October 2009 — Top notch

Under the revised schedule requested by our clients, the goal was to get all the first- and second-story walls framed, sided and trimmed before the leaves began to fall. That way, we can bundle up the parts for the winter, spend the odd warm winter day with some random platform prep work, and be ready to raise and gasp come the spring bloom.

The good news is, we finished strong and ahead of all deadlines. We even beat the first snow, which can come to the Finger Lakes region of New York stunningly early.

The 8-by-10-foot second story was preassembled in the shop for raising next spring. The southern yellow pine floor shows off its distinctive hues in the fall sunlight.

Work during recent visits to the site and the shop has concentrated on the second story floor and walls. The first floor is complete, and is already drawing visitors to the site who are coming to see what’s going up. Fit and finish looks good, so we hoped to carry that on to this last stage of the year.

Judging from the finished products, we’re on a bit of a roll.

The first step was the second floor itself. Only the sleeping loft area will have an upper floor, and the 8-by-10-foot room will cover a slightly smaller space on the first floor. We decided to go with the more rustic feel of exposed joists on the underside of the floor. On top of that we’ll add a 1-inch tongue-and-groove pine floor, with only one side beveled. From the top, the floor looks like a solid mass of smooth yellow pine, perfect for shuffling along in your slippers after a nice dream-filled nap. From the underside, the floor, or rather the ceiling, has exposed Douoglas fir 4-by-4 joists and perpendicular grooves that offer a wonderfully mellow warmth. Leaving the rafters exposed also adds another 3 1/2 inches for the eyes to see upward, which helps make a small space feel more generous.

The Douglas fir joists and the southern yellow pine floor boards make a nice fit, both in structure and to the eye.

Of course, as my brother Rich would say, this thing is going to need a lot of thought to lift into the tree. Thank heaven for a good block-and-tackle rig.

The upper walls themselves are similar to the lower walls, only shorter. All except for the two gable ends, which break out of our box-of-rectangles pattern and rise to the distinctive triangular peaks that visitors from the pond and bridge sides of the treehouse will see first.

Here, the design and material choices made all along the process really paid off. From the start, Katie and Colleen said they wanted to go with the “house in a tree” style of treehouse, as opposed to more eccentric designs that range from small Epcot-esque spheres in the air to pirate ships sailing among the branches. We do them all, of course, and there’s joy in every one. But this time, the budding writers wanted their own house in the trees, so we drew it up, scouted around for colors and textures they liked, and hoped it would look like it did in our imagination.

And it did.

With the upper floor walls complete -- including these two gables ends -- work on the Ithaca treehouse moves into the shop for the winter. Come spring, it's game time as all our work heads up into the tree.

Once the gable ends came together, with the deep rake overhang above and the long tail on one side to cover the front porch, everyone knew the months of planning and choices were going to come together just right. The oil-finished beveled siding carries just enough natural cedar orange and yellow to play pefectly off the deep blue trim, and there’s just enough of that to define all the shapes and angles. Corner trim, of course, won’t go on until the walls are raised and assembled — we need access to those corners to tie it all together — but the interplay of shapes and colors is clearly right on the money.

While the walls wait by the platform they’ll soon fill, the winter months will be filled with shop work for the Ithaca project. There are three doors (one of which is a double-door) and 11 windows of varying sizes to make. Porch posts, rails and infill also will be prepped, and the design for the small platform in the second tree — from which the bridge to the treehouse platform will begin — will be finalized. Once the ice thaws, the second platform and the rails will be put in place. Shortly after the first bloom on our willows, the walls will be raised and the treehouse assembled. Install those windows and doors, cap it off with a roof and string that cable bridge, and this project will be ready for occupancy and imagination.

Can’t wait until spring.

August 2009 — Size up

We’re making progress at the Ithaca treehouse site, ahead of our revised schedule for building and finishing the first- and second-story walls before the leaves change.

With a jump ahead of the building schedule, we decided to assemble the first-floor walls on the ground to test fit and finish. Soon, they'll be hoisted and assembled again atop the platform in the black willow at rear.

A tip of the cap here has to go to my brother, Rich, a lawyer and high school social studies teacher who decided to spend the summer in my area, volunteering as a part of my crew. The old boy (10 years my senior, the rules of fraternal misbehavior require that I note) has grown pretty adept at sinking spiral shank nails. He also provides more than a few moments of comic relief as I watch him try to think of a way to avoid getting on the other end of a heavy wall and hoisting it. All in all, though, he’s not a bad crew member, for a lawyer, and it was good to have a hand on a few sites this summer.

In Ithaca, getting ahead of schedule allowed us a luxury — we decided to piece together the first floor on the ground as a test of the work we’ve been doing. That also gave the future occupants, Colleen and Katie, a chance to get a sense for the space and to mull over interior finish details before the saws start spinning on those in the spring. Strapping those walls together also allows for some field measurements of the structure, which can inform any alterations in the second-floor plan that might be necessary.

Doing a test raising also is a great cause for smiles. Up until now, it’s all been drawings on paper, pixels on a screen or colorful parts stored in the garage. With this, the treehouse for the first time takes shape and shows off its three dimensions. It’s one thing to decide where the door will go, it’s another to walk through it. Feeling what was once just thought is always one of my favorite things about any project.

A view from the platform shows the clean lines and crisp corners of the structure's first floor.

The good news: In spite of some over analysis by Rich, all the pieces went together like they were meant to — and they were, so it all makes sense. Corners were even, square and tight. Trim lined up perfectly. Heights were what we had imagined and sightlines look great. The universal consensus was we’re headed in the right direction, and this is going to be one great place to dream among the branches.

We’ll leave the first floor assembled for a few weeks. My clamps can take a little rain, and the time will allow its future inhabitants a chance to get a feel for the space, and let me know what they might want once we move to the interior.

For me and Peacemaker Treehouses volunteer extraordinaire Rich, it’s on to the second floor, building the floor for the sleeping loft itself and the walls that will close it in — and cap this wonderful treehoouse.

June 2009 — Sun and siding

With most of the family off site for some much needed summer escape, it was a good time to string up the yellow “contruction site: caution” tape and roll a few saws out near my favorite willow tree. In spite of the Finger Lakes Region’s reputation for finicky and damp early summers, June this year was wonderful.

With the modified construction schedule now in place, the primary focus of this season’s work will be pre-assembling all the walls that make up the Ithaca treehouse.

That, of course, can present a few challenges.

With summer sunshine keeping spirits high and minds sharp, the first-floor walls start taking on their half-inch plywood skin.

Framing, siding and trimming walls at any site will burn a few calories and strain a speed square or two — but doing all that on walls as separate pieces with enough precision that you can assemble the parts while you and they hang from ropes in a tree, now that’s throwing the gauntlet down for a builder. Pulling this stage off, and with some style, is one of the things that makes treehouse construction such a blast.

Precise design work is the foundation of the effort, and then lots of field checking and needed modifications as a very careful building process begins. With the two processes integrated — which is, after all, the heart of the design/build approach — it’s amazing how well the flexibility inherent in this system lets it all work.

