# Ever built a treehouse? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 24, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-built-a-treehouse/537227 "2010-04-24T18:11:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-built-a-treehouse/537227/21 "2010-04-26T02:09:46Z")
> [@the lone cashew](#): > > Sorry for all the extra spacings. My pasting skills need improving. :o It’s not hard once you learn. Right click on the link Choose copy Right Click in the message body Choose paste. I liked your story. I would have been sneaking beers up in mine. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Kerrman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/45deac/32.png) [@Joe\_Kerrman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Kerrman)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-built-a-treehouse/537227/22 "2010-04-26T03:18:43Z")
Thanks, \*\*the lone cashew. \*\* I’m actually not sure what kind of tree it is. I think it’s a mulberry, and I wouldn’t mind having it identified for me, seein’s how you are interested in trees. I’ll start a thread and post some pics soon as the rain stops. It’s not very tall, but it’s extremely wide,and has a nice split in the middle where I was able to build the treehouse. It’s one of the last trees to bud in the spring. It took a real beating before I moved here; I spent the entire summer before I built the treehouse pulling out ginormous vines, so the crown is in bad shape and still recovering. I’m in southeast Pa., if that helps. Thanks. Sorry for the hijack, **John Di Fool.** ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-built-a-treehouse/537227/23 "2010-04-26T03:27:09Z")
Thanks **Perciful**. Very cool link! I had to bookmark that one, will be cking it out later. ETA, thank you **Joe**! It does look like it could be a mulberry. Looking forward to the pics! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-built-a-treehouse/537227/24 "2010-04-26T03:37:48Z")
Yup! Grew up in a housing development under construction, next to 4 other housing developments under construction. Scrap lumber was available by the truckload. A neighbor was a carpenter, and he made me a wood .30cal machinegun that I situated to cover the yard. Ahhh, those were the days. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-built-a-treehouse/537227/25 "2010-04-26T13:28:48Z")
[Treehouses: The Art and Craft of Living out on a Limb](http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0395629497?tag=coostu-21&camp=526&creative=3938&linkCode=st1&creativeASIN=0395629497&adid=18JV1MVT17WKV8FNCYMH) This is the book I was talking about. It’s a must for all you adults with the little kid still inside them and esp recommended for those who have ever fantasized about taking on the art of building one. The book covers tree selection, building techniques - it’s a lot of fun just to browse and thumb through since it has great pics accompanied by descriptions. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-built-a-treehouse/537227/26 "2010-04-26T13:43:20Z")
Built one with and for my kids about 12 years ago at a family property in Michigan. About 12’ up a 3-trunked ash. FIL had HEAPS of old lumber to pick from. Going with the 3 trunks, we nailed up a triangular frame. Access was through a trap door. The classiest thing was we found a bunch of tongue-and–groove flooring. The walls were only partial - just enough to discourage kids from tumbling out and to give a sense of privacy. One end was a “porch” with a railing where you could dangle your feet. Built another triangle about 8’ higher which served as a roof/2d floor, accessed by a ladder from the porch. WAY too dangerous to be constructed/used by kids the ages my kids were then, but we all had fun and no one died. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Kerrman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/45deac/32.png) [@Joe\_Kerrman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Kerrman)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-built-a-treehouse/537227/27 "2010-04-27T02:55:15Z")
That was the book that inspired me, **Mr. Cashew**. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-built-a-treehouse/537227/28 "2010-04-27T03:37:29Z")
I’m not a carpenter of any stripe, but I’ve been thinking that the top part of a [papasan chair](http://www.pier1.com/Catalog/Furniture/Furniture/tabid/519/CategoryID/158/List/0/catpageindex/2/Level/a/ProductID/567/ProductName/Papasan-Chair-Stool-Frames--Brown/Default.aspx) attached to a three way fork with zip ties or some such might make a fun nest for the kids. We have a red maple that isn’t very tall, but has lots of low branches that make it easy climbing for the 5-8yo set. There’s a spot about 7 feet up that I think could work. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-built-a-treehouse/537227.md?page=1)