I'm less about blogging, and all about being in the tree! So this blog will run more as a pictorial timeline than an entertaining narrative. Sorry! Hopefully you DIY'ers out there will get a kick out of the pics and find the brief detail to be informative. Also, you may notice I've pirated my son's profile to post this. He is the true blogger in the family! ;)
At times, my methods may seem tedious and a bit over-engineered. Please keep in mind that I'm doing this alone. When it comes to 16 ft boards and doubled up members, I have to slow things down a bit and rely more on the old noodle, as opposed to my Hulk-like strength. Hah, yeah right!!
My build started with an idea that was suited to the trees available. I have 2 solid Hickories, each 14"-16" in diameter. They stand 12'-13' apart, and are ideal for a support beam run (doubled up 2x12s). The other support points for my build will be similar support beams, but supported by 6x6 posts. The following picture was created using freeware called SketchUp:
My CAD skills are suspect; so the above is more a general idea than a precise specification.
I began by determining the anchor positions on my 2 trees. Specially designed tree house anchor bolts (TABs) are used to support the project's weight, while simultaneously working with the trees biology to fortify the anchor over time. I retrieved my hardware from the guys out at Treehouses.com. They've engineered a fantastic product and have been very helpful in assisting me over the course of my build.
5/31/15
Here I am leveling up my TAB positions with screws and a temporary 2x4:
Here is what a TAB looks like, and the mighty 3 stage bit used to drill a TAB hole:
Should you ever need to sink a TAB, I highly advise you go with Treehouses.com as they also rent the 3 stage bit that takes a lot of the leveling and precision drill-work out of the formula. When you are up a tree, and drilling holes like the one below, you want to think about as few variables as possible!
Once you have holes, it's time to start cranking some TABs! I started with a 24" pipe wrench; all the while insuring level penetration throughout the turns:
This took a lot out of me! About 70% of the way in and my full body weight, jumping and hanging couldn't get a spin. So I busted out to the ACE and an old fella mined me up a scrap pipe from behind the store. Now we are in business!
It took me 2 days to sink my 2 TABs. Here is a nice, flush install:
The first of many levels. Good enough for gub-ment work!
6/14/15
Unfortunately, my beam run between anchors needs to be at least 13'. Since the HD doesn't have a 14' board, I was in the market for 16' 2x12s! These are beasts and can totally vary in weight dependent on whether they are wet or dry. Still, old Jezebel was up for the task of hauling!
I managed to lug these boards to the backyard where I assembled a 13', doubled up 2x12 beam with construction adhesive and 3" screws set 4 at a time, every 16". I went momentarily insane and picked up the beam and set off down the landscape stairs into the woods. I didn't make it 10 yds before I regained sanity and realized I couldn't actually carry this beast! A sliding, falling, dragging event ensued. A couple of dead-lift, shoulder bruising hoists later and the beam was ready to be "hardwared" to the TABs!
6/15/15
This above beam accounts for my only 2 contact points with trees. To account for the motion that will inevitably occur between the 2 anchor TAB points, one side is affixed with a stationary bracket, and the other utilizes a sliding, or floating, bracket. Note that I secured the hardware with 10" lag screws:
6/19/15
Next up, I needed to determine the placement of my concrete footers that would anchor my 6x6 support posts. Determining placement of my first set was accomplished by constructing and leveling a temporary frame made of 2x4s:
6/23/15
With the temporary frame in place, it was easy to drop a plumb line and determine footer placement. I had originally only intended to pour 2 footers, for 2 posts. However, I realized that one footer would be dangerously close to a tree I wanted intact and undisturbed (Slim!). Slim is off the left side of the frame in the above pic. So, I decided to do 4 posts! The following displays the hole digging and concrete forming required for the first set of posts. 2 ft deep holes in Georgia red clay is no walk in the park!:
6/26/15
With the footers poured and cured, it was time to affix the footer brackets to the 10" lag bolts I had already sunk into the concrete when wet. Atop these brackets, I temporarily placed my 6x6 posts, along with the help of my temporary deck form, to determine the end height of my posts:
Knowing the needed height, I was then in position to cut them down and woodwork the notches necessary for holding my other doubled up 2x12 beams to come:
That's my handy little generator in the background. His name is R2!
6/28/15
With my notched posts in hand, I righted, leveled and secured them to the footer post brackets and then assembled yet another temporary framework 1) to help secure these posts in place until they are put under load and 2) determine via plumb again the placement of my next set of footers:
7/1/15
With flags in the ground for my next set of footers, I dug and formed up another set:
7/4/15
With the second set of footers cured, I went through another temporary post leveling, cutting, notching, righting, leveling & securing exercise to arrive at the following. Again, all 2x4 members are temporary:
7/5/15
Having learned from my last massive beam toting debacle, I assembled my next 2 major support beams (10' doubled up 2x12s) on-site and at the base of their eventual post homes. I hoisted them into position and temporarily secured them to the notched posts with screws. Once I commence with the actual deck framing, consequently putting all beams and posts under stabilizing weight, I intend to run carriage bolts through the beams and notched posts for added security.
On a side note, I've been listening to, talking to, and generally obsessing over the wellness and preservation of the trees incorporated into my project. Momma and Papa support my major beam. Slim is the one in the foreground. PeeWee sits off the front of the build. I may be turning into the Lorax!?!
7/8/15
Now it is time to construct the actual deck frame that will be the basis of the deck and tree house. It is a 2x10 frame, with all rim boards doubled up, that measures 9.5 ft by 16 ft. It is intended that there will be a foot or 2 of unused space behind the house due to the tendency of Papa to lean into the overhead build space (Build space accommodating the actual house. So room is needed for vertical height and roof-line). The shed itself will have an approximately 9.5 ft by 10 ft footprint, and the open deck off the front will extend approximately 3.5-4 ft.
In order for me to stand the 16 ft rim boards upright and position them for the attachment of the 9.5 ft end boards, I nailed in temporary 2x4 tracks to hold them. Again, working alone here!
I then slid my 16' boards up into the tracks and they were then stable enough for me to affix the end, rim boards:
WARNING! Tree house building may transform you into an ironic, Flashdance version of your former self! Here I am wishing that a bucket of water would fall on me from the ceiling:
7/9/15
Working in this piecemeal, solo fashion, I began doubling up the rim boards. The following pic presents the side, 16' boards doubled up and secured. Also, where the frame meets the post-beam constructs, I've begun to firm up the install with hurricane ties. Where the deck rests on the beam between the trees, the deck will simply slide on heavy duty, plastic pads. This is desirable as that beam moves with the motion of the trees!
The end rim boards have yet to be doubled up. The inside boards on the end will hold the multiple joist hangers supporting the many 16' 2x10 joists that will run the length of the frame. I intend to configure these on the ground, with secured joist hangers, before affixing them in their final home.
Looks like it's time to do some limb pruning!