After careful planning and framing, a system emerges -- combine the plywood-skinned walls (upper left) with the prepainted trim (top center) and precoated bevel siding (upper right), and finished walls start to make the leap from notion to reality.

The frames for all of the first-floor walls, 10 in all, were built last fall in the shop and carted to the site for storage. This year, all those walls will need a plywood skin, a must to build the needed shear strength into the structure, then each gets a water barrier attached before prepainted siding and trim are applied. The trick here is always windows, doors and corners; making sure all the measurement and the execution of them works so it all lines up down the road when final assembly rolls around.

Once the first-floor walls are ready for prime time, the second-story floor will be built (which doubles as the first-floor ceiling) and the four main second-story walls will be constructed, skinned up and finished. Since the second floor only covers a portion of the treehouse, there’s less work and material in that step of the project. Still, since the main gable ends are part of the second floor, it won’t be until they’re staring back at us that it will feel like we’ve actually built a house.

So off we go.

April 2009 — Dawn is a feeling

With the arrival of spring, came the return to work on the Ithaca treehouse site. After a winter spent traveling the woods and mountains of New York’s north country, it was good to see buds on the willow and my friends in the rolling hills of the Finger Lakes region.

With the return of warm air and sunshine to Central New York, the willow tree and work on the Ithaca treehouse gets going once more.

At the family’s request, we altered the original construction timetable to push completion back to spring 2010. Like a lot of folks, the family at the Ithaca site needed to shift its attention to other demands for a while, and we were happy to work with them and rework the schedule for one of my favorite projects.

Still, in between time on a few other projects this year for confidential clients, I plan to get back to Ithaca and push this effort forward. With some careful planning, we should have all the walls done and ready to raise by season’s end. This way, once the winter breaks in March 2010, we won’t be far away from ol’ block-and-tackle time.

Of course, the only danger is the extra time will give me some room to come up with a few new ideas for this project. I’ve been thinking at least one skylight, and maybe solar power …

March 18, 2009 — Inspection reunion

Well, little darling, it was a long, cold winter in the Northeast. Record cold. Record snow. Broken record

But spring is here at last. The sap is running, the goldfinches are starting to turn gold and my Newfoundland has rediscovered that ponds are for swimming. There are few joys that equal the rush of spring.

As part of the support package that comes along with all Peacemaker treehouses, I took a ride to see an old friend today — the Bond’s pirate ship treehouse — to give it a thorough once-over during its annual inspection.

With the leaves off during the mid-March annual inspection, the Bond's pirate ship treehouse can be seen from stem to stern. In a few weeks, it will all but dissappear in the maple tree's fresh canopy.

Old treehouse project partner Ed Bond met me in the driveway and led me around to the back of his house, telling me tales of taking video when the treehouse was snow-covered and how his son Jack has cemented plans for a slide to be attached outside the emergency exit he asked me to add at the end of the project last summer.

The conversation stalled, however, when we turned the corner and hit the yard. Our host tree, a 50-70 year old Norway maple, has a large and dense crown. It’s part of what made the pirate ship treehouse experience so wonderful — from the deck 10 feet up in the canopy it’s hard to see the horizon, so it’s easy to get lost in the motion of the leaves and imagine yourself at sea. Since most of the construction took place last year after the leaves had burst out and enclosed the site, the late-winter visitor is treated to views never before seen.

Viewed as a whole from across the yard off the bow, a sight only possible after the snow melts and before the spring bloom, the Serpent Slayer seems for the first time as intimidating as its name.

The whole treehouse is visible now, from stem to stern, offering a brand new perspective on Jack Bond’s “Serpent Slayer.” The most intriguing vantage point is about 50 yards off the bow, where a full head-on view of the tree-borne pirate ship triggers outright intimidation. We modeled the Serpent Slayer on the lines and dimensions of real and model pirate ships, part of an effort to include enough authenticity to make an 8-year-old proud, but this was the first time we realized that menacing prepare-to-be-boarded feel had come through in translation as well.

Neat stuff, and a treat that will become an annual rite. Sometime between the snowmelt and the spring bloom, neighbors and passers-by will do more than a few doubletakes in this corner of New York’s Southern Tier.

As for the inspection itself, it’s an annual Peacemaker Treehouses ritual. With notebook and camera in hand, I go over the entire project from top to bottom. All connections, materials, supports, finishes, every odd detail is given the once-over — from the bolts that anchor the main ledger to the tree to the flexible collar that lets one trunk pass through the roof without a drop falling on the pirates inside

The Serpent Slayer passed its first winter with hardly a scratch. Measurements showed no change in height at base or bow. Tree connections look strong, with the tree showing no evidence of rot or sap loss and plenty of evidence that the healthy trunks are beginning to develop reaction wood — a natural step that will further strengthen the treehouse support. Moving parts still move with ease, painted and stained finishes look clean and bright. Aside from a good sweeping, and a repair to one solar light that seemed to have caught the business end of some falling ice, this ship is ready to sail into its first full season.

It was good to see Ed and the Serpent Slayer again. I’ll be back later this year to help Ed install that slide Jack has been demanding, then I’ll see them all every March hence as we all — Ed, Jack, the Serpent Slayer and me — age with grace and add some new stories to tell.

Oct. 21 – Moving along

With the weather getting a little frightful as autumn settles in over central New York, work has moved into the shop. Right now, it’s all about walls.

No matter the weather, wall construction moves forward in the shop. Eleven walls for the Ithaca treehouse will be assembled on the ground, then raised in a single day to offer a first glimpse of the treehouse to come.

Perhaps after only the design and construction of a custom treehouse platform, it is the walls that separate the treehouse from other structures for the builder. Although advances in Garnier Limbs have eased some of the trade’s early obsession with weight, treehouse builders are still always mindful of the mass they’re asking the host to handle. Where sound design allows, the structure is lightened. Most treehouses are far smaller than conventional ground structures, and only the rare treehouse sports plumbing and HVAC systems, a kitchen range or a bathtub. That means materials and construction can alter to save weight, while keeping more than adequate strength for the purposes at hand.

While the past decade or so of professional treehouse construction experience has shown weight is not nearly the bogeyman once feared, the same time has made clear that shear and uplift forces – those wind-induced lateral shoves and surprising pickups – are definitely something to be respected. On the ground, one and two story houses generally benefit from their position. Stronger winds tend to be above the ground, where small changes in surface height and dense foliage can’t slow things down. Just think about how many times you hear the wind in the treetops, but feel only a light breeze on your face. Also, with a house sealed to a continuous foundation, there’s no place for the wind to sneak under and try to lift a structure’s metaphoric dress.

With painted trim drying under an autumn sun, future treehouse keepers Colleen and Katie enjoy lunch at pondside.

Put your house 10, 15 or more feet in the air, with it’s slip exposed, and those rules change.

