Treehouses: Anyone ever advise for those and trees?

[M.D. Vaden]

I was making a tree house web page tonight, and locating my tree house photos.

Later, I found some links, from Oregon, and there are some really deluxe tree houses out here.

There's a resort not far from Cave Junction, Oregon

http://www.treehouses.com

There's some good links in there too. Look at the right side - there's a drop down menu.

Have any of you been called to give advice on how to attach a tree house within a tree, or been asked about how fast the trees will expand, so that people can plan their projects?

 

[Boa07]

I have no direct personal experience beyond the building of tree houses for my own kids in years gone by, but I did come across this small piece by Kim Coder on the topic, doesn't contain anything you won't already know but might save some time putting together an info sheet for future clients in this area.

View attachment 49507

 

[treeseer]

This is a fun branch of arboriculture. I helped Tom Dunlap build one in a white oak in my yard--47' off the ground. It's Nice! I'm due to build one for a friend this spring--whoops, spring has sprung and it ain't done.

Watch the zoning codes and talk to the neighbors--one call from them and it can be ordered to be removed.

TCI sells a book by John Harris on treehouses. It's very good.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Here's an image I put on my treehouse page - this is at Its A Burl - known as the Burl Gallery, not far from Cave Junction, Oregon.

 

[maxburton]

I never recommend building them, and I've recommended removing more than a few. What with the trees expanding into the structure and the wood rotting around any anchoring devices and the myriad of other risks to trees and people, I can't suggest them.

 

[treeseer]

I never recommend building them, and I've recommended removing more than a few. What with the trees expanding into the structure and the wood rotting around any anchoring devices and the myriad of other risks to trees and people, I can't suggest them.

All these can be issues but if the job is done right they all can be avoided. Risk is everywhere; even in bomb shelters.

The only thing to fear is fear, as Frankie D. said.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

All these can be issues but if the job is done right they all can be avoided. Risk is everywhere; even in bomb shelters.

The only thing to fear is fear, as Frankie D. said.

Likewise, I noticed in a link within a website I posted, that some of these are professionally done - virtually passing building codes in Jackson County, Oregon, at the resort Treehouse place.

Looks like they have arborists and other people providing top-notch advice for construction, stability and tree preservation.

 

[Tim Krause]

I never recommend building them, and I've recommended removing more than a few. What with the trees expanding into the structure and the wood rotting around any anchoring devices and the myriad of other risks to trees and people, I can't suggest them.

some people put tree houses in poor locations. i was working south of grants pass for a utility contractor when we were called out to remove a tree house built in some cedars directly under power lines. the top deck of the tree house was within 14 feet of a main distridution line. we were instructed to remove the tree house and top the row of ceaders low enough to keep kids further away from the power lines.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

some people put tree houses in poor locations. i was working south of grants pass for a utility contractor when we were called out to remove a tree house built in some cedars directly under power lines. the top deck of the tree house was within 14 feet of a main distridution line. we were instructed to remove the tree house and top the row of ceaders low enough to keep kids further away from the power lines.

Can you imagine some parent's kids becoming chicken McNuggets !!

14' is too close for mischief.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Try Scott Baker, he's a member here, but he's not posted for over a month.

Scott talks all over the country on tree houses.

Scott D. Baker, RCA
Tree Solutions Inc.
Seattle WA

 

[rbtree]

Try Scott Baker, he's a member here, but he's not posted for over a month.

Scott talks all over the country on tree houses.

Scott D. Baker, RCA
Tree Solutions Inc.
Seattle WA

He's been backpacking and camping in the Grand Canyon for two weeks, da bum...!!

He's also done a bunch of consulting with Mark Garnier in developing the Garnier limb, which is a nifty design that greatly assists in improving the tree/treehouse interface.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Not to forget that he is a gentleman and scholar...well an all around nice guy.

 

[ben14826]

MD Vaden: Where's the pics of your treehouse???:camera:

 

[ben14826]

I was making a tree house web page tonight, and locating my tree house photos.

Later, I found some links, from Oregon, and there are some really deluxe tree houses out here.

There's a resort not far from Cave Junction, Oregon

http://www.treehouses.com

There's some good links in there too. Look at the right side - there's a drop down menu.

Have any of you been called to give advice on how to attach a tree house within a tree, or been asked about how fast the trees will expand, so that people can plan their projects?

Check out the fantasy flakes link on the left menu. What the heck is that???

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Check out the fantasy flakes link on the left menu. What the heck is that???

That fantasy Flakes is dead center on my screen, and wasn't there on the site when I posted this, since I visited the site. I could read their name last time, and the flake thing is blocking part of it now.

It's possible that the site got hacked, unless they are promoting something funky.

I'll attach my treehouse image. Its actually a customers. 3 levels. The owner, and two friends, designed it. They are like architect and engineer kind of guys. Had a brainstorm one day. See the firepole?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

What kind of red oak is that? I'd be concerned about decay problems long term with some of the cuts and bolt patterns.

There is one near my house, typical kids tree shack, where the tree is dieing. Gonna be a PITA to get that apart.

 

[ben14826]

That fantasy Flakes is dead center on my screen, and wasn't there on the site when I posted this, since I visited the site. I could read their name last time, and the flake thing is blocking part of it now.

It's possible that the site got hacked, unless they are promoting something funky.

I'll attach my treehouse image. Its actually a customers. 3 levels. The owner, and two friends, designed it. They are like architect and engineer kind of guys. Had a brainstorm one day. See the firepole?

The site probably got hacked.

As far as the treehouse, that is awesome! Looks well built. So what was your role in it? Advisement for the homeowner as far as tree health, etc?

 

[M.D. Vaden]

The site probably got hacked.

As far as the treehouse, that is awesome! Looks well built. So what was your role in it? Advisement for the homeowner as far as tree health, etc?

Basically, some tiny pruning to keep limbs away from the oak. I was employed to prune for their trees and shrubs, several years after the tree house was built. But it was so well built, it was well worth a photo.

They must have done any big pruning themselve, prior.

It is well built, with various flexible and sliding joints. The men did have architect / engineer backgrounds, and designed the house to flex and move to a certain degree.

Not perfectly though. It's certain that the tree or the treehouse will do a bit of "bang-up" on one another sooner or later.

 

[John464]

All these can be issues but if the job is done right they all can be avoided. Risk is everywhere; even in bomb shelters.

The only thing to fear is fear, as Frankie D. said.

how is a tree house "done right?" I have never seen one that would not, over time, put a damper on a tree's health. Tree houses, while are neat for the kids, should not be recommend by an arborist. Especially since it makes a real pain when it comes time to working on the tree. NAILS!

 

[M.D. Vaden]

how is a tree house "done right?" I have never seen one that would not, over time, put a damper on a tree's health. Tree houses, while are neat for the kids, should not be recommend by an arborist. Especially since it makes a real pain when it comes time to working on the tree. NAILS!

Never seen one where the treehouse is on its own supports without touching the tree?

That's something I mentioned on the tree house web page I made this week.

I've seen it done, and encourage it, if practical.