Building a Treehouse Platform: A Step-by-Step Guide

As we begin this project, it's essential to understand that building a treehouse platform is a complex task that requires careful planning and execution. In this article, we'll walk you through the process of creating a stable and secure platform for your treehouse.

First, let's take a look at the foundation of our platform. We're using a 2x6 pressure-treated lumber as the base of our joist. This will provide the necessary support and stability for our platform. The joists are spaced 16 inches apart, and we've marked out the location of each one on the ground.

To begin building our platform, we need to attach the joists to the hangers that we've nailed into place. These hangers are specifically designed to hold the joist in place while we attach it to the tree. We're using a 16-inch center-to-center spacing to ensure that our joists are evenly spaced and secure.

Once we have all the hangers attached, we can start attaching the joists themselves. To do this, we'll use a speed square to ensure that each piece is properly aligned and cut to fit snugly into place. We've also measured the angle of each line on the piece of wood with a speed square to ensure that it matches the saw's cutting angle.

Now that our platform is taking shape, we need to cover it with decking. To do this, we'll start by laying down the boards perpendicular to the joists. The easiest way to ensure that they're properly aligned is to use a speed square. We'll lay the first board along the back edge of the platform and then line up the outside edge.

To secure the decking in place, we'll use nails as spacers between each piece. This will give us some room for expansion and contraction between the pieces, which is essential for a stable and secure platform. We've also measured out a small gap between the tree trunk and the platform to allow for further adjustments as needed.

To finish off our decking, we'll use a jigsaw to cut a curved line around the tree trunk, matching the natural curve of the branch. This will ensure that our platform blends seamlessly into its surroundings.

Now that our platform is complete, it's time to add some safety features to make sure our treehouse is secure and accessible. In the next section, we'll show you how to add a safety railing around our platform, making it safe for guests of all ages.

Safety Railing and Entry Point

Adding a safety railing around our platform is crucial to ensure that our treehouse remains stable and secure. We'll use a sturdy railing system that meets local building codes and regulations. The railing will provide a barrier between the edge of the platform and any hazards, such as branches or wildlife.

To add a railing to our platform, we'll start by measuring out the length and width of our platform using a tape measure. We'll then mark out the location of each post on the ground, taking into account the natural curve of the branch.

Once we have our marks in place, we can start building the railing itself. We'll use sturdy posts and railings to ensure that our treehouse remains stable and secure. The railing will also provide a comfortable handhold for guests, making it easy to enter and exit the platform.

To make our treehouse even more accessible, we'll add an entry point that allows guests to easily climb up or down from the platform. We'll use a sturdy ladder or stairs to connect our platform to the ground, ensuring that our treehouse remains safe and secure for all users.

Finishing Touches

Now that our platform is complete, it's time to add some finishing touches to make our treehouse truly special. In this section, we'll show you how to add fun features such as windows, doors, and a roof to create a cozy and inviting space.

We've also added some decorations around the perimeter of the platform to make our treehouse feel more like home. These decorations include flowers, vines, and other natural elements that blend seamlessly into its surroundings.

As we continue with this project, keep in mind that individual specifics will vary depending on your situation, trees, and local regulations. Be sure to check out our other projects for inspiration and guidance as you build your own treehouse.