Well designed and built treehouses take this into consideration. Builders, engineers and arborists work together to make sure the foundation and the tree can handle any brief shifts that can come when the wind pushes things around. Although it was typically skipped when the modern treehouse construction movement began in the 1990s, most professional builders now incorporate a plywood sub-layer beneath whatever exterior surface the treehouse will have. Plywood adds a little weight, but it brings with it a wonderful multi-directional strength that reinforces walls and helps them handle even severe shear. Builder and engineer also work to make top rails, blocking, corner posts, and special strapping combine so all those shear and uplift forces are collected neatly and sent back down to that carefully constructed foundation. Good design even takes the roofline into consideration, offering a low edge and gentle rise to the side that sees the biggest blasts of weather. Like the tree itself, treehouses are designed to be light enough to shed stress, but strong enough to resist any force that wants to toss it out of the way

Few things tickle the heart of a builder more than the sight and scent of newly delivered materials. Here, southern yellow pine trim and beveled siding, as well as Douglas fir studs, stand ready to become part of the walls and part of the dream.

Standard 2×4 studs are used in most treehouse walls – bigger than the 2×2s or 2×3s you’ll see in most treehouses built a decade ago – but special attention is paid to the corners and how blocking helps tie them together to work as a unit. In most places, heavy screws are used to attach members rather than standard nails, and those joints are often reinforced with special connecters designed for hurricane and earthquake zones. It’s a little more expensive, but it helps make sure no connections come undone after years of gently rocking in the treetops. That plywood skin will lock it all together, and help the walls remain stiff even though treehouses typically have more windows per foot than most ground houses; after all, you didn’t build in a tree just to be shut out from the view.

All of that trade experience is reflected in the walls. It’s a set of details few would notice, and no one will see once treehouse is finished, but everyone will appreciate for years to come.
And it’s all coming together now in Ithaca.
Once the walls are assembled, and as much siding and trim as possible is attached, the pieces will be raised to the platform and tied together. To most observers, it will look like we built a treehouse in a day. But you and I know, there’s a lot of thought and hard work that go into making things look this easy.

Oct. 3, 2008 — Setting sail

It’s good to see an old friend doing well.

That’s how it felt last Friday, when I stopped by the Bond home in Horseheads, N.Y. for the “Christening” of their pirate ship in a tree. With upstate classic fare — cold beer, wings and sheet pizza — on hand, family and friends of the Bonds gathered to officially kick off the era of The Serpent Slayer. After a few energetic swings of a water balloon on a rope, Capt. Jack finally sent his ship off into the blue.

It is, of course, always good for a designer and builder to see a crowd of people with wide eyes and big smiles. It’s just an added bonus that the Bonds were so much fun to work with, and now it’s clear the fun belongs to them. Go luck to all, and happy sailing.

Sept. 26, 2008 – A little Mystrees

Life is better with a little Mystrees, at least that’s what all the folks I met this weekend seemed to think.

Visitors buzz around Maurice Barkley's backyard treehouse complex in suburban Rochester, N.Y. Maury, as he tells visitors to call him, took years to raise and expand the Mystrees network and took direct aim at creating joy for kids of any age.

Tucked away in the yard of his corner-lot home outside Rochester, N.Y., Maurice Barkley has spent the past eight years making a little magic. One by one, with enough imagination and playfulness to last several lifetimes, Maurice has raised seven “child-sized” treehouses linked through a network of bridges that connects seven different trees.
On this Saturday afternoon, as he does on many such sunny days, Maurice stood at the end of his driveway welcoming visitors. Some where curious. Some were friends of his college-aged granddaughter. Some were “geocachers” who called this their favorite stop on that GPS-driven scavenger hunt. Some were just neighbors stopping by after a chicken barbecue, fascinated by the footsteps that kept going by over their heads. No matter who or how many, Maury, as he insists he be called, never lost his smile.

And who can blame him.

Long aerial paths and rope bridges insure no one confuses a trip through Mystrees with a sidewalk stroll.

All around his house, through mature pines and young maples, Maury has spun whimsy. The entire “Mystrees” complex is geared toward young kids, with each treehouse carrying a theme designed to invoke imagination and play. There’s a miniature church 20 feet or so up some red pines, accessible by two bridges and a spiral staircase. There’s a group of three treehouses, mounted atop posts and wound throughout several tree branches that make hard going for less-than-limber adults, but seemed a popular destination for adult-fleeing younger guests. His newest addition, adjacent to “Chelsea’s Gazebo,” has its own bridge connection and sits so close to his house that I could examine trim details on the gable end.
In one way, all of the treehouses are very simple. Maury uses readily available lumber with light price tags, from plywood to pressure treated southern yellow pine. Attachments are by rope and cable, bolts and screws, all straight from the local hardware store or Maury’s garage

Visitors share stories on a sunny afternoon under the child-sized church treehouse at Maurice Barkley's Mystrees complex outside Rochester, N.Y.

But simplicity of construction in no way requires pedestrian design, and Maury has spent his creative energy lavishly, giving all the structures layers of details from skylights and dumbwaiters to a hidden double door that can only be unlocked by reading clue cards. There’s lots of color, lots of ornamentation, lots of things to look at and touch. It’s impossible to take a quick trip through the network, there’s simply too much to see.

Maury is neither engineer nor arborist. In spite of authoring a book on treehouse construction (Build Your Own Treehouse: A Practical Guide), he offers no airs or pretenses. His Mystrees complex is not a model of high-end design.

It is, however, a towering monument to the spirit that makes treehouses the unique joy they are. Creativity and imagination are on full display, with playfulness and a calm sense of peace and joy the universal result. Anyone wondering what the treehouse feeling is all about can find the answers they need within a few feet of Maury’s back door.

So you want to install a Garnier limb?

Author’s note: For those of you about to try your hand at treehouse construction and setting Garnier limbs, I hope this gives you a good start. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to drop me a note at john@peacemakertreehouses.com. And remember, when doing any project, stay safe.

One of the most common questions I get asked is, “How do you install a Garnier limb?”

My answer always starts with one word:

Carefully.

Garnier limbs are the foundation of the modern treehouse movement, and come in a variety of sizes to address different needs. Make sure you have the right one, and the right tools to go along with it.

The good news is, if you’re taking the time to look this up, you probably already understand that.

You see, the Garnier limb is, quite literally, the foundation of it all. The high-strength special steel bolt developed by treehouse pioneer Michael Garnier and engineer Charley Greenwood is the thing that makes the modern treehouse movement possible. Because of its inherent strength, and the way it works with the inherent strength of the tree, the Garnier limb (commonly called a “GL”) allows for sizable loads to be reliably supported by a wide range of healthy hosts. Properly installed, GLs can safely support a stunning array of treehouse designs while keeping harm to the tree to an absolute minimum.

“Properly installed” being the key phrase in that sentence.

No honest treehouse builder will tell you that what we do causes no injury to the tree. Raising a treehouse means shifting the burden of gravity to a living thing that’s already wrestling with Newton’s favorite force. Setting any connection strong enough to tackle that task means taking a bite out of the tree. What’s important here is that the bite be as gentle as possible, that there be as few of them as possible, and that the tree be given the best chance to recover from the intrusion and grow stronger to handle the load. GLs make that possible, that is, if they’re installed …

Carefully.

