My dad has been working on a tree house in his backyard for about 9 months or more. I started this post several months ago and have been adding pictures/video as he has added tree house square footage.
The initial tree house plans seemed simple enough – a spiral staircase up the tree trunk to a fenced platform.
Simple.
Except that isn’t exactly my dad’s style…remember extreme play house?
So he built a spiral staircase and a tree house platform.
And then a zipline.
And then a door to open to access the zipline and a fold-out zipline platform to have exactly the right launch height.
Because if you are going on a zipline, you definitely want to be launched at the correct height from the tree house.
And then a fireman’s pole…and then a fire pole floor cover for the tree house floor.
And then tree house walls.
And then a tree house roof.
Oh, and then a bucket.
The kids were pretty obsessed with the bucket. Up goes the bucket via the pulley. Down goes the bucket via gravity.
The bucket was popular from above.
The bucket was popular from below.
And then a tree house tower which will lead up to a 2nd floor.
2nd floor?
Yep, now he is working on the tree house second floor. It is now the end of November and he has gotten a lot more done:
The tower now has stairs between the first and second tree house floors. This is the view from above and you can see that he continued the spiral stair theme.
The second floor will be an open air roof top patio. He is still working on the railing, but you can already enjoy the view:
Not a bad place to play.
I shot a quick video tree house tour on Thanksgiving Day when we were visiting. Let me just apologize now for the incorrect aspect ratio – I wasn’t thinking!
He got some of the tree house ideas from the Stiles Design book, Tree Houses You can Actually Build and their website. He found that the information was really helpful with the spiral stairs and ideas for building structures in a tree without harming the tree.
This appears that it will be a multi-year project, which makes it exciting to see what is new at each visit and I will continue to update.
That is amazing. Wow. I can’t get over how gorgeous it is. Your kids are so effing lucky! The staircase is my favorite part closely followed by the view. Stunning. 🙂
Okay, this tree house is turning out to be way better than my *actual* house.
My boys are mourning the impending loss of their tree house when we move next week. It has a rock wall, a fireman pole, a perch up high in the tree, and it HAD a zip line until someone (*cough*theirfather*cough*) broke it. We are taking some of the wood to the new house to build a fort since the trees aren’t big enough to support a tree house.
Holly – i have an awesome Christmas gift idea for your Dad: me! Extra daughters are always nice – and it’d be a great deal for you too. I promise to never show you up. In fact I’ll make you look good by routinely forgetting birthdays or anniversaries. Let me know.
I have no words! Okay I do but all all I can say is this is completely and totally amazing! What boy wouldn’t want to grow up playing and dreaming in that! Hope your Dad lives close! And keep the pictures coming! Please.
WOW! Grandpa did an amazing job on the kids tree house. It looks great! It looks like your kids are loving it. I sell custom made tree houses for a living and I am VERY impressed with his work.
I want to move in! Your kids are so lucky…as is grandpa! Can’t wait to read more stories. I can imagine the adventures your family will have with such a cool treehouse.
The tower now has stairs between the first and second tree house floors. This is the view from above and you can see that he continued the spiral stair theme.
The second floor will be an open air roof top patio. He is still working on the railing, but you can already enjoy the view:
Not a bad place to play.
I shot a quick video tree house tour on Thanksgiving Day when we were visiting. Let me just apologize now for the incorrect aspect ratio – I wasn’t thinking!
He got some of the tree house ideas from the Stiles Design book, Tree Houses You can Actually Build and their website. He found that the information was really helpful with the spiral stairs and ideas for building structures in a tree without harming the tree.
This appears that it will be a multi-year project, which makes it exciting to see what is new at each visit and I will continue to update.
That is amazing. Wow. I can’t get over how gorgeous it is. Your kids are so effing lucky! The staircase is my favorite part closely followed by the view. Stunning. 🙂
I wonder if my dad will build my kids a tree house like that? THAT THING IS AWESOME!
And if he built it just for this wonderful blog post (because in my head he did it for that reason alone), tell him thanks! Now I am full of envy.
oh my goodness! that is AMAZING! i want to come live in your tree house!
Okay, this tree house is turning out to be way better than my *actual* house.
My boys are mourning the impending loss of their tree house when we move next week. It has a rock wall, a fireman pole, a perch up high in the tree, and it HAD a zip line until someone (*cough*theirfather*cough*) broke it. We are taking some of the wood to the new house to build a fort since the trees aren’t big enough to support a tree house.
Sure wish your dad could help!!
So I must have misplaced place your address, because we are coming over to play in the tree house!! That thing is amazing & your dad is very talented!
Holly – i have an awesome Christmas gift idea for your Dad: me! Extra daughters are always nice – and it’d be a great deal for you too. I promise to never show you up. In fact I’ll make you look good by routinely forgetting birthdays or anniversaries. Let me know.
Can I borrower your father? My kids will NEVER see this….they’d be so jealous! How fun and how lucky are your boys?!
I have no words! Okay I do but all all I can say is this is completely and totally amazing! What boy wouldn’t want to grow up playing and dreaming in that! Hope your Dad lives close! And keep the pictures coming! Please.
WOW! Grandpa did an amazing job on the kids tree house. It looks great! It looks like your kids are loving it. I sell custom made tree houses for a living and I am VERY impressed with his work.
I want to move in! Your kids are so lucky…as is grandpa! Can’t wait to read more stories. I can imagine the adventures your family will have with such a cool treehouse.