Building the Ultimate TreeHouse...

[project240]

... within a reasonable budget.

Within the next couple of weeks I'm going to begin building a treehouse for our kids in the backyard. I'm looking for places locally or online to buy materials as well as ideas for what to include in the structure. I've got a budget of approx $1000, but this amount doesn't include the cost of lumber, which I already have.

I already have a site picked out, which includes 4 trees in a rectangle shape spaced about 7 ft and 3 ft apart.

Some things I plan to include are a rock climbing wall (where to buy grips??) wave or regular slide 10-12ft (again, where to buy?), swinging rope, rope ladder w/access to a trap door, maybe monkey bars or rings...

I also have dreams to include a zipline for the "older" kids to use as well, but not sure if this will fit the budget or not yet.

Anything else I'm missing that is a must to be included in a project like this?

BTW, we live out of the city, so size/space isn't an issue.

[garnet]

you can find kids playhouse kits, at places like totem, for not much $, and they have swings, slides, etc included

take that kit and adapt it for place you want it located

for a climbing wall, try a wall boarded (think fence set near vertical) and cut out random holes (cut to hand+foot size, then round out for smooth edges)

[ExtraSlow]

MEC sells rock climbing holds.

[project240]

Originally posted by garnet
you can find kids playhouse kits, at places like totem, for not much $, and they have swings, slides, etc included

take that kit and adapt it for place you want it located

for a climbing wall, try a wall boarded (think fence set near vertical) and cut out random holes (cut to hand+foot size, then round out for smooth edges)

Yeah, I've already thought about buying a kit, but the problem is the slides that come with the kit is made for a 6ft platform and the treehouse will be double that. Same thing goes for swings, walls, etc...

[mr2mike]

When I was a kid my dad made us a treehouse. For the slide, he bought a length of plastic pipe. Something like 30" diameter. Carefully cut it in half, sanded the burrs off the edges and built a support system out of wood to support it. It was a good 12 meter slide and was bad ass. But no bumps or curl to it.
I can get more details if you're interested, maybe a pic too.

[sevewone]

Originally posted by mr2mike
When I was a kid my dad made us a treehouse. For the slide, he bought a length of plastic pipe. Something like 30" diameter. Carefully cut it in half, sanded the burrs off the edges and built a support system out of wood to support it. It was a good 12 meter slide and was bad ass. But no bumps or curl to it.
I can get more details if you're interested, maybe a pic too.

Yeah I have seen that to, that pipes the best as well because it comes in like 30 foot lengths.

[project240]

Originally posted by mr2mike
When I was a kid my dad made us a treehouse. For the slide, he bought a length of plastic pipe. Something like 30" diameter. Carefully cut it in half, sanded the burrs off the edges and built a support system out of wood to support it. It was a good 12 meter slide and was bad ass. But no bumps or curl to it.
I can get more details if you're interested, maybe a pic too.

I'd love to see a picture if you can find one. I think that would probably work alright.


Any idea where he bought the pipe from?

[garnet]

true, if you want the slide from that height

the tube idea is cool...you could look into the fiberglass pipe used for utilties lines, it'd be big enough around, and might be able to purchase locally? :dunno:

you could buy a kit, use longer ropes for the swing seats, and kijiji the slide part...or maybe can get one without the slide


Originally posted by project240
Yeah, I've already thought about buying a kit, but the problem is the slides that come with the kit is made for a 6ft platform and the treehouse will be double that. Same thing goes for swings, walls, etc...

[TomcoPDR]

Don't forget a fireman pole. Then board up the floor opening when he turns into a teenager, you'll be able to keep the great-dad award everytime he bring chicks to the treehouse.

[Guillermo]

i'm sure you've thought of this, but you should try and design it so as to minimize the damage to the trees. would suck to have them looking really ugly or falling over in a few decades

http://www.thetreehouseguide.com/treedamage.htm

[Jlude]

A friend designed this, his firm is out of San Diego - Software used is Tekla Structures.


izwbKoaloMo&feature=player_embedded

[mr2mike]

Ok I talked to my dad. He can't remember the company he bought the pipe from but it was a company in the SE that sold Polyethlene pipe. It was an odd size, something like 22" diameter so they couldn't sell it, he got it for cheap but needed to take the whole length. I think he said it was something like 30 feet long originally. He cut it roughly out in the yard and hauled the now 2 pieces back in the truck.
Said it was easy to work with (cut really easy) but it was really heavy walled so it was heavy.

