"To get the most support with the least likelihood of hurting the tree, you want to use fewer, bigger bolts (rather than a lot of smaller screws or nails). These are 1.25” diameter, 15” long galvanized lag bolts, 4 of which will bear the entire weight of the treehouse. In my case that total was roughly 1,000 pounds, a tiny fraction of what these bolts will hold. This is the general idea when putting kids at height: overbuild for safety."
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ArxFerrum 9 year s ago
Beautiful treehouse. The only downside is that those bolts into the tree might actually lead to those sections dying off.
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gigantes 9 year s ago
you think so? only a little bit of the living tissue (around the bark) is being damaged... the bulk of the bolt is going in to long-dead wood. then again maybe you mean rot or termites could get in.
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treehugger73 9 year s ago
These big bolts should not have been drilled into the tree. He will get rot and fungus and all that in the poor tree. Doesn't matter that only the cambium is the living bit. (If you drill through a human's skin, muscle and bone the same way, you'll get the same problems, only much faster).
You can "hang" a tree house on flexible, sturdy slings. These are more flexible in a storm and can be more easily adjusted to changes (and growth).
You can "hang" a tree house on flexible, sturdy slings. These are more flexible in a storm and can be more easily adjusted to changes (and growth).
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gigantes 9 year s ago
yeah i thought slings would be another way of doing this.
anyway, thanks for the explanation. what about if he tar-sealed the area where the bolts go in to prevent rot / fungus? also, i'm thinking the bolt itself would give support where the wood had been drilled out, similar to how such steel pieces are sometimes placed inside human bones to add support.
anyway, thanks for the explanation. what about if he tar-sealed the area where the bolts go in to prevent rot / fungus? also, i'm thinking the bolt itself would give support where the wood had been drilled out, similar to how such steel pieces are sometimes placed inside human bones to add support.
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treehugger73 9 year s ago
Well, I think the OP should ask a professional about what to do. The thing is, those rods may give support when pushed upon, but they for sure don't give stability against pulling forces. Implants in humans are applied very cunningly, I think this can't be compared. Also, bones heal, core wood in trees doesn't...
You can "hang" a tree house on flexible, sturdy slings. These are more flexible in a storm and can be more easily adjusted to changes (and growth).
anyway, thanks for the explanation. what about if he tar-sealed the area where the bolts go in to prevent rot / fungus? also, i'm thinking the bolt itself would give support where the wood had been drilled out, similar to how such steel pieces are sometimes placed inside human bones to add support.