Build the Ultimate Backyard Tree House

It’s every kid’s dream —and every dad’s dream project.

Published September 12, 2018

A tree house is every child’s dream — a home away from home, a secret hideout, a base of operations for mischief and imagination. And, let’s be honest, for weekend-warrior dads with a garage full of power tools, it’s the ultimate project. If you’re ready to take on this lofty project, here’s how to get your kids their dream castle in the air.

The Perfect Tree

Designing a stable palace or fortress requires a sturdy hardwood tree, like maple, oak, fir, beech, or hemlock, to support the structure. A cropping of two or more trees may be ideal to distribute the weight of the structure. If you are building on a single tree, try to find one with a V-shaped trunk, which will help balance the tree house’s center of gravity and reduce strain on the tree.

Remember, trees are living things. Just as your kids will eventually outgrow the tree house, the tree will continue to grow during the life of their floating playhouse. Your design should leave space for the tree’s trunks and branches to grow.

The Master Plan

As you exercise your secret inner architect, think about the different approaches you could take. There are several great resources online that offer building plans. But at the end of the day, this is your tree house, so make sure it reflects your family’s style and imagination.

Dream Houses

Pirate Ship:Add a mast, cloth sail, and a helm for your kids to steer through the trees. Don’t forget hats!
Rapunzel’s Tower: Decorate with flowers and vines, and instead of the famous long hair, add a rope swing.
Medieval Castle: Add turrets and hand-sewn flags to make your tree house feel fit for royalty.
Classic Fort: Make it the perfect hideout with camouflage, a rope ladder, and a secret trapdoor.

How to Build

For support, attach the base directly to the trunk, or hang it.
For a single tree trunk, cantilever the beams and support them from below. Make sure the load is over the base of the tree and not skewed to one side.
Use lag bolts, which cause less damage to the tree than through bolts.
The more you drill into the tree, the greater the potential for rot and disease.
Placing boards directly against the trunk can cause water to collect and increase the chance for rot.
Your tree house will have to endure all sorts of weather. In heavy winds, it can strain the root base of a tree. Building on the lower third of the tree and using floating brackets will allow the trunk to sway freely in the breeze.

Building Resources

Protect Your Fortress

To make sure your tree house is safe and legal, research local ordinances and call a safety inspector out to your property to review your plans and site. According to Luis Villarreal, a Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent in Plano, these are four things you should know about insuring your tree house.

Tree houses are typically covered by the “other structures” clause of your homeowners policy, which gives them coverage of up to 10 percent of your dwelling’s value.
Depending on your design, you may need to up your other structures coverage to compensate for the tree house.
Injuries and accidents in the tree house would be covered under the medical section of your homeowners policy. Each case would be subject to an investigation; if the homeowner was found negligible, the liability policy would cover the injury.
It’s important to speak with your Agent before you build to make sure your current coverage is sufficient.

Looking for more projects with the kiddos? Try growing a family garden.

Coverage and discounts are subject to qualifications and policy terms and may vary by situation.