To do that, you need to do three things – pick the right tree, develop the right plan, and install the GL the right way. Skip the first two and no matter how well you pull off the last one you’re headed for trouble. So before we get to drills and wrenches, let’s take a quick walk through the early stages of the process.

Finding a tree

First, as it should be, it’s all about the tree. Never walk out in your yard or the woods with a particular site, a certain tree or a set design in mind. Do that, and you’re already off on the wrong foot. Find the right tree, and then let the tree build the treehouse.

Although black willow trees can make challenging hosts, careful planning and good building techniques can make the best of this situation.

Now, not every tree can be the right tree. Some types are just not suited for the job. Like Darwin’s mockingbirds, different trees have evolved different techniques for fitting into a wide range of niches. Some adaptations make for a strong, stable host. Others mean trouble for any long-term guest.
In spite of the name, some common “softwood” trees such as pines and firs can make great hosts, if you don’t mind a little sap. Before getting to far into the process, make sure to take a good look up and keep a careful eye out for branches just waiting to fall. Many pines, such as the eastern white pine, can grow 100 feet or beyond, constantly adding mass to the top and shedding shaded branches underneath. No problem for the tree. Not always easy on whatever is underneath. Be careful of spruces, their roots rarely run very deep and they’re a poor choice for a single-tree treehouse.

Classic “hardwood” species are not all the same.

Some have wonderfully strong wood, but make poor hosts. Black walnuts and butternuts are tough, but their branches are brittle. No one wants to wear a hard hat to relax in the treehouse. Black locust – the hardest native hardwood in North America – tends to grow in muddy or boggy soil that’s not always a good place to build. The water loving black willow grows to massive size, but drops large branches the way middle-aged men shed hair and never seems to mind just tipping over for a good drink. For a range of reasons, elms, cottonwoods and sycamores are rarely good choices. All these trees, however, are wonderful to look at, so just find a good tree nearby and be sure to add a window or porch for the view.

It's never a bad idea to have a certified arborist take a look at your tree. Careful pruning of dead branches increases safety and lightens the load on your future host.

Maples are excellent hosts, with the native sugar maple and imported Norway maple among the pros’ favorites. Oaks do a wonderful job as well, and it’s hard not to find one in any patch of woods. Apples are smaller than many trees, but strong wood and sweet blossoms make them a great host for smaller treehouses. Ash trees have rock-hard wood, but much of the country is battling a blight that kills or severely damages these wonders so be careful. If you’re looking for the “hard” in hardwood, find a healthy hickory; just be prepared for the workout of your life when it comes time to attach those GLs. Once you’re in, though, you’re in for the long haul.

OK, let’s say you have a few trees in mind (and it’s always best to keep your options wide open at this stage). What next?

Well, even if they’re the right kind, keep your eyes open for a few other problems.

Small and very young trees are fun to work around, but simply do not have the strength of their bigger siblings. Those young ones are very hard to snap, but they’ll try just as hard to shed the load you add by bending out of the way – usually with poor results for the tree and anything else hoping to stay upright. If your ambitions are big enough to consider a GL, then don’t give a second glance to trunks with less than a 12-inch diameter at the height you plan to work.

This tree was rejected as a host because an arborist was concerned woodpecker holes indicated several trunks were compromised. Months later, three of the trunks snapped in a late-winter wind storm.

In addition to avoiding young trees, watch carefully for sick or damaged trees. The first time I headed into the woods with Treehouse Workshop founder Jake Jacob, he brought an old ash baseball bat. He’d rap the bat on the trunk of a potential host and let the sound tell him how solid the tree was. A good arborist is worth more than a few swings of the bat here, but if you don’t have one just be sure to give the tree a good once-over. Is the root head, the area surrounding the base of the trunk, healthy, stable and clear, or are there exposed and rotting roots with soil packed down like concrete? Are there splits or open wounds in the trunk that hold moisture or show decay? Is the leaf canopy full and healthy? Did you see a carpenter ant or a termite anywhere? How about fungus? Are similar trees in the area healthy and sound? What kind of things in your neck of the woods present challenges to this type of tree? If you have any doubts, call an arborist or talk to the folks at the local agricultural extension office. An ounce of caution here is worth tons of peace of mind later on.

All right. You have the right tree. It’s healthy. It’s in a great spot. Great.

Time to listen.

One of the reasons companies don’t mass-produce treehouses in third-world factories and sell them at big-box stores is that every tree is unique. It grows according to the interplay of its evolutionary programming and the conditions it experiences as it rises up. Take a good look. Walk around and look again. Grab a ladder or a rope and get up into the tree a bit (be careful, of course). Where are the available open spaces? Is there good room somewhere near the height you prefer? If you’re lucky, there is. If not, just try to imagine the tree suddenly buried 8 or 10 or 15 feet in dirt. Where would the good spaces be? How do they connect? Where could you walk with enough elbowroom for a few friends? Can a straight piece of wood fit between and around the places you want to be? Try to stay balanced over the main trunk and find that platform the tree wants to offer. The goal here is as little damage to the tree as possible; so don’t cheat by chopping branches in your mind. Work with what the tree can give. If you can’t, you likely have the wrong tree.

Tread with the lightest foot

So you found a tree that’s offering a good home. OK, now it’s your turn to ante up a little mental energy.

The deal we make with the tree is simple: if it will carry us, we’ll do as little harm as possible and keep a watchful eye on it, always. That’s as close to symbiotic as we can get. Keep that in mind as you start designing your treehouse. Have a ton of fun and stay very safe (both good topics for their own conversation), but remember – do as little harm as possible. Avoid heavy pruning. Keep intrusions into the tree as few as possible; which means, to the point of this topic, place your GLs carefully. Remember that they’re incredibly strong – rated anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 pounds or more, depending upon the type of GL and how they’re attached. Small and medium-sized treehouses don’t need many to stay aloft.

Sample Deck plan

A straight board tacked temporarily in the tree is a great way to get a sense of platform height. Mark two points and use them to help map the exact location of the trunks. That will let you draw an accurate plan for your treehouse platform.

Assuming you’re comfortable with basic design and building (and if you’re not, please stop now) place the GLs for stability of structure, careful distribution of load, and maximum flexibility for the tree. First, imagine where you’d put a post if your treehouse was actually an earth-bound shed. Then play the reduction game; can some of the “post points” be replaced by beams carrying the load to other points? GLs and the brackets that are used with them are designed to allow tree and treehouse to move, so stress forces don’t get trapped and take their wrath out on your good work. Make sure that movement is possible when you sketch your foundation plan. Of course, make sure you have a very good sense of the tree’s layout, not just at the deck height, but also at 6 to12 inches or more below the deck where the GLs will go. And be warned — never put a GL closer than 2 feet above or below another GL or any trunk penetration. Doing that can cause the wood between the GLs to rot, in turn causing both anchors to fail. Definitely not a good thing.

