Wrapped around our treehouse!!

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sams

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Or rather, wrapped around our tree!!

Hi Experts!

Need your advice - we built a 'low' treehouse a couple of years ago around what I think is a sequoia tree.
The treehouse builder left room around the trunk but the tree has grown!!
Here are the latest pics - one closeup, one shows how the trunk is touching the roof of the treehouse and one far length.
https://imgur.com/a/1uqR1e5

What should we do? We would like to preserve the tree and also keep our investment in the treehouse.
Are there any suggestions on the best course of action?

Thanks!
Sam
 
The pics are just a hair blurry on my end so I cannot make out the leaves to tell you a species it looks to be either a maple or an oak but I'm blind on my side so I'm speculating. Definatly not a sequoia tho! That tree will continue to grow, a little bit every year till it dies. You absolutely need to get that decking away from the trunk it will, very soon, start damaging the bark and causing the tree to be girdled wich will lead to its demise. That wall also needs to be addressed where it is touching the tree roof too. The roof could be hacked at with a sawzall to give a little clearance but the base of the wall not such an easy fix. How is the structure attached to the tree?

Overall I'd say this tree house was poorly designed... no room to spare anywhere

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Structure stands on its own - just around the tree. There was more space around the trunk a few years back.

1. At what rate is this going to grow? If we try something temporary like cutting away some of the deck it might be important to know how much time we are buying.

2. How long will the tree live? We are not talking about infinite expansion are we? :)

3. What width will it max out at?

Thanks again for your help!
Sam
 
Structure stands on its own - just around the tree. There was more space around the trunk a few years back.

1. At what rate is this going to grow? If we try something temporary like cutting away some of the deck it might be important to know how much time we are buying.

2. How long will the tree live? We are not talking about infinite expansion are we? :)

3. What width will it max out at?

Thanks again for your help!
Sam

At this point the tree could grow 1/8 to 1/4 inch a year. Disclaimer I've never studied diameter growth of trees in great detail... it's also dependent on climate.

The tree could live 100 200 300 400 years if it survives bug and disease attacks also human disturbances. Yes trees infinatly expand as they age its slower but every year a tree adds a ring.

Not knowing the species of tree I cant say for sure how big it will get but it could get 3 foot in diameter over many many years. Maybe more agIn many many variables.

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There really isn't any limit to the diameter of the trunk, other than how long the tree can survive... it will eventually die, but it could be eight feet in diameter by then.

Those ultra-rare, Sequoia-Oak trees can get huge...
 
I think your best bet would be to remove the treehouse, but given that you want to keep both it and the tree I would suggest you cut with a reciprocating saw or remove the deck boards between the tree and fence, then move the entire treehouse structure to the point it is well clear of the tree. It looks like the treehouse is on post and pier and with a hydraulic jack and a temporary wood structure to support it while it skids several feet the job would be doable.

upload_2018-8-4_11-57-6.png
 
Btw this is a sequoia I'd say your little house is doomed lol
822e90e055ad58358da7bcd4fba94b0a.jpg


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A good water supply and ground conditions will encourage tree growth. IMO, unless you can re-design the treehouse to allow for unlimited tree growth, one or the other is going to go. The bigger the tree gets, the harder it will be to remove it with the treehouse in place.
 
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