It takes a little time, so now you can: build a tree house
29 Mar 2024Updated: 4 hours ago | 52 people are reading
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A plan for parents, children or anyone looking for something to do now: build a real tree house. Make one with a hatch, a fire station or let children experiment for themselves.
"A tree house has something magical," says Antoinette Blok, certified tree house builder. "For children, it means freedom: away from everything, to a world where everything is possible. And adults become children again when they build a hut. It's something you will never forget."
Blok already has more than a hundred huts built. "I used to be away from home all days and I always played outside. Now it seems less space, parents are often overprotective. While it is so wonderful for children. They are busy, they are outside, and a tree house stimulates the imagination."
The best tips for making a tree house?
"It is easy for a novice to work close to the ground. Make a platform on stilts around a tree. The poles insert at least 60 centimeters deep in the ground, stamp them well from underneath. Make a platform of beams and planks on the posts. Attach the beams through and through with a threaded end to the posts. That is much sturdier than a few Keep some distance between the boards to allow the water to drain. "
" If you still want to attach a joist to the tree, make sure you put something in the tree where the joist At rest, you do not block the sap flow in the tree. "
" On the platform you make a wall of beams that you panel with shelves. Four walls and the base of the hut stands. If you are afraid of building the roof, put a tarp over it. "
" It is a good idea to make a floor plan first. Children can enjoy drawing and cutting and pasting about how the cabin should look. Have them make a flag for the hut themselves. "
A tree house on stilts, low to the ground. (Source: Boomhutbouwen.nl)
What fun things could you add at the cabin?
"So much! A homemade swing from a tree branch on a rope, a system to bring in a bucket. You can make a climbing pole by drilling holes in one of the posts and punching pieces of an old broomstick through it. Or use a scaffolding pipe as a pole to slide down. It's not that difficult: just make a hole with a ground drill, insert the post and tamp it. "
" A hatch in the bottom is cool, but a bit more difficult to make. Also fun for advanced handymen: putting real windows in the tree house, making a watchtower or balcony, a rope bridge ... "
Isn't the fun for children mainly in making a hut themselves? H2 >
"Absolutely, let them do something! My children used tape to tape things together. It is all about messing around. But with a real tree house it is of course smart if adults first build the base. After that, children can let their imaginations run wild. "
Which wood is best to use?
" I like to use many different types of wood, it seems like the hut has been there for years. That is why I use scrap wood, a sustainable option. When I use new wood, it is usually Douglas fir. You can also look for wood in the woods. From branches you can make nice balustrades and railings of furniture. "
Do you have nice DIY tips for inside the cabin?
" The possibilities are endless! For example, build a cupboard from wine boxes. Make a kitchen out of wood where you screw in steel containers as a sink. Build a marble track against the wall or a water track from cut bamboo poles. Or a secret storage place, how about that? "