If you have any doubts, it’s never a bad idea to run your plan by an engineer familiar with treehouses or a veteran treehouse builder. It might be a quick telephone conversation. It might be a more careful examination. Many will give your plans a solid review for just the cost of a few hours time – likely less than the cost of the GL you’re about to buy. Even if it takes a site visit, a few bucks here could mean a lot of money and frustration saved down the road.

Drilling into the tree

So, the tree has spoken and the deal’s been made. You know what that means?

Yup.

It’s time to rip a wound into a living thing that will never heal.

All right, that’s a little macabre, I know. But it’s true, and it’s the essential mindset to have before you start spinning a drill anywhere near that tree. Trees don’t heal, they compartmentalize. Make a clean, correct hole that’s a perfect match for the GL, and the tree will shut down and seal off the wood next to the anchor (making it dry and strong), and spend the next few years closing the wound in and adding strength-increasing “reaction wood” to the trunk underneath. Because of the interplay between GL and tree, your treehouse foundation will get stronger over time and the tree will learn to forget you’re there.

Botch the job, though, and no one is safe. Incorrectly installed GLs can fail, undermining your efforts and putting people at risk; and poorly done work can introduce stress and infection agents into a tree that can kill it in surprisingly short order. Some of the best architects and designers in the treehouse industry have stories of treehouses crashing to the ground or good trees dying soon after work was completed. These pioneers learned the hard way. We don’t have to. All we need to do is be careful.

Now that you’re paying attention, let’s install a GL.

First, make sure you have the right gear.

Two common types of GL include the original (gray above) and a larger version for supporting heavier loads. The classic GL will work for most people, but make sure you have the custom drill bit (top left) and a good pipe wrench to set that GL right.

There are different types of GLs in use. The classic GL still used by Michael Garnier at his Out-n-About resort has a 1 1/4-inch thick steel shaft about 12 inches long, with a 1-inch thick by 3-inch wide collar pressed onto the shaft. These GLs offer 3,000 to 4,000 pounds of support, or more if they have a cable backup attached (we’ll get to that in a little bit). For heftier challenges, different builders use longer GLs with thicker collars in the middle. The at-home builder should rarely need more than the basic GL, but you might want to use a thicker-collared version if you’re expecting a heavy load or using a tree that grows very rapidly.

In addition to the right GL, you’ll need the right hardware to go with it. That means strong welded -metal brackets that attach the GL to the beams they carry.

The proper bracket connects the GL to the beam supporting the treehouse, while allowing for enough movement to keep the tree happy.

The type and style vary based on how you’re using the GLs, but the most common one features a steel plate about 2 inches wide and 12 inches long, with a looped matching steel piece on the bottom side. The top part bolts to the beam, usually with 1/2-inch galvanized lag bolts, and the lower loop goes around the smooth shaft of the GL. Add a nut to the end of the GL, and the system allows a limited range of motion in all directions except up and down – two directions you don’t want your treehouse to head.

You can buy GLs (about $125 and up) and basic brackets (typically $35 and up) from several treehouse shops online, notably Michael Garnier himself (www.treehouses.com). Renowned treehouse engineer Charley Greenwood has a detailed design schematic for the standard GL available as a PDF file on his Web site, www.treehouseengineering.com, and if you know a good metal shop they might be able to make some for you. Be warned, however, the job’s not as easy as it might seem. Real GLs, the ones that can carry you and your kids in safety, use high-strength steel and very demanding production techniques. Don’t let anyone tell you softer steel is just as good, or that heat treatment isn’t necessary. Larger GLs can be harder to find, and a bit more expensive (usually upwards of $200). If you’re in need of anything you can’t find, drop me a note (john@peacemakertreehouses.com). Chances are I have it or I’ve looked for it too, and I’d be happy to help you get what you need.

One last note about gear: Make absolutely certain you have the right drill bit to go with your GL. If you’re using the standard GL, Michael Garnier rents the right custom-made bit for about $50. Before you laugh at me and grab the old drill bit set from the garage, just consider this. To install the GL, you need to drill three different diameter holes. The first is 1 inch wide, just right to allow the special threads on the inside of the GL to get a firm grip on the tree. The second is a 1 1/8-hole to allow the slightly larger smooth shaft of the GL to sink snugly into the tree without tearing out the threads you just tapped in. The third is 3-inches wide and creates the all-important seat for the special pressed-on collar. All three holes have to share the exact same center, and all have to be set to the precise depth in relation to the tree and each other. Get any of them wrong and the GL might not seat, or big gaps inside the tree will create a sloppy fit and pose a risk of fungal infection. Trust me, you need the right bit. Rent it. Buy it. Have an engineer and a metalworking buddy examine a GL and make one. Whichever you prefer. Just don’t get into this without it.

The last bits of gear you need for the job are more common — a high-power corded drill, a fairly beefy pipe wrench and something to let you set an exact level.

A water level can be a great tool for setting GL heights on multiple trunks. Remember to always work from the same starting point, and mix a little vodka in the water if the temperature dips below freezing.

The first step in the field is to set your level. If you’ve done the design, whether on a napkin or with your CAD program, you’ve already decided how high the treehouse should be. My advice is to set that height based on comfort levels, namely those of the intended users and the tree. Try to keep in the bottom third of the tree, where trunks are thicker, winds are gentler and the rules of leverage are on your side. If the treehouse is for younger kids, there’s no reason to get too lofty. If it’s over their heads, it’s high to them, and a fall from a few feet is a lot less dangerous than a fall from a few dozen.

With your height known, mark that level on the trunk with a Sharpie or a soft marker. Make it as precise to the height you want as possible. Now, do a little math. How thick is the decking material you plan to use? (Remember not to get fooled by the “nominal thickness” and use the actual thickness. A “five-quarter” board is actually four-quarters, or 1 inch, thick). How about the joists that will support the deck? Are there beams below that? And how far from the center of the GL to the top of the bracket you’re using? All of these dimensions lower the height at which you’ll be installing the GL in relation to the deck.

A galvanized nail is used to mark the exact spot where the GL will be attached to the tree. Note the ladder is secured to the trunk. Always make sure you put safety first.

Once you figure out that height, make a mark directly under the first spot. This is the height for your GLs. Now, use whatever level system you prefer to transfer this height to any other trunks that may be involved in the design. Always work from the original point to the other points directly, don’t use a new point as a starting place for a third. Do the latter and you risk compounding any slight margin or error you might have in your level.

(A quick side note: If you’re using a single trunk and will be installing “knee braces,” setting that GL height is a bit more complicated. My advice — take your time. Use the method above to get your top height, then install the upper beam with some temporary bracing or ropes to keep it level. With that beam up, work down from the location on the beam that will receive the knee brace [make sure it’s far enough out to offer meaningful support] to find out where a 45-degree angle intersects the trunk. Make sure you account for the size of all the hardware you will use, and that will give you the lower GL spot. Of course, remember the 2-foot rule. And this final caution: If you’re doing a lot of knee bracing, it’s likely a good time to call a pro and get some help. Proper design and construction for knee braces is critical to the safety of the platform.)

