Building a treehouse is great fun and a great experience for families. However, it’s important to realize that not every tree is perfect or suitable for a treehouse. Furthermore, if you have plenty of trees to work with in your backyard but you’re unsure of which tree to use, this expert guide will give you the top helpful hints. Here’s a few tips:
Best Practices When Choosing A Treehouse Tree
- Look For Tree Damage
First, while all trees grow equally, not all trees are suitable. It’s important before making any decision that you check the tree for damage. Damage can come in many forms. Some things to look for include:
- Dead trees where the branches break off easily.
- Rotting or infection of funguses that may compromise the integrity of the tree down the road.
- Lightning damage or other damage during a weather event.
- Trees that look limp while others around them are blooming well.
- Damage from white ants, damaging insects or bugs that are eating the tree.
These are some of the key areas to look for in order to avoid choosing a tree that may be dangerous at a later time.
- Height Of The Tree
Next, consider the height of the tree and the first set of strong branches. While you don’t want to go too high, having some height gives the effect of freedom. As a general rule, try to avoid going higher than 3 feet. This distance will help to reduce the risk of major injury if a fall occurs.
Next, treehouses that are built an average of 3 feet or less in height will also feel less impact from windy conditions. The higher the treehouse, the more wind speed and swaying motion it will be susceptible to. Consider the impact of the wind before you build the treehouse.
Consider the tree house door when building. If you can, try to build the treehouse in a curved effect to allow the wind to glide over it better. This will help reduce the sail effect that can be experienced with a square treehouse.
- Branch Thickness
The thickness of the branch is also important, because it ensures the treehouse is supported well. Furthermore, the additional weight of both the building and the weight of the children must be considered. The right branch should be thick enough to be able to place up to four attachment screws or bolts into it.
Additionally, the tree branch should be thick enough to secure the base of the tree house. It should be solid enough to support the treehouse floor when positioned in the center of the branch. Use support beams if the branch is not thick enough to support the tree house. The bigger the branch, the better the treehouse support will be.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing the right tree for your kids tree house, these are some of the most important things to consider. By taking your time to choose the right tree for tree houses, you’ll be able to really keep your children safe. So have you found a suitable tree yet?
About the author Daniel Stone:
Daniel has worked in the management, cutting, and caring of trees for the last 20 years. He works and helps run Bellarine Trees and is passionate about the environment and tree worker safety. He has a wife and two daughters and he enjoys playing tennis in his spare time.
– First, Anges Morley was raised on a cattle ranch. She was sent to Stanford University where she trades in her spurs for a basketball. She leads her team to victory against the University of California at Berkeley, and makes history. Ages 6 – 9.
– A girl and her father create a window box as a birthday present for her mother. Ages 4 – 7.
– Dana and the rest of the Raiders gymnastics team must learn how to deal with their biggest rivals, the Superiors. Ages 8 – 11
– Emi is a creative 7-year-old girl who shares a positive message about her curly, cotton candy hair. Great message to teach little girls about their natural hair. Ages 7 – 12.
– Next, sugar lives on the River Road sugar plantation in Mississippi. Slavery is over, but Sugar must work in the fields since both of her parents are dead. She finds joys playing with a forbidden friend, the plantation owner’s son. Ages 9 – 12.
– Sassy wants to be a ballerina. Will her big feet, long legs and her big mouth stop her from reaching her dream? Ages 4 – 8.
– Educational books should be a part of the fun as well. This book is about 14 African American innovators who played important roles in scientific and industrial progress. Ages teen and young adult.
– It’s Maddy’s first summer in the bayou. She’s a city girl, but she falls in love with the fireflies, trees and the water. Ages 8 – 12.
– Furthermore, we have a book based on the experiences of being African American and feeling different from the other children. Many will be able to relate to the struggle of trying to fit in. Ages 4 – 8.
– Daddy’s Little Princess educates young children, helps build their self-esteem, and inspire them. Most images of princesses and queens are not images of African Americans. This book introduces them to real-life African Queens and Princesses in all shades. Ages 4 – 10.
– Sam is bully. He makes Jayla feels threatened because he has bullied her because she loves astronomy and stars. He starts to bully her friends too and tries to get Jayla to bully them too. Ages 5 – 9.
– Misty Copeland encourages an African American girl who wants to be a ballerina, but is discouraged by low self-esteem and a lack of confidence. Ages 6 – 8.
– This is the third book in a series. The Gaither sisters, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern, head to the rural south to visit their grandmother, Big Ma, in Alabama. They leave Brooklyn behind and have a lifetime of fun. The first two books are One Crazy Summer and P.S. Be Eleven. Ages 8 – 12. 
– The true story of four African-American female mathematicians at NASA. Ages 8 – 12.
– A little girl takes a trip to the park with her mother. She hears a rhythm coming from the butterflies, the ice cream vendors and the world around her. She can’t contain herself, she breaks out in a dance. Ages 2 – 5.
– Next, we have a little girl who wears her favorite dress on Tuesdays. One Tuesday morning, she discovers that her favorite dress is too short. She is so disappointed, but her mother turns her favorite dress into a ruffly shirt. Her favorite dress becomes her favorite shirt. Ages 5 – 7.
