The greatest summer project ever known to mankind is building a treehouse, but don't do it by yourself and definitely don't think it's all fun and games. Building a treehouse is hard work and needs to follow rules or you might end up falling head first into the lake. Here is a step-by-step instruction guide to building a treehouse.
Step 1 - Do it... NOW!!!
The all-time greatest summer project is building a treehouse, however the all-time greatest summer project NEVER finished is building a treehouse. Don't take building a treehouse lightly. It takes time and dedication to get the job done, so you need to schedule your life around it. Motivation is the key to success... if you realize how much fun it is is to make and have a treehouse, you will follow through with the plans.
Step 2 - Building Buddy
Bart's TreehouseCourtesy of The Simpsons
Building a treehouse with a buddy is a must and it''s great to keep you motivated. Just like eating healthy food, or getting lots of exercise, doing it with someone else helps motivate each other to do it consistently. So it will be tougher to get lazy and take a day off working on the treehouse if you don't want to let your BFF down. And because building a treehouse is just for fun, whoever's involved in the project will probably become closer to you than you ever imagined.
Step 3 - Map it out
Drawing a TreehouseCourtesy of i365art.com
Drawing everything out on paper is extremely important. Not only does it provide you with a picture for your vision, but it will also make you organized, safe and easy. The more you draw out of paper, the easier the project will be. There are a lot of good ideas of treehouses on the internet. If you don't feel like being creative, just print out the instructions from a website that has all the instructions for you to follow. However, the best treehouses are always the ones that built with original blueprints!
Step 4 - Tree Tips
Cool ColorCourtesy of dailygistxtra.com
If you don't have a tree picked out yet, make sure you choose a tree that is safe. The last thing you want is to fall out of a treehouse. Here are the rules for picking a tree:
- No Old Trees: Obviously if the tree is old and dead, the branches will weaken overtime and possibly break in a storm or possibly just because of the weight of the tree house.
- No Young Trees: Young trees are even worse the old trees because if the tree grows, it will slowly destroy the structure of your treehouse as it changes form.
- No Sick trees: Bend the branches a little bit to see if the tree is healthy. If it starts cracking easily, your tree might be sick. Also check for bugs that might be eating the tree. Look for holes and broken branches.
- Tree of Choice: A mature tree that has stopped growing is what you are looking for. It has a big trunk with lots of roots and if you try pushing it... it hurts.
Step 5 - Demand Donations
A treehouse can be expensive if you make it with your father, but you would be surprised how many local town hardware stores donate things to a couple of local kids making a treehouse. It happens if you try. A secret weapon is writing a blog on the internet about your experience and then promise to mention anyone some advertisement on your blog if they donate something.
Step 6 - Hammertime
You've got all the tools and materials you need to build the treehouse, so let's get hammering. Make sure you are building during appropriate hours of the day so your neighbours don't get upset with the hammering noise. It's good to work in between 9-5.
Step 7 - Making it look cool
Treehouses Made With JunkCourtesy of South Park
The coolest treehouses are creative. Don't just use the wood you buy at the hardware store to build the walls... use different things that are cluttering up your house, or lying around the neighbourhood abandonned. For example:
- Make a submarine door with some auto parts donated to you by an auto wreck yard
- Go to your favorite fast food joint and ask them if they have any wooden signs they don't use anymore
- Flatten some empty pop cans and insulate the interior of the clubhouse with them.
- Spare tires make a very cool assembly
- Tree houses will always look cool, but if it needs something... spice it up with some paint... this is your time to learn how to graphitti!
Have your say...
Are you going to make a treehouse? Let us know in the comments and send us emails with pictures so we can show the world!