Now you have your marks. Before you grab the drill, make sure you understand at exactly what point along the circumference of the tree your GL should enter. It should be as perpendicular to the beam above it as possible, and always point directly into the center of the trunk.
This also is a good time to double-check the trees. Does they look and sound solid at the spots you’ve marked? If you have any doubt, set a new spot. There’s no point sinking a GL into a rotted trunk.

OK, now you’re at the right height and you know exactly the right spot. It’s time to drill.

Use a corded high-torque drill to turn the custom GL bit into the tree. Remember to hold on tight, watch your level and make sure you have a good place to stand.

Here, again, a note on safety. If installing the GL takes you off the ground, make sure you and any heavy tools you take with you are secure. If you’re on a ladder, strap the top tightly to the tree so it won’t push away when you lean in with that drill (more of Newton’s handiwork). While you’re at it, strap yourself to the tree with a secure lanyard so you stay put. A high-power drill and that big custom bit can kick you around a lot. However you’re up there, make sure you and your tools are protected from falling and there’s no one and nothing breakable underneath the work site.

So up you go, drill in hand with the bit loaded and locked in. Find your spot. Put the small threaded tip of the bit firmly against the trunk. And wait.

Just one more time -– is this the right spot? Are you and the tools safely tethered in? Remember, once you pull that trigger, there’s no going back.

All that being double-checked, it’s time to break a sweat.

With the bit against the tree, make sure you are pointed toward the heart of the trunk and make very sure you’re level. The GL must be set right on level. If the end droops down, the beam will want to slide off and the GL will likely fail. If the end is high, the beam will slide into the trunk, damage the tree, and the GL will likely fail. This is so important that Michael Garnier’s crews use a custom guide they strap to the trunk to make sure they get it right. If you have a steady hand and you’re not 40 feet up a Douglas fir, you probably don’t need the jig, but just be very — you guessed it — careful.

Crews at Michael Garnier's Out-n-About resort in Oregon install GLs while suspended more than 40 feet up in a douglas fir. To make sure the GLs are level, Michael developed a special jig that straps to the tree and guides the drill.

Game time. Pull the trigger.

For a few seconds, it may seem like the bit won’t go in. That’s especially true on trees with very thick and soft bark. Lean on it a bit, and the threaded tip will bite, pull the big auger bit into the tree, and that bit will try to pull you in fast. Hold tight, keep control and watch your level. This is just the beginning. At the base of the auger bit (the part that looks like a cork screw) is that 3-inch wide Forstner bit. As that approaches the tree, make sure you have a good grasp on that drill and you’re firmly planted on whatever it is you’re standing on. Before the Forstner section hits, it’s a good idea to pull the bit out to clear the hole. Don’t back the drill bit out by going in reverse. That leaves most of the wood still in the hole. If you can’t pull the bit back while it’s turning forward (and don’t feel bad if you can’t; that’s no easy task), then hold the drill firmly, let it come to a stop, and run it in reverse slowly for a turn or two –- just enough to get that threaded tip to let go of the tree. Once you do that, you should be able to pull the drill bit the rest of the way out while its spins forward. You’ll know you’ve got it right when all of the wood chunks start falling to the ground.

Now, stage No. 2. If you’re using the standard GL, you want that Forstner section of the custom drill bit to sink about 1 inch below the inside of the bark – just enough to seat the wide collar on your GL firmly inside the cambium layer of the tree. If you’re using a GL with a thicker collar, set your depth so you get about two-thirds of the collar inside the bark. That will give you the added strength, and still leave room for the tree to grow.

Here’s something else to keep in mind. As you start to chew with that wide section, some wetter or more fibrous tree species can clog the bit, leaving you spinning and pushing and doing a whole lot of nothing. You may have to pull the bit out a few times to clean it. Be careful. The bit is sharp, and might be hot. Unplug the drill before you mess with the bit, then use a sharp tool to carefully remove the wood fibers that build up on the leading edge of the Forstner bit’s teeth. Take your time and be patient. You’ll get there.

Now repeat that process wherever you need to install a GL. Remember every time to do that double check –- is this the right spot? Is your angle right? Are you and your tools and the work area safely secured? Is the drill level? A good carpenter can work around almost any error, but this is one of those things that puts the “almost” in that sentence. It has to be done right the first time. So take your time, and be, yup, careful.

Setting the GL

If all went well, you have a good, clean hole right where you want it. Outside of sap running time in spring (always a good time to avoid setting GLs), there should be a minimal amount of liquid present. Use a light to make sure the hole is clear of any debris, and that the trunk looks solid all the way in.

When turning the GL into the hole, make sure you're aligned correctly and the GL is level.

All right. You’re halfway home. It’s time to install the GL. Remember, GLs are pretty heavy, so make sure the work area remains safe.

One other thing is very important to remember: Don’t leave that hole in your tree open for very long. The air is full of things that love to eat wood, and you’ve just punched a hole through the tree’s natural defense. Steel is easy for a tree to handle. Hungry fungus is another thing. Treehouse engineer Charley Greenwood even recommends adding 3M DP190 epoxy to the GL, to lock in the bolt and to seal and protect the wood.

You can usually get the GL started in the hole by hand. Remember the last inch or so of the hole is slightly wider to accommodate the unthreaded part of the shaft, so that gives you a head start. With your level close by, start the GL by hand and, again, make sure you’re pointed toward the center of the tree and level. Turn in that GL as far as you can. Don’t be afraid to grunt a few times. The more you can do by hand; they less you’ll have to wrestle with that pipe wrench.

Individual strengths vary, of course, but few treehouse builders I know use anything smaller than a 24-inch pipe wrench. If you’re off the ground, make sure the wrench has its own tether. You don’t want that monster falling on anything. And it’s a good idea here to wear a hard hat. One of the worst jobsite injuries I ever got came from pulling a steel tool down on my own head. Not a proud moment, I can tell you.

It can be a workout, but a strong pipe wrench at least 24 inches long is the best way to turn in a GL.

With the jaws of the wrench set to fit just over the outer (that’s very important) shaft of the GL, as close to the middle collar as possible, check to make sure you have it facing the right way (the teeth on the wrench’s jaws should be biting into the GL as you turn in). You can probably get one-third of a turn done before you’re bumping the ladder or yourself, so just spin the wrench back up and keep turning. It’s always best to pull the wrench down, rather than push it up, to set the GL. This let’s your weight work for you and saves your back and shoulders a whole lot of pain. Don’t get discouraged. Turning in a GL is hard work and you will get tired. Just keep turning, you’ll get there.

