One cool dad shows us how to build a really awesome tree house without a tree and with as "little work as possible." Check out these easy-to-follow steps to do your own DIY treehouse without a tree. Once you get up to the top of the ladder, you're in sort of a "cage" because there is lattice board up. When you enter the "house" part, it's basically an 12x12 space. If you work on this having some purpose, you can pull it off in 3 weekends- working diligently. If your kids are older, they can help!
Materials Needed
Quantity of each depends on what size treehouse you're going to build.
- 8 ft boards
- 12 ft. boards
- plywood (8'x4')
- Four 4x6's in the ground to make sure it's sturdy. Plant them into 3.5 ft. of concrete.
- 2x4'sx12's -angling out for a balcony
- 4 small trees- plant them at every corner of the treehouse, so that in time, they will grow up and around the "house" to make it look even more like an official treehouse.
- Stainless steel 3" screws (a lot of them)
The Balcony
In order to be sure this is built to code, you need to make sure the vertical posts are less than 4" apart. This is easily measured by simply putting a 2x4 between each. This guy thinks -easy!!!
The Ladder
The way to build this ladder is to make it so that the kids (even the younger ones) can't slip through the cracks as they climb their way up. The way these steps are made, is so that kids have to lean all the way forward in order to climb them, preventing them from falling.
Sleek Entrance/Exit Circle
If you cut out a circle in the plywood, the kids can get in and out of the treehouse and out onto the balcony with ease. They'll think this is much cooler than a "regular" doorway. Right? Of course!
The Floor
You can just use 2x4s just like building a deck for the floor of the treehouse. The 2x4's are 12' long.
The Roof
You'll use wood for approximately 2ft. on each side, and then use polycarbonate for the rest of the roof. This allows sunshine to come through, and allows you to see the stars, the trees and even the rain.
You can totally use all polycarbonate, but this particular builder thought it through, and since he lives in Florida, he thought his kids would like to have some shady spots to sit while playing the treehouse. Smart cookie!
The wood portion of the roof goes 2ft. inside the house and 2ft. outside the house, using only one 8x4 piece of plywood (very little cutting on this sucker). This guy really thought about how to make this thing easy to build.
The Walls
Using 8x4 lattice for the walls, permits the kids to see out, but also prevents them from falling out of the house.
There you have it! You don't have a tree, but kids want you to build them a treehouse? Now you can do that! No problem! You can spend a day with the kids, have them help you, and you'll have your no-tree-treehouse built in no time.