Call some places and see what they have, might luck out too with some scraps.

Cut it in half so it was like a halfpipe. For the frame to house it, he drilled into the sides near the edges and carriage bolted 2x4's to the sides. It was then anchored up at the tree house and then down at the ground level.

The cons of the whole thing were (from experience). The pipe was black in color so it would get hot in the summer sun. It wouldn't burn you but it was hot in shorts. Over the years the pipe warped inwards so it would squish the sides of the fat kids.
Putting 2x4's on edge and lagging through that way may reduce the tenancy of the pipe to collapse over time and warp.

There is little chance the pipe would sag in the bottom or anything like that so no worries there. I will still try to find a picture this weekend at my parent's place.

He also said, go too long of a slide and there's more chance of injury from hitting the bottom. It was build quite high off the ground he admits so he could get the tractor under there to mow. Might want to keep that in mind too, you said you're on an acreage too. Then he could also use the trimmer around the trees without hitting his head or ducking down to do so.

The rest of the pipe is at Butterfield Acres, they built them into a hill and the kids slide down them that way. Not sure if they're still there but probably.

[project240]

Finally some pictures...

I finished "phase 1" about 5 weeks ago and kept forgetting to take pictures. I've already got plans for "phase 2" next spring which will include a suspension bridge, climbing wall and an 80 ft zipline.

The 2nd level is about 120sq ft, 13 ft off the ground and 1st level about 5 ft.

The project took me way longer than expected, part of the reason being that I spent a lot of time painting everything as well as working alone posed a few challenges especially with the 2nd level main support 2x12x12s.

My main concern was safety, so everything is fastened probably way more then needed and we weight tested it to about 1500lbs with no issues.

Any questions, fire away.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/project240/Oct14StoveTreehouse022.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/project240/Oct14StoveTreehouse025.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/project240/Oct14StoveTreehouse023.jpg

[kvg]

Giant sling shot or a potato gun!! and enclose part of it for cold weather.

[JordanLotoski]

Zip-line!!

[Amysicle]

For some unknown reason, I had initially read the first post as "... doesn't include the cost of a plumber..." and thinking DAMN that's some fancy treehouse!

+1 for having part of it enclosed for colder weather.

[project240]

Originally posted by Amysicle

+1 for having part of it enclosed for colder weather.


I do plan to, but had limited time this year and railings were much easier to put together quickly. I think next year I'm going to build about an 80 sqft "house, insulate it and put in a bunk bed on the top level.

I'd also like to find a fireman's pole, but I need one that is about 15 ft tall and I haven't seen anything over 10ft.

[C_Dave45]

Holy shit, Harlan, that's awesome!!!! I want to live out there! Love the back yard. Next Poker/BBQ party is at your place! ;)

[project240]

Originally posted by C_Dave45
Holy shit, Harlan, that's awesome!!!! I want to live out there! Love the back yard. Next Poker/BBQ party is at your place! ;)


Haha. Thanks. Still got my number? Next time you're out this way give us a call and stop in for a beer.

[HiSpec]

here are couple ideas...

1) if you are building an enclosure, have a mini- skydome/skylight so you'll have some natural lighting... but yet you can slide a shade over it from the inside if it gets too sunny.

2) put in a telescope!!! since you are out in the acreage, you won't get any light pollution from the city.

[Porsche_55]

Looks great. How about a draw bridge going to a tower that also has a zip line going to it.

[freshprince1]

Do I see a Solar Panel there?

[project240]

Originally posted by Porsche_55
Looks great. How about a draw bridge going to a tower that also has a zip line going to it.


That's sort of the plan for next spring, except I'm building a cable suspension bridge over to a small platform, which will be the launch point for our 80-85 ft zipline.


Originally posted by freshprince1
Do I see a Solar Panel there?


Yes. It just runs a floodlight. Nothing crazy yet.