Tree House

[Huckleberry Finn]

I and a friend just agreed to build a treestand for someone. Having built barns and having a handy father, I'm sure that this shouldn't be too hard.

I haven't seen the trees yet, but I was wondering if any of you dads had good ideas...or hunters since I'm sure some of you still hunt in wooden stands. I've seen Phil's, and no, it won't be that big, but substantial and with a roof.

Suggestions on lag bolts would be appreciated also... will post pictures and keep this updated.

 

[hickslawns]

You could do a much smaller version of mine Huck. Hate to see any trees destroyed by drilling into them or anything. Plus, as they grow, they tend to shift and pull the tree houses apart that are built into them or around them. Just build it like mine except with an 8x8 platform or something rather than 16x16. You don't have to do knotty pine for the interior either. Heck, you wouldn't even have to use actual windows. A simple opening or something out of plexiglass would work.

 

[Tree Monkey]

I want to see Phil 's tree house!

 

[hickslawns]

I want to see Phil 's tree house!

Can't do it. Your wife would never get over it. Now, if you want, I will show your wife my tree house. hehehheeheheehe

Maybe I should present this a different way. Sure. So I hear you want to see my tree house. You like candy little boy? I have some candy inside my tree house if you would like some. :smiley_crocodile:

 

[CJD3]

Here is a cool idea to reflect on

 

[Tree Monkey]

Phil...that is cool!!…………i am jealous ....is that on ur hunting property??

 

[CJD3]

Here is a cool idea to reflect on

View attachment 6566

it has a reflective surface...

 

[CJD3]

It may be a little hard on the forest birds though...

 

[hickslawns]

TM- Not really. It is on a property our business owns. We have a building there and will be making a nursery out of the front of the property. We have 3-4acres of woods at the back. This is a narrow property. The tree house sits at the back of the woods at the rear of the property about 1/3 mile off the road. 1850' to be exact. I need to get the siding up soon before it rots away to nothing.

 

[CJD3]

BTW Hicks- Sweet shoot shack!

 

[Tree Monkey]

TOO party at Phil's tree house this weekend! !!lol

 

[Buckmaster]

Here's one of ours.

 

[rgecko23]

If I was goingto build anything like that. I would go with what jesse did. build a base, then put a blind on it.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Here's where we stand as of today...

4 2x10's lag bolted into the trees in a box
2 2x6x12's as joists (plus a 2x4 on the one side and another 2x6x8 scabbed in)
1 "porch" covered with 3/4 inch plywood; 48x67

There has been no lack of hillbilly engineering, as the project has been competed thus far with a lot of scrap wood and some new pieces in an attempt to maximize a not so perfect stand of trees...sturdy but yet will move with the wind. This is about 11 hrs of construction into the project, budget somewhere around $120 plus labor. For future construction, we need some knee braces off the two porches, deck the middle and far porch, and then put a railing on. Also a frame for a tarp roof.




Any tips on building ladders?

 

[xbowguy]

Dang Hicks, That thing is freaking Awesome! Looks like it was designed for Coed Naked Deer Hunting for sure.

 

[hickslawns]

Thanks xbowguy. More comfortable just to sit back there and relax than anything. Hunting isn't all that. Sure is peaceful though.

Huck- looks like a pretty good start. Steps might be tough given how the tree is a clump. Maybe a section of ladder stand ladder? It looks like a trap door in the middle with a hinge would be easiest. Then you could build ladders in between the clumps. As I look at it, it looks like you will be leaning backwards as you climb if you try to build them on the outside of the trees.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Huck- looks like a pretty good start. Steps might be tough given how the tree is a clump. Maybe a section of ladder stand ladder? It looks like a trap door in the middle with a hinge would be easiest. Then you could build ladders in between the clumps. As I look at it, it looks like you will be leaning backwards as you climb if you try to build them on the outside of the trees.

I think we are going to build a ladder and put it off the side of one of the porches. What suffices though? 2x4's with what as steps? Spacing? Ideas?

(Not going to build a 2x4 with steps 8 feet apart like a certain 'Paradise' blind I climbed into once...but I did kill a deer that morning!)

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Finished up on Friday...turned out to be a MUCH bigger project that I expected. I'll post the pictures and the cost when I get the chance.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Here's the completed project:

We put 12 foot 2x6's on top of the box. Actually two main joists and then a 2x4 on this side and an 8 foot 2x4 scabbed into the back. Two f them are lagged into the tree.


Smaller 4x4 porch. The railing is 4 feet


Cut-outs for the trees growing in the middle. The floor is roughly 52 square feet.


Ladder made from 2x4's. The platform is 9 feet high.


On the larger platform (6x4) we put two 2x6 braces. One was lagged straight into the other tree, the one to the right in this picture I birdmouthed onto a plate that we lagged into the tree (no question that we put TOO many holes in the trees)


We worked about 25 hours on the project together. Estimated cost is around $500 including lumber, hardware, and labor.

 

[xbowguy]

Looks good Huck! 2 lawn chairs and a 12 should complete it all:smiley_clap: