Do your children spend too much time indoors? Have you run out of ideas of how to spend free time with your family? Build a garden treehouse! You will have a great time while building it, and after it is finished your children will enjoy playing there! Having their own space outside the house has an almost magical appeal to children. It can also be an excellent place for your leisure and give an additional romantic touch to the appearance of your garden. After all, it will raise the value of your property if you decide to sell it.
There are different types of garden treehouses. You can build it on the tree, but if there is no proper tree available in your garden you can create a lean treehouse or one on stilts. What they differ in is the way base is made and fixed, but the rest of the building process is pretty similar.
Now, with the idea of building a treehouse, there are some essential things you should have in mind while planning how to make it.
Safety
Ensure that your treehouse is solidly structured and that a tree you’re building it on is a healthy tree with strong roots.
The risk of falling is the biggest danger when children are in the treehouse. There are several rules which can prevent children from falling from it. First is not to build it too high: 1.5 to 2.5 metres high platform is enough for a treehouse. Additionally, plan to make a safety fence around the platform and to lay a soft ground surface. A safety fence around the platform should be 70 to 90 cm high, with a spacing between the vertical posts of not more than 10 to 15 cm. A soft ground surface won’t prevent falls itself, but it will ensure a soft landing.
The way you reach the treehouse must also be safe and sturdy. You can make a rope ladder, fixed ladder or fixed stairs. Rope ladder might feel a bit shaky, and you will have to get used to it. A fixed ladder is the most common way to reach a treehouse, you can buy it anywhere, and it provides an easy and quick way to climb up to your treehouse. Fixed stairs are the safest way to reach your treehouse, and you can add handrail at the side for extra safety.
Permissions
Before you start, check if you need permission to build a treehouse. Contact your municipal council and ask if there are any local regulations, by-laws, height restrictions or you have protected trees in your garden.
It’s also good to contact your neighbours. The treehouse could spoil the view from neighbouring homes, or overlook their rooms and disturb their privacy. Asking neighbours for permission to build a treehouse will prevent later complaints and will help to maintain friendly relations. You will also need to hire the right removals services to get rid of any rubbish you produce during construction.
Building a treehouse
There are numerous rules that you have to follow when making a treehouse. Most important one is to keep in mind that trees grow and move. It is essential that your treehouse allows room for this tree expansion without jeopardising the stability of the tree house. Trees move while it is windy, and it is also important to leave space for these movements.
If you are making leaned house or house on stilts, be sure that stilts are fixed deep enough in the ground to provide stability of the house.
Experts advise to build a treehouse on the ground first, and then to elevate it to the tree or stilts, part by part. There are some tree surgeons and tree care companies that can help assist with any rotting branches and tree safety advice. Contact a surgeon with the qualifications and recommended, such as Centuar Tree Services who are located in Oxford, UK.
While working with the wood, be sure to prevent injuries, use safety glasses, gloves that offer a good grip, and earplugs if you work with power tools.
There are plenty of instructions on the internet on how to build different types of treehouses, and you can search for the one that suits you the best.
Painting treehouse
After you have finished building the treehouse, it is time for painting it. Use waterproof colours, as during rainy days house will be surrounded by wet leaves. Interior house painting is as vital as the exterior for the same reason. Hiring professionals that can give you advice on the type of paint, offer you a broad spectrum of colours and have the equipment to paint on higher objects, such as Newline Painting would be an excellent idea.
Windows and doors
Installing windows and doors on your treehouse is a good idea. It will protect the interior from rain and insects entering the house. You can choose between an opening and fixed windows. Fixed windows are the less expensive option. You can enrich them with blinds if you need sun protection. There is a wide range of shades you can use, and you can see some ideas for top lowering blinds here.
After you have finished the building of treehouse, use your imagination and put in and around it some accessories!
Lighting
Do you plan to make a romantic atmosphere in and around your house at night? Discrete patio lighting can make your tree house a wonderfully whimsical and romantic place.
Other accessories
Children will be delighted with clothesline pulley with a bucket between treehouse and kitchen for frequent snacks. Adding hoist to pull items up is also a good idea. Some other additions like a flag, binoculars, fold-down benches and tables, board games and other toys can make you perfect leisure in the treehouse.
Maintenance
Annual tree house maintenance is required to ensure the structure and tree remain secure and safe for years to come, and that its users are not put at any risk. As part of maintaining your tree house should be inspected by an expert, and advice for any remedial work should be given by him. If well looked after then your tree house will provide many years of enjoyment for the whole family.
Window cleaning
If you have chosen to put windows on the treehouse, then cleaning windows depend on the type of the windows. If you have installed opening windows, you might be able to wash them yourself. But if you installed fixed windows or the outer side of opening windows is difficult to reach, you should hire an expert to do the cleaning, for your safety. Numerous professionals such as The Cardiff Window Cleaning Company can do window cleaning if they are high or difficult to access.
Oh and by the way, you can save money by buying plastic building products online – and remember, when installing things like electrical cables or water mains pipe than you use the appropriate twinwall ducting to protect the cables / pipework and make everything safe for use. Always make sure all building materials are up to the correct standards.
Now all you have to do is enjoy your time with family or watch your children having fun in the treehouse during the day or telling ghost stories and looking out at the stars at night!