“There” is, of course, that moment when the inner face of the collar spins firmly into the clean-shaven surface of the tree your custom drill bit left in its wake. It’s extremely important to make sure that collar is seated all the way and snug. That collar is one of the key design features of the GL. It creates a larger face to rest on the end grain of the wood below the GL, and it helps the GL resist failure by using the wood’s natural resistance to crushing across the grain. Keep turning the GL. Unless you’re using a 6-foot pipe and a few guys on the ground pulling the end with a rope (don’t laugh, I’ve seen it tried), it will be very hard to turn too far. Just keep turning until you feel like you’ve hit a wall. Sometimes it will even give you a slow squeak to let you know the collar has found its home. Give it a few more tugs. If they wall’s still there, you’ve got it.

When you feel the inner face of the wide collar turn flush and tight against the newly cut hole, you've hit your mark -- the GL is installed. A soft grinding wheel and a little rustproofing paint will clean the GL's outer shaft just fine.

Turning the GL in with the pipe wrench has one flaw – it can chew up the shaft of the GL a bit. In the early days of GLs, some builders used a special cap nut installed on the machine threads on the outside of the GL shaft. That would let them use a big socket and a long breaker bar. It’s a good system for getting the GL in, but the problem starts when you have to turn the cap nut backwards to get it off. Sometimes, doing that turns the whole GL backwards, pulling that collar off the tree. That’s a big risk to take; so most builders now just accept that the GL’s outer shaft may need a quick touch with a light grinding wheel and a little rustproofing paint. Unlike an un-set collar, there’s essentially no risk in scuffing up the shaft. So just smooth out the rough edges, give it a blast of paint, and you’re done.

But should we get cable?

Or maybe not done after all.

There’s one more thing to consider. Sometimes a GL alone is not enough. If a specific GL is likely to carry an unusually heavy load, or if that load will ride far out on the GL’s shaft (or even need to go beyond the threaded end), it may be time to attach some form of cable “back-up” suspender system to the GL.

These back-up systems generally come in two types.

Sometimes, a GL needs a little help from a friend. Special high-strength extensions can be slipped over the GL, or a "teardrop" nut can be threaded on its end, to allow a cable to be attached.

In one — used when total load is the issue, not how far out it rides –- a special “teardrop” nut is attached to the threaded end of the GL. A high-strength shackle, or clevis, locks into the teardrop nut and attaches to a steel cable. At the other end of the cable, typically 6 feet or so higher in the tree, is a turnbuckle and another shackle linked to a galvanized lag bolt. Adding the upper connection creates a triangulated system with the tree, the cable and the GL forming the three sides. The normal load carrying ability of the GL can as much as double in this setup.

In the other system –- used when the load is carried further out on the GL or beyond — a special section of high-strength pipe gets slipped over the shaft of the GL. A steel loop or other connection is welded to the end of the pipe, and the cable attaches there. The longer the pipe, the longer the cable and the higher the upper lag bolt connection is set into the tree. In the most extreme cases, used on many of the treehouses at Michael Garnier’s Out-n-About resort, pipes as long as 6-feet or more extend the GL out beyond the foundation of a single-tree structure. The cables on these systems connect to another set of GLs higher in the tree, creating an incredibly strong and dynamic support system.

All of that, as you can guess, is likely more than you’ll ever need. Most do-it-yourselfers putting up smaller treehouses find themselves on the lighter side of the load equation.

But how light is light?

Long pipe extensions over multiple GLs reach out to cables beyond the rim of this treehouse platform. These cable "backups" support this treehouse high in a douglas fir at the Out-n-About resort in Oregon.

Calculating load can get complex, especially when you factor in the motion and wind forces a treehouse can face. If you even suspect the minimum GL load strength of 3,000 pounds might not be high enough, contact an engineer or a professional treehouse builder. Never play around with safety. If they suggest the teardrop nut backup system, then you should follow that advice and install it in the manner I describe below.

What might be easier for the DIY builder to spot is the need for a small extension on the GL. Usually, they’re needed when the trunk has a slight lean, and the beam that will ride above the GL needs to sit out toward the end of the shaft. Remember, you need to leave a few inches clearance between the beam and the tree to allow for future growth. Trees grow taller from the top, but they get stronger by adding width at all heights, so make sure you leave some room. Don’t be tempted to squeeze a fat beam on a GL by jamming it against the trunk.

What you need here is a custom extension, typically what’s knows as a high-strength “schedule 80” pipe with a heavy-duty welded loop on one end. You can usually buy these for about $30 from Michael Garnier. If he doesn’t have them, drop me a note and I’ll help you find a few. Unlike the GL itself, this is a fairly easy piece to make, so you might want to see if a local metal shop can get it done for you. The key things to remember here: The inner dimension of the pipe must exactly match the outer dimension of the GL’s shaft; The outer dimension must exactly fit into whatever bracket you’re using; The pipe must be the heavy schedule 80 type; and the welded loop on the end must be strong enough to handle the full load. Don’t make the pipe any longer than you need, typically 1 foot is enough. And remember to give it a good coat of rustproofing paint.

The width of this beam and the load on the GL required a custom pipe extension and a cable backup. Note how the same bracket is used to allow tree and beam to move. The angle of the cable headed back toward the trunk keeps the extension in place.

Installation on the GL is simple –- just slip the pipe over the GL’s outer shaft, make sure it’s all the way against the outside of the collar, and then install the bracket as you would if you were using only the basic GL. As you mount the beams and begin building the platform, make sure the pipe stays put and doesn’t slide off the GL.

Not long after the beams are in place, use your new platform, some ropes or a ladder to get 6 feet or so above the GL on the tree. Six feet is suggested because it’s way more than 2 (the danger zone, if you remember), and it usually allows for a cable to hang close to vertically, a better set up for strength. You can go a little shorter, or a few feet longer, if that’s what it takes to access a good spot on the tree.
That good spot will be as close to directly above the GL as possible, with no branches or trunk features that block the line between it and the GL below. One thing to be very careful about – make sure the upper point is behind an imaginary line that extends straight up from the loop on the pipe. If it is, the cable will hold the pipe extension on the GL as it pulls the end back toward the trunk. If it’s not, you need a longer extension. Don’t risk that sliding off once the treehouse is built.

Setting the top lag bolt is easy, especially now that you’re a veteran of GL installation. Depending upon the size of the treehouse, a 3/4- or 1-inch galvanized lag bolt is used. Galvanized is important, and most DIY folks won’t need more than a three-quarter inch lag to get the job done. Use a lag that allows for about 6 inches to be set into the tree, so an 8-inch bolt usually works. That leaves an inch for the shackle and washers you’ll install and another inch for growth.

You can drill this hole with a standard hardware store auger bit; a 5/8-inch version should do well when sinking a 3/4-inch lag. Be sure to put a piece of bright-colored tape on the bit at the depth you want to hit. This will tell you exactly when to stop drilling so you don’t do any more damage to the tree than necessary. Try to set the hole as close to level as possible, with a slight rise at the head of a degree or two still acceptable.

A lag bolt anchors the cable backup further up the trunk. Bolt, shackle, turnbuckle, clamps and cable all must be rated to handle the load, and must be intended for outdoor use.

