Having three sons is no easy task. Little boys are known for being rambunctious and wild. It's very important to keep them occupied so they don't wreak havoc on the house.
It can be absolutely exhausting — but it can also be ridiculously rewarding.
Little kids are easily-excited, so when you surprise them with something incredible, they give you the exact reaction you want.
After one couple had three sons in six years, they know they needed to give them something to keep them occupied. But in addition to keeping their sons entertained, they wanted to give them something that would let their imaginations run wild, and a way for them to get their energy out.
The answer? A treehouse!
These parents set to work creating a spectacular treehouse for their boys. And the results will blow you away.
Once the project was complete, the dad posted photos of the process on Imgur, a photo sharing site.
He wrote:
My bride and I purchased our home in 2009, shortly after we were married.
We had three sons within six years and that prompted the design and construction of the treehouse ship.
There are two 20-plus-year-old fruitless mulberry trees in the backyard.
These are huge deciduous hardwood trees. In fact I've been told that they are the hardest of hardwoods and ideal for my project.
After a great deal of observations into the tree, I determined the shape of the treehouse.
I also observed the tree in high winds to get an idea of the movement of the main branches and how to anchor the treehouse.
I temporarily put a couple of 16-foot two-by-fours into the tree where the main supports beams would go to get an idea how it would look.
I also used them as a template for taking measurements for the whole foundation.
Last, I determined the three points where the structure would anchor to the tree.
Two of the anchor points would each be on thick vertical branches.
The third anchor point would be on a thick branch that was more horizontal than vertical and thus subject to greater stress from weight…
This is the only blueprint (not to scale) I made to record the main supporting beams' (2 x 12's) length.
The red dots are roughly where they were attached to the tree. The two lengths ran about 16 feet long.
Using the two-by-fours, I took measurements for all the lumber for the foundation, which would consist of 2 x 12’s for the beams or outer frame and 2 x 8’s and 2 x 10’s for the inner joists with the exception of the joist resting on the branch, which was also 2 x 12.
The joist and beam sizes were probably oversized, but I didn't want the structure integrity to be questioned…
After the joists were cut and installed, I took it apart and painted it blue (the blue foundation represents the water with the ship sitting on top).
Then I hung the beams in the tree with tie-downs, leveled it, and started bolting the joists back in.
At this point, I realized that if I removed the branch in the center of the tree I could build a much better access point to the tree house, also known as The Cargo Hold.
Before getting too far I had to install the permanent anchors. This is probably the most critical design consideration of any treehouse.
Once all the baseboards were in place, the next step was putting down some wooden floorboards.
He explained:
Next, wifey painted a bunch of 2 x 6’s and I started laying them down with regular zinc-plated screws.
Standing up at the far end is the triangle where the ship wheel will go. Close to it is a plank that will hold the map table.
Then an access hole with a couple more planks for the ladder.
Before the flooring, I completed two of the little platforms under the treehouse so I could get up and down easier.
The platforms are attached to the treehouse frame, not to the tree itself.
I let the floor planks all hang over the edge, then I cut them after they were all installed so the ends all lined up perfectly.
I didn't like the aesthetics of the flat backend so, during frame installation, I rebuilt the back to extend and come to a point in the center.
With my kids already crawling all over it, we quickly got to work on the railings.
We cut and painted lots of 3-foot 2 x 4's then screwed them onto a 1 x 1 on the bottom and a 2 x 4 rail on the top.
I built one length, then used rope to lift it up the side and screw it into the beam, then repeat for another side.
Notice how I recessed the lag bolts during framing so they wouldn't interfere with the railings.
So far it has been great for the boys and all the neighborhood kids.
With the height, it's great for the planes, parachute men, water gun wars, picnics, campouts, etc.
I do have one more addition that probably won't happen, but I can't help but dream and plan it and keep an eye out for the hardware.
I would really like to build a bridge to the other mulberry tree about 35 feet across and 15 feet up.
In the other tree I would build a crow's nest and a slide down.
The bridge would be a rope or cable bridge like the one at the adventure house at the carnival…
If anyone has any advice in this regard, I'm all ears.
What do you think of this incredible treehouse? Would your kids or grandkids love it?
If you'd love to build an amazing treehouse like this (or just see one), please SHARE this article with your friends!
