I never had a tree house growing up, but I remember vividly, the fort that dad built for me when I was around 8 or 10 years old. 6 posts set in the ground in a six pack configuration, the middle ones taller than the outers such that a bar could be spread between them. A simple platform attached about 5 feet from the ground and a tarp stretched over the bar, shielding the platform from the strong Exeter sun. I played for hours in, around, under and on top of it.
Fast forward a couple decades, its my turn to share the outdoor enjoyment with our nearly 3 year old and last weekend I put the first steps together for what will be an ever growing complex of stations throughout our own little forest. Ryder’s play set conveyed with the Ramblewood house when we sold it which was a sad thing to leave behind as it was less than a year old. He loved his fort as much as I loved mine and he still occasionally asks to go play in it. This was the driving factor for getting going on the this tree house quickly, so that not a minute of the wonderful spring outdoor air would be missed.
Although I had been working through some concepts in my brain over the last couple weeks, I hadn’t actually drawn, measured or planned a single design element until last Saturday morning when I wandered out into the yard with a tape measure and pad. Hours later I was backing my truck through the yard with a thousand pound’s worth of pressure treated materials and I quickly began framing out the basic deck.
It stands 5′ from the pine needle mattress below it and is stretched between 3 strong trees.
Later, I’ll add a simple roof line and railing to go around the perimeter as well as a tube slide and other assorted fun house designs. I can’t wait to see him clamber around on it during the lazy afternoons of summer.