– Furthermore, if your into mysteries you must read Katie Fry. She loves to solve mysteries. When she finds a lost kitten, she decides to find the owner. This book is one in a series. Ages 6 – 8.
– Lola is very happy. On Tuesdays, Lola and her mother go to the library. She enjoys the walk, checking out books, story time and the special treats she gets with her mother. Ages 2 – 5.
– Misty Copeland was the first female African-American principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. Most importantly, she’s been breaking down barriers ever since. Ages 8 – 12.
– Mixie has a black father and a white mother. People are always asking her what she is. She decides to embraces her uniqueness and be the best “Me” she can be. Ages 4 – 8.
– Additionally, we didn’t leave our disabled children. Zulay is blind, but she doesn’t let that stop from doing everything she wants to do. She has three best friends who are in her first grade class. They are study the same things. Find out what they are. Ages 4 – 8.
– Nikki and Deja live next door to each other. They do everything together, including watching Saturday morning cartoons, playing jacks, jumping rope and playing during recess. Additionally, they are in Mrs. Shelby’s third class. So, they help each other with homework. Everything is great until a new girl arrives. Ages 4 – 7.
– Last, Penny struggled with why her hair was different from her friends. She wanted to wear her hair straight too, but her mother told her that her hair was perfect just the why it was. Her mother fixes her hair in two magic puffballs. Let the fun begin. Ages 4 – 8.
Welcome to Week 111 of Mother 2 Mother’s Sunday’s Best Linkup. This is the final week of our Be My Valentine theme. We’re looking for crafts, gift ideas, recipes, date night ideas, movie ideas, cocktails, and more.
– First, Clayton and Desmond enter a contest to build a snowman. Their efforts just don’t seem to be working. So, they join forces to build the biggest snowman ever. Hurray for team work. Ages 4 – 8.
– Nikki drops his white mitten in the snow, but doesn’t realize it. It’s hard for him to find because of the white snow. As a result, the woodland animals help him search for it. Ages 1 – 3.
– A little girl sees tracks outside her window. She decides to follow the tracks only to realize that the tracks are hers from the day before.
– The children of this snow-clad chalet village build two huge snowmen. Ages 4 – 7.
– This gingerbread girl has licorice hair, and an awesome plan to outsmart the fox. Ages 2 – 5.
– Ollie is given his first pair of real skis, and sets off on an adventure. He meets lots interesting people including Ms. Thaw. Ages 3 – 6.
– Sneezy the Snowman is cold. He decided to warm up by drinking some cocoa, sits in a hot tub, stands near a fire and than melts. But children decide to build him back up. Ages 6 – 8.
– The weatherman depicts snow. Snuggling on the sofa with hot chocolate, building a snow fort, snowballs and sledding are in the future. Ages 5 – 8.
– Check out all of the objects that can be used to decorate snowmen. The book is beautifully illustrated. Ages 3 – 8.
– Additionally, there’s a snow globe on the mantel in a family’s home. Inside the snow globe is a family waiting for someone to shake the globe so there will be a blizzard. Will a family member shake the globe? Who will it be? Ages 6 – 8.
– A bunny rabbit steals a snowman’s story book when he falls asleep. The snowman wants his book back. Get ready for a chase! Ages 3 – 7.
– Have you wondered what snowmen do at night? They may loose buttons, an arm or their carrot nose, but nobody knows how. Find out about the secret life of snowmen in this exciting book. Ages 4 – 7.
Ages 3 – 5.
– Tacky’s behavior annoys his friends. They are prime and proper, however, Tacky is not. But his strange behavior saves the day. Thereafter, they see him differently. Ages 4 – 7.
– Akiak is the lead dog on a team of Huskies. As usual, she head ups the team. But she hurts her paw and has to be removed from the race. Fortunately, Akiak doesn’t know that she’s been disqualified. Although she has been disqualified, she continues to run beside her team. Ages 5 – 8.
– Bear Country (Berenstein Bears) becomes a winter wonderland. Ages 4 – 7.
– Eloise’s nanny decides to take her and Weenie ice-skating! Weenie is a dog. But can dogs ice-skate? Ages 6 – 8.
– In another story, the first ten days of winter bring special gifts for a special friend. I wonder what they are? Ages 3 – 6.
– This book is great for our science lovers. It discusses snowflakes how they are formed, different regions and they snow received, and how to prepare for a snow storm. Ages 6 – 9.
– Pauline and her little brother, John-John, decide to open a lemonade stand in the winter. It’s unusual, so will they be able to sell their cold drink? Ages 3 – 7.
– Next, Lars goes hunting with his father, but he is so tired from the day’s activities he falls asleep. As a result, he doesn’t hear the ice crack. Unfortunately, he drifts away from his father and the North Pole. Will he be able to find his way back?
– Max and Molly Beckett are brother and sister. As usual, they are looking forward to their annual ski weekend with their grandfather on Powderhound Mountain. Ages 4 – 7.
– Last, Olivia and her classmates have been assigned to build the best snowman for the town’s Winter Festival. They decided to build a snowlady instead of a snowman.