Before we go, let's take a moment to appreciate the beauty of our finished platform. It's been a long day, but the end result is well worth it – a sturdy and secure platform that will serve as the foundation for our treehouse.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enHey, I'm Bob and I like to make stuff. Today we're gonna start building a tree houseWe've been in our house for almost two years and pretty much every week of those two yearsprofesional dan keren habis, trimakasih ilmunyaThis is going to be a two-part videoAnd in the first part, we're gonna build a big sturdy platform and the second part will make it look really coolWe're gonna put the tree houseright up here. Many years before we got here this tree got hit by lightning and it killed a bunch of the branches right inthis area. But luckily that gives us a really good spot to put the tree house. I've got a blue line markedThat's where the platform is gonna be. But first I got to cut out the dead stuff.I'm gonna do my best not to cut out anything that's alive if I don't have to.Luckily, all this stuff is dead and it hasn't been messing up the rest of the tree.So I'm just going to get rid of the things that are kind of in the way so we can have a place to stand.We finally got all the dead stuff cut out of the tree and now it's time to start building.Now when you build a tree housethere's a bunch of different ways to do the platform and a bunch of different ways to attach it to the tree and it reallydepends on the tree that you're working with, and where your platform is in relation to it. Ours is gonna be attached to the treeon one side and going out. So to attach it we're gonna use something called a TAB.So this is a treehouse attachment bolt and this is the standard for attaching tree houses to trees at this point.Basically You drill a hole through the bark into the woodand then you screw this whole thing inthen the weight of your tree houseIs sitting on the part that's exposed.This is definitely the safest option for a tree house and the healthiest option for the tree itself.This video sponsored by Lowe's but this is a specialized item that they don't carry.In fact, most people don't carry them. I had to find these onlineI'll put a link down in the description to this hardware and that website also has some great videos on installation.Now that we got the first tab in we're trying to find the spot on the other side and make sure that those two spotsthat we're going to drill are parallel to each other. So I've got two levels hereAnd as long as both of them are levelWe should be able to do a little bit of math and figure out where the center of that other hole should be.We got the tabs put in the tree the other day and then I actually went really smoothly not too big of a deal.So now we have to drill two holes in the ground for posts. One here,one about twelve feet over thereand those posts are gonna support this end of the whole platform.Now this ground is red clayIt's got ton of rocks in it. So to drill these holes we rented an augerAfter a lot of work we got the holes just deep enough before we started hitting rocksSo we're good to go on these to figure out the size and the depth of the hole for your postsyou need to know how much of the post is going to be out of the ground.There's some calculators online that will help you figure that out. We've got ours ready to goSo now we need to set the posts and pour some concrete.We got the first post stood into place and got it locked in so it's level in both directions.Now we're gonna put in the second onebut we have to make sure that the front faces of these are coplanar and both of those faces need to beParallel to the tabs that we put in the tree.So to try to do that, we're going to screw in a 2x4 on these front faces to try to keep them in line.It's been about 24 hours so the concrete is set up.We're gonna keep these supports in place while we continue to work on it.But we've got to figure out where to cut off these postsSo we need to find the line on these posts that is level with the tab on the tree.The best way to do it is to run a really tight string between them and then hang a line level on thatIt's a really lightweight little level with some hooks on it. I can't find mineSo instead we're going to use a beam and set it on here run it acrossPut a level on top of that and then mark the post where we need to cut itSo what we're doing here is cutting off the top of the post and then on the top of that cut we're going to beputting the actual beam this piece that's here is still just to hold these two together and make sure they're on the same planeBut after we get this cut offWe're gonna be setting a big thick beam on top of them between them to tie them together and support the load of everything elseThis is the piece that's going to connect the beam on top of our postIt just goes down like this you put in some screws in three placesAnd then it's got a slot right here to accept the beam and the beam is gonna be made of 2 2x12'ssandwiched together. We'll make that now.Of course, I'm using pressure-treated wood for this because it's gonna live outside and then I want to last as long as possibleOkay, so those screws tie this into the beams now there is still a danger that this thing could fold over forward in case therewere a lot of load on it because it does have a pivot point on the bottom right in the center.So to try to work against that we're gonna use these ties. We're going to put them around tostrengthen the joint further up and further down on this. If we see over time that's starting to loosen upwe can always come back and put a big gusset on the front and the back side to make this even stronger.Right now is actually a really good example of a windy dayand so we're watching the tree to see how much it moves because yourspecific tree is gonna move differently depending on how high the winds are.I've watched this tree and much higher wind than this and it really doesn't move very much down here.Up at the top it moves a lot, but that's not really what we have to worry aboutSo when you pick out your tree that you're going to be working with make sure that you look at it in all sorts ofdifferent situations and figure out how much the tree movesSo you can know how long those tabs need to be and how much gap you need to put around the tree to keep itSafe, so next