Materials - Sub Flooring

From the main beams and floor joists upwards, the bulk of the building materials used in the treehouse will be either recycled or reclaimed material. The floor where the building of the treehouse is to be situated will be 7/16 OSB sub floor, with reclaimed tongue and groove maple hardwood on top. The OSB is offcuts and scrap roofing material, from the local subdivision. The easiest way to get as much scrap building materials as you want is make friends with the framing crew supervisor, bring the gang four Tim Horton's coffee one morning, and they will give you run of the scrap bin! That's how I do it at least.

Deck Foundation

As most of the deck of the treehouse will be hanging out to one side of the main support tree, I had to figure out a way to support it using the tree itself somehow, and not resorting to additional support posts. The simplest and most evident manner appeared to be using a single main 'outrigger' beam to provide support for the four floor beams away from the tree. This beam would then be supported by two angled brace posts which would then be attached to the trunk of the tree very clost to the base. I decided that this support should be angled in the same direction as the support posts, pretty much 45 degrees from vertical. I constructed four small angle blocks to support this beam (one block for each floor beam supported by it). In addition, I cut a small 1-1/2 inch notch in each floor beam to accommodate a very secure attachment of the main beam to each of these floor beams. Check out the pictures, which shows the detail very well!

Why I Have The Best Dad In The World! Reason # 23 944 813

So maybe I am exaggerating a bit on the number of reasons why I think my dad happens to be the absolute best. In reality, I (and my sisters) am very fortunate to have two very wonderful parents - the worlds best, in my opinion - and there are countless reasons for this. What follows is just one of many.

In the construction of the treehouse, I needed a way to keep the four floor beams lined up at 90 degrees to the main beams that support them. I decided that in the back a metal framing bracket would do, and although the appearance was ugly, it would be hidden from view. On the front however, I opted for wood blocks, as they would provide excellent strength, perfect alignmnent, and nice aesthetic appeal. I decided that the 'post blocks' (short lengths of 4x4 post) would look nice if they were designed to resemble an ornamental 'hanging' finial, like you would find on a staircase or the like. Who better than to contract this job to than my father, master of all things creative, and an experienced home woodworker. Giving him nothing more than the specific dimensions of the total length of post block, length of finial carving, and a general idea of what I wanted, I let him get to work.

As usual, his work far exceeded my expectaions! Not only did he source a length of cedar post at no charge from his neighbor (who was removing a deck and giving away the scrap), he produced four absolutely beautiful turned finials, each with distinctly different designs. And not only were the designs different, they were all extremely detailed, and very creative in their appearance. To top it all off, the dimensions and fit were also absolutely perfect. as evidenced by the photographