Children in particular appreciate the opportunity to retreat to a lofty height. Many adults also enjoy spending a few relaxing hours at lofty heights with a good book. Here we reveal the best way to implement the tree house project in your own garden.
Many children dream of having a tree house in their own garden that serves as both a playground and a retreat. In principle, it is not that difficult to fulfill this wish – the only requirement is that there is a suitable tree in the garden.
Ideally, this should already be fully grown, with a straight trunk and a diameter of at least 20, but preferably 40 centimeters. This means that the tree should not be too young, but also not too old.
If the latter is the case, it could become rotten in a few years. In addition, the tree – beech, oak, lime, maple, ash and chestnut or a strong apple tree are ideal – should be healthy.
Dead branches or cracks can be signs that the tree is missing something. In such cases, a tree expert can clarify whether the tree is really suitable for supporting the weight of the tree house and the children.
Speaking of clarity: Before you get started, take the precaution of asking the relevant building authority whether the construction of the tree house is subject to approval. Ideally, you should also inform the neighbors about the project. After all, you are obliged to protect their privacy. If the neighbor feels disturbed by the tree house, he is in principle entitled to file a complaint with the competent authority.
Reduce stress!
To ensure that the little ones, but possibly also the adults, can enjoy the tree house for many years to come, the tree, which can be compared to the foundation of a house, should be damaged as little as possible.
Therefore, when building a tree house, as few holes as possible should be drilled into the tree and as few branches as possible removed. If you don’t want to use drills, screws and nails at all, you could attach the tree house with steel cables and textile loops instead and thus protect the tree. Buffers made of rubber or other materials also reduce the risk of the tree being injured by pressure or friction.
Another option is to support at least part of the tree house with stilts that rest on the ground.
Spoilt for choice of material
Tree houses can be used for 20 years or more. To keep them in good condition for as long as possible, you should choose durable wood, especially for the load-bearing parts. Larch. Pine and Douglas fir are popular materials, but spruce is also a popular choice. You can also extend the lifespan with constructive measures such as an overhanging roof that protects the wood from driving rain and good wood protection.
What does it cost?
Building a tree house is like building any other house: how much you actually need to budget for it depends on the size, materials and fittings on the one hand, and on whether the project is a do-it-yourself project or one carried out by a professional on the other. In other words, if you only need to buy materials, you’re probably looking at a few hundred euros.
Safety first
Safety is the top priority when planning and building the retreat at lofty heights. This includes not only the selection of a suitable tree, but also a safe and stable construction. To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a fall, the platform should not be higher than about two meters above the ground. For safety, you can cushion the ground underneath with bark mulch, sand or mats. In addition, the platform should be secured with a sturdy railing about 75 centimeters high. This is also recommended for ladders or stairs leading to the tree house. Incidentally, there should be no more than ten centimeters between the struts of the railings to prevent children from sticking their heads through.
Tips and instructions
If you want to realize the project on your own and are perhaps not so talented with your hands, don’t despair. In his book “Small tree houses and huts”, for example, he shows David Stiles by means of photos and detailed step-by-step drawings of various tree house constructions and how they can be realized. You can also find numerous instructions on YouTube.
Find alternatives
If you can’t find a suitable tree, or if you don’t have the manual skills, there is always the option of fulfilling your little ones’ dream of having their own four walls in the garden with a playhouse.
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