up. We need to tie this whole assembly to the tree and to do thatwe're gonna put some more 2x10's on the back side of this beam going back and resting on the tabs.Now this is going to be connected to this beam using these hangers.These are going to go right in the face of the beamThe joist is going to sit right in here, and then it'll be nailed in in all these placesAnd actually I want to point out that I'm using screws instead of nails just because that's a preference of mine.But most of these hangers are made to have nails in them so that the head of the nail will be flat against this materialYou can see here why we use the tab.It keeps this piece of woodseparated from the tree so that it's not rubbing on the bark and that's going to keep the tree healthier for longer. Now there isA piece of metal that often goes with these and it's a little capture piece that goes around the tab and attaches to the bottomOf the piece of wood that allows it to move a couple of inches in this direction, but not freely. Now in our casewe're gonna be tying this whole thing together. So that particular piece is not really necessary.Before we move on though. I wanted to add one more thing:I took the offcut from this post and put some 45-degree cuts on the end.And this will be a knee brace that will go right here.Once that's in place, it will stabilize this entire structure in this direction.Makes a huge difference. And it's like way better than I would have expected, to be honest.Alright so we've got those pieces in there and the purpose of those three pieces is to stop these two long ones from separating. thatThat keeps them in the same shape relative to the beam and relative to the tree.Next up we're gonna add a diagonal piece between this corner and the back corner on the tree and to do thatwe're using these joist hangers. This is made for 45 degreesSo we're gonna drop the piece down in here and then bend it just a little bit to get a little bit more angle out of it.We're gonna do one over here and one on the other side and that will give us full support for the next layer of joistsThat go on top of it.Next up we're gonna put the joists on top of this whole structure and they're gonna be faced this way going all the way down16 inches on center and I've already marked from this front edge 16 inches all the way down.So on the top of those marks, I can take these hangers and nail each one down on to the piece that's hereand then set the joist inside of it.I got all the hangers put up, but the joists are not tied in yetand that's because I don't know where they need to go left or right on this plane.So to figure that out and figure out how to cut themwe're gonna run a line of string from the front corner to the back corner.Then that'll give us our outside edge and we can line up the pieces before we nail them in place.We snapped a chalk line from this corner to the back cornerso now we have a line down each one of the joists and then Josh took the speed square and drew that line down theside, so when I cut that with the circular saw I've got a straight line to follow.Now we also measured thisangle of each line on the piece of wood with a speed square so that we made sure that the angle of the saw matched.If you don't know how to use a speed square, they're super handyand we have a bits video all about all the different things you can do with them.With that piece we have the platform completely finished.Now it's been really rainy and really windy for a few days and it's been great to be able to stand up here and seehow this thing behaveswith high winds, see how the trees moving, see how stable it is, and I'm happy to report that the thing is very stable.It's not rocking in a direction. Now that I'm happy with the structure, we've got to cover it with decking.I wanted to point out that we had to buy a whole bunch of decking and this whole thing is sponsored by Lowe's.If you don't have a way to get a bunch of decking to your houseyou can actually buy all this lumber online on Lowes.com and they'll deliver it. It's pretty cool.To lay down these boards I'm just gonna make sure that they are perpendicular to the joists and to do thatthe easiest way is to have a speed square. Lay it right here and then line up the outside edge.I'm gonna start and do that on this back edge making sure that it's laying right on top of this joist.And once I get one of them screwed downI'm gonna take some nailsand put down in between and put the next one up to it and just use these nails as the spacer.That gives a little bit of room for expansion and contraction between the piecesI made a small cut on this piece just so we can fit it into place but this line is gonna have to move outfurther from the tree so that the tree has room to move around.So once we get all these pieces in placeI'll come back with a jigsaw and cut a nice big even curve all the way around the treeThis is the gap that I've got here in between the tree and I'm going to kind of copy this gap all the way around.I'm just gonna make a really simple little scribing tool. I'm gonna just put a pencil next to my tape measuretape it all together. All that's really doing is giving me an offset from the treeSo now I can hold it away from the tree and start to kind of trace it.So here it isWe've got a great platform to start building other stuff on top of.Now like I mentioned before the individual specifics of a treehousereally have to do with the situation you're in,the trees you're working with, but essentially this is a deckYou just have to figure out how to attach the deck to a tree.So if you get into a place and you're not sure how to do it structurallyLook at how decks are made in some of the different ways people attach them to trees or houses or other structuresSo next up for this project. We've got to add a way to get in and out of itWe've got to add some safety railing around it and then we're gonna add some fun stuffMake sure you subscribe so you can see that second part of this project and big thanks to Lowe's for sponsoring this entire buildWe've got a whole bunch of other projects that you may want to check out. So be sure to check those as wellThat's it for this one. We'll see you next timeAnd it really depends on the platform type that you-(Crow caws)Ho- Wow!(Rattle of bucket of screws)That's fun.(Unintelligible inhaling noise)Got sap on my shoulder again.\n"