You must be thinking isn’t a treehouse without a tree just a regular house. How can a treehouse be built without a tree? Well, we are building skyscrapers of 150 meters, why can’t a treehouse be constructed without a tree!
So, how do you construct a treehouse without a tree? To build a treehouse without a tree, use telephone poles or pressure-treated post supports buried deep enough to support the structure of your treehouse. Use adequate-sized posts that can withstand high winds and are treated for ground contact. When using posts or poles to construct a treeless treehouse, a few factors must be considered, such as the depth the poles are buried or cross bracing if the posts are not buried as deeply.
Making a Treehouse Without a Tree
When using poles or other vertical structures, building a treehouse without a tree is much easier. Simple reasons include the lack of a confined space, which is available when building on a tree.
Building on poles gives you more freedom in terms of design, planning, and layout. Trees will present additional challenges when constructing a treehouse.
With poles, you have the freedom to design your treehouse in any pattern, shape, or style you want.
Treehouse on Poles
To construct a treehouse without a tree, you must first determine which poles to use. You’ll have to choose between three-pole categories. Because of their durability, these are preferred for projects such as treehouse construction.
Let’s take a deeper look at each of the listed pole categories.
Posts with Ground Contact Pressure Treatment
This is not a strange concept, particularly for readers who have seen or built a deck off the ground. Pressure-treated posts come in a variety of widths and lengths and are widely available at local hardware stores. To choose the right size for this project, we recommend going with those that measure around 6″x6″ in thickness.
It is not enough to simply purchase these poles and place them in your desired location. You’ll need to have them ground contact-treated first. In other words, pressure-treated posts are only treated against the elements.
Have the exposed portions of these posts sealed with your preferred protective sealer. Finding out the life expectancy of the protective sealer being used is one key to doing this correctly. This is significant because the posts will need to be resealed or recoated when the time comes.
Another option is to tar the portion of the pole that will be buried. A tar layer will help protect the wood from damage. Approximately 36″ of the post lengths should be buried. You can still have your post encased in concrete as a protective layer. To do this, dig a hole to the depth you want the poles to be buried. Go a step further by digging an additional 6″ to 12″.”
After that, you’ll need to place a concrete tube form inside the hole. Now, pack dirt around the tube to keep it in place. Your post should be inserted into the tube and rest directly on the rock. Concrete is poured and worked down at this point. Allow this to sit for at least an hour before removing the temporary bracing.
Telephone Poles
As previously stated, telephone poles can be used as posts for building a treehouse instead of trees. For such projects, round telephone poles are preferable to square poles.
Obtaining round-shaped poles can be difficult because new ones are difficult to come by. You might have to settle for used poles. These can be obtained from Craigslist, local Electric Co-ops, or farm stores.
Metal Posts
Metal posts take a lot of effort to install.
You may need to enlist the assistance of a technician or handyman to have these installed. This is arguably the most expensive of the three, owing to its durability and labor requirements.
It is difficult for do-it-yourselfers to install on their property. If this appears to be too much work for you, we recommend that you choose one of the other options.
We’ve seen that it’s possible to build a treehouse without a tree. However, you’ll need to acquire the necessary structures.
How to Build a Treehouse Without a Tree
Materials Required:
The quantity of each is determined by the size of the treehouse.
- 12 ft. plywood boards (8’x4’)
- 8-foot boards
- Four 4x6s in the ground to ensure stability. Put them in 3.5 feet of concrete.
- 2x4x12 – angling for a balcony
- 4 small trees- plant one in each corner of the treehouse, and they will grow up and around the “house” over time, making it look even more like an official treehouse.
- 316L stainless steel 3rd “concrete screws (a lot of them) to secure the treehouse.
Construct the Deck and Floor
Build the treehouse’s floor and add support. Building the platform on which the cabin or house will be built. Then, deck over floor joists and rim joists. Place the decking board on the platform. This will be the floor of your treehouse if you don’t have a tree. The use of treated wood will ensure the long-term durability of this outdoor structure, which will be heavily influenced by the elements.
Install the Flooring Supports and Main Platform
This helps to build the treehouse’s floor and add support. Install the main supports and construct the main platform. Scaffolding allows for more efficient work given the height of the treeless treehouse. When building the wooden platform for your treehouse, consider adding a deck.
Build the Tree House
The Terrace
This part necessitates advance planning and is not strictly necessary, but it is very cool.
If you want to include a balcony, plant your 12-foot-long 24s in the concrete along with two of the 46s you’re using as main supports, and angle them out. This will be the balcony’s support. Simply buy longer 24s and plant them at a wider angle to create more space on the balcony.
To ensure the safety of the balcony, install a safety railing with wooden slats spaced about four inches apart. However, check the local building code because some areas may require even closer spacing.
The decking on the balcony should be made of 24s. Some people prefer to have a balcony only on the side of the treehouse that faces the house, so they can always see their children. Others might prefer to construct a wrap-around balcony. If you want to build a wrap-around balcony, you’ll need to include more twelve-foot-long 24s in the appropriate locations.
The Stepladder
This is often the most dangerous part of a treehouse, as a child can easily slip and fall off the ladder, injuring themselves.
Fortunately, in a treeless treehouse, it is relatively simple to ensure that the ladder is secure. To begin, angle the ladder as if it were a staircase, but do not angle the steps.
So, construct the ladder similarly to a standard wooden ladder, but instead of installing it straight up, tilt it. Then, on the underside, install wooden slats.
This accomplishes two things. To begin, by angling the ladder like a staircase without angling the steps to be parallel to the ground, anyone using the ladder is forced to lean forward sharply. Then, by installing wooden slats on the underside, you make it impossible for someone to fall through the gaps between the ladder’s steps.
The ladder is nearly completely safe with this design: your children cannot fall through the ladder and cannot fall backwards off the ladder because they will be leaning forward every time they use it. You can prevent them from falling sideways by installing simple handrails on either side.
The top of the ladder should be completely enclosed. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. You can place the treehouse entrance directly above the top of the ladder, allowing your child to climb straight into the treehouse. The only risk with this approach is that it will necessitate a large hole in the treehouse’s floor, which could be dangerous.
Another option is to construct a landing at the top with a safety rail; you can even completely enclose the landing with wooden lattice work to create a sort of safety cage. Then, place the treehouse entrance next to the landing so that your child can step off the ladder onto the landing and then into the treehouse.
Design of the Entrance/Exit
Using plywood for the treehouse walls gives you some leeway in designing the entrances, exits, and windows. Cutting large circles for the doorways results in a cool-looking entrance that your children will appreciate.
The Grounds
Make the floor out of decking made of twelve-foot-long 24’s. This creates a nice, solid surface for your children to play on. Plan on a twelve-foot-by-twelve-foot floor, plus the flooring for the balcony if one is being built.
The Roofing
The material of choice here is plywood. The possibilities are also limitless. You can use plywood for part of the roof and polycarbonate for the rest to create a sort of skylight, or you can angle the entire thing in one direction so that one side of the treehouse is taller than the other. The wall design will be determined by the roof design, and the walls are best made with plywood, so make sure you know exactly how the roof will look ahead of time so you can buy and cut plywood for the walls accordingly.
Stabilize the Foundation
Because you are not building on a tree, you must exercise caution when constructing a foundation for your treehouse. You may need to acquire some fill dirt to do so, and it is a good idea to consult with a professional before doing so.
Frequently asked questions
Is a tree house a permanent structure?
Treehouses are classified as ‘temporary structures,’ similar to a garden shed. In this case, the maximum height restriction will be around 4m (13 feet) – this is from ground level to the peak of the roof, which is easily exceeded when building a treehouse.
What is the maximum weight capacity of a treehouse?
We account for the tree house’s dead and live to load, as well as all of the people who could fit on it. The actual weight is determined by the strength of the trees in which the treehouse is built and the design specifications. However, most treehouses weigh more than ten thousand pounds when evenly distributed.
Is it possible to build a deck directly on the ground?
Yes, you can build a deck on the ground, but only under certain conditions. A ground-contact deck must be built with ground-contact wood, and the substructure must be designed for minimal height. Although a ground-level deck can be elevated up to 24″, we will only discuss decks that are less than 8″ high.
Is it necessary to attach the deck to the house?
You’ve vertically supported the deck load, so it won’t collapse under the weight of people and furniture. However, you haven’t addressed lateral and horizontal stability. Your deck will sway and wobble if it is not securely attached to a house. It requires bracing, especially if it is elevated above the ground.
