't have the perfect tree in

the perfect location, we will use a substitute "tree".

The tree we'll use will be a pole similar to a small

telephone pole. You can purchase these at lumber

yards (out in the country), or farm supply stores. For

a 20' pole the cost is approximately $50.00.

Step 1 : Locate the spot. Now

the interesting part.... using a

posthole digger, excavate a

hole at least 4 feet deep by 16-

18" in diameter. (Dig to 5' deep

if possible)

The pole should be pressure treated and will be 20'

long and approximately 8" in diameter.

Tip: Once your hole is about 3 ft

deep, add 6 ft long 2x2 lumber

to the posthole digger handles

as extenders. Extenders can be

taped on or fastened with

stainless steel hose clamps so

the handle and extender are

tight together.

Step 3: Mix and fill with bagged concrete for 18". Fill

middle layer with dirt until 18" from top of hole and

tamp tightly. Finish last layer with concrete mix to

ground level. Cure for 2 days or longer.

Step 2: Place 20 ft pole in

centre of 5 ft deep hole and

brace with 4 - 12' long 2x4

braces at 45-degree angle. Nail

one end of 2x4 brace to pole

dth dt242t tk

and other end to 2x4x2 ft. stake

driven into ground 8 ft out from

pole. Plumb and brace pole to

be perpendicular to the ground.

Step 4: Measure down from the top

of the pole 24" and make a mark.

Measure down from that mark 70"

and make another mark. This second

mark is the bottom of your platform

(floor joists). This is your starting

point.

Step 5: Use 2x8 pressure treated

SYP lumber for the platform. Start

with boards "A" and "B" (90"

long) and install them on the pole on

the lower mark as described earlier.

Nail them in place with 2 16d

galvanized nails. Level these 2

joists. Install 2 - 1/2" x 6" galv. lag

bolts into centre line of wooden pole.

(Each 2x8 will have 2 bolts)

Step 6: Measure, cut and install 2

small 2x8 joists (E & F), to wrap

around the pole. Lag bolt into pole

with 2 - 1/2" x 6" galv. bolts similar to

step 5. Also Lag bolt through side of

joists "A" and "B" into ends of "E & F"

with 3/8" x 5" galv. lag bolts.

Step 7 : Cut 2x8 band boards "C" and "D" 93" long

and install on ends of joists "A" and "B" as shown.

Bolt with lag bolts as previous joints were bolted. (2

lag bolts in each joint) Finish the outside frame of the

platform by installing 2 - 2x8 joists (90" long) between

"C" and "D".

Step 8: Measure, cut and install remaining floor

joists (90" long). Use either lag bolts or joist hangers

to secure the ends of the joists to the band board.

Step 9: Measure, cut and install second band board

around complete perimeter of platform. Fasten with

nails every 16". Lag bolt only at corners. This

outside band board will be 2x10 material. Fasten

flush at top...overhang bottom.

All Lag Bolts will use washers

Step 10: Install diagonal corner braces down to

main pole as shown in drawing. These braces

are made from pressure treated 4x6 landscaping

timbers. The diagonal braces will meet the pole

at approximately 4 ft down from the bottom of

the platform. Measure to determine exact length

and angle cut needed. (It will be very close to a

45 degree angle)

Step 11: The diagonal braces will be

lag bolted to the centre pole with 2 -

1/2" x 8" lag bolts and washers in

each end of each leg . The drawing

below shows how the brace is cut and

bolted to the bottom of the platform.

Step 12: Install 1/2" (or 5/8") pressure treated

plywood to top of platform for flooring.

Step 13: Time to build the

playhouse on top of the

platform.

From here on our project is

just an example. You can

have the playhouse portion be

anything you desire. Enclose

or partially enclose your

structure to suit your family

needs.

Our project uses 2x8 corner

boards nailed into a right angle

as shown. (Location "A")

These will be 5'6" long, and

will sit on top of the plywood

floor in the corner as

shown. Secure to platform by

toenailing with 16d nails, then

3" angle brackets.

Step 14: Once all 4-corner boards are secured in place, measure, cut and install 2x8 headers (board

"B"). (Temporarily nail in place) Secure each corner using a 3/8" x 4" carriage bolts, with 2 bolts in

each end of each header. Diagonal brace "C" is a 2x4x36" secured with nails in location shown.

Step 15: The railing will need to have pickets with spacing no greater than 3 1/2" (unlike pictured

railing) Make railing 36" high, with a top rail made from a 2x6x8'.

Step 16 : The roof will be framed as a standard hip roof with the 4 corner hip rafters resting on the

top of the pole. You will need to cut a small "birds mouth" cut at the top of these 4 rafters in order

for the hip rafters to rest securely on the top of the pole. Down at the "gutter line", every rafter will

be mitre cut and nailed to the inside of the header (B).... so that the top of each rafter is flush with

the top of header (B).

the top of header (B).

Note: If you are not familiar with how to make hip rafter cuts, secure a book on framing at the local

library or home centre. Subject: Carpentry. (Framing techniques or practices)

Step 17: Make a safe ladder for your new playhouse. Use a 2x4 and dado in a 1 1/2" groove

approximately 3/8" deep (at15 degrees off perpendicular angle). Step spacing is 12". Use a 2x4 (or

2x6) for step tread.

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