Before turning the lag bolt into the tree, remember to put a couple of heavy-duty galvanized washers and the shackle over the shaft. Turn it in carefully with a heavy socket and a breaker bar and you’re set. Of course, always make sure the shackles and the turnbuckles you use are galvanized and rated to handle the load. Fastenal (www.fastenal.com) or a good local professional-grade supplier should have all of the hardware you need for this. Once again, if you have any question, or need some help finding stuff, feel free to drop me a note.

Between the GL extension and the upper shackle, you’ll need to install a length of high strength steel cable and a turnbuckle (for keeping the cable tight). Most builders use 3/8-inch galvanized steel “7-19” cable, meaning the cable is made of seven woven bundles, each with 19 strands of wire in them. In general, two wire clamps on each end are fine, but you should ask the vendor what the manufacturer recommends. When you install the clamps, be sure to put the big end (where the nuts go) over the tension side of the cable. The tension side is the one that’s headed to the other end, rather than the tail of cable that’s been looped around the end connection.

The turnbuckle can be at the bottom or top, based on how things lay out on your platform. You want the turnbuckle to be accessible (it will need to be tightened from time to time), but not so easy to access that a mischievous guest might decide to play with it. Open the turnbuckle about 80 percent of the way (making sure it’s even on both sides) before you put the system together.

Assembly is straightforward. Attach one end of the turnbuckle to the GL extension or the shackle at the top. Connect the cable to the other end of the turnbuckle and to the opposite end of the system (if you’re using the tear-drop nut, you’ll need a shackle on the bottom as well). Try to keep the cable ends even, and trimming it ahead of time with bolt cutters or a grinding wheel can save you some awkward work in the tree. Watch the ends -– the wire can be sharp so gloves are not a bad idea -– and carefully slide the clamps in place. Be careful not to over tighten the clamps, but make sure they’re good and tight (again, ask your vendor to what the manufacturer recommends). Make the cable as taught as you can by hand when you install it. Once it’s installed and the clamps are tight, turn the turnbuckle by hand or with a wrench and add just enough tension to the cable that all slack is gone. If you start to pull the end of the GL extension up, your getting too tight and transferring too much of the load to the top lag bolt. Once you’ve got it adjusted the way you want it, you’re done.

POST SCRIPT

The heavy-duty GL you saw installed in the pictures above now supports one of two main girders under a 240-square-foot treehouse platform in Ithaca, N.Y.

Treehouse construction, like most skilled trades, has a lot of science behind it and a lot of art in the application of that science. I tried to be thorough here, and give you a good sense of not only what to do, but also why you do it and what you need to understand before it’s done. That’s always been the way I like to approach any project.

If you’re confused by anything I’ve written, or anything in the pictures that go along with this, feel free to send me a note at john@peacemakertreehouses.com. I’ll do everything I can to help complete the picture for you, and help you in your quest to find the joy and peace that only time in the trees can offer.

– John Carberry

Sept. 16, 2008 – Evolution 101

One of the joys of the design/build philosophy and a strong relationship with a client is the living nature of the work; meaning the creative process is unshackled, communication is rich and the project is free to evolve as the process unfolds.
So it went this month with my young friends Katie and Colleen and their Ithaca treehouse.

Some time spent admiring a new house being built near their Ithaca home triggered new dreams for Katie and Colleen, and then meant some time back at the design table.

Beginning early last summer, Katie, Colleen and I met, talked and toured several times to explore what they might want in a treehouse. We drew pictures, took pictures and piled up pages of notes on everything from mood to materials. I left an idea wall up in their house for a while, with drawings of several variations from several views as well as a clipboard for more sketches and ideas. Watching people begin to believe they can make what they can imagine is a wonderful part of the process.
By summer’s end we had a good idea of where we were going, and a set of drawings to go with that vision. We sent those plans out to the Charley Greenwood, our consulting engineer. In a few weeks he sent back his recommendations and prescriptions for a sound treehouse, and some ideas that added significant strength and versatility to the plan.
As you read in a previous entry to this blog (see Aug. 20, 2008 – Fresh look), Charley’s changes let us make to slight changes to the overall platform – expanding it about a foot on two sides and wrapping around two trunks that became part of the new support system. Not a lot of square footage, but a nice plus for feel and design freedom. That was a freedom that Katie and Colleen explored, and the new summer brought notions of not just a playhouse, but a house of their own in the trees. We talked for a while in July and early August as work was getting set to resume on their treehouse, then I produced some outlines of the revised structure that their dreams were brewing. I told them to think about materials and finish details – they both love to walk and drive around their hometown and take pictures of things they like – and we’d talk again once the platform was complete.
And so we did.

This newly constructed home on Ithaca's West Hill inspired new treehouse visions, and we took some time this month to add new elements to our design.

With a pair of big grins, the girls began the conversation with a question that makes every builder smile.
“What, exactly, is possible?” Katie asked.
I told them anything within the bounds of physics was worth a shot, and their smiles got broader.
It turned out their mom got a new car in the spring, one with a much higher seat position for the girls. On the family’s near daily drives into the City of Ithaca, they noticed a new house being built below the road and tucked into the hillside over Cayuga Lake. It wasn’t very large or very ornate, but the color and style caught the girl’s fancy and they’d been waiting to ask if I would take a look. The answer, of course, was “of course.”

We drove over on a rainy afternoon and looked at the new house from the streets above and below. The structure, a modest two-story mix of cape and cottage architecture, featured cedar siding, thick blue trim, dark brown architectural shingles and an entry porch the girls just loved. They adored the look from the gable ends, where the rake was wide and the shadows deep.
“Can it look like that,” Katie said, as Colleen, the older sister, nodded encouragement.
I told them it could look like anything they want, provided they could help me distil what they want out of what they see. We went back to their house, printed out some pictures, grabbed some pencils and started the distillation process.

After we talked about the best of what was and the best of what was wanted, a new outline of the Ithaca treehouse emerged.

What emerged wasn’t a wholesale undoing of the treehouse we planned a year ago and updated a few months back, just a rich redressing of the structure in the mood they loved from “their house,” with one important addition – we shifted the roofline to offer a single, long northern face and used that plane to create a new porch roof for the main entry. The longer and smoother roof should offer a cleaner profile to the winter winds that run from the northeast in this part of the country, just a fringe benefit of the change, and might even allow the addition of a skylight – if Katie’s and Colleen’s mom gives the nod of approval. Moving the roof over to cover the porch also allows us to frame the treehouse around one of the willow’s trunks, always a nice touch for a treehouse and the best of both worlds in this case since the tree gets to pop through the roof but remains outdoors and open to the weather, as it should be.
In then end, it’s not a whole lot of added materials and work, and finding and fleshing out the new vision just added a little time to the project. If the time is there to give, and everyone wants to spend it, that’s never a problem. One key to the design/build process is that design never ends until the building is done. It’s a philosophy that works exceptionally well with treehouses, and my last few weeks with Katie and Colleen re-enforced that point for me very firmly.
The big change comes when the first person crosses the bridge and enters the treehouse, and in the elevated excitement level for two girls who once again discovered they can create what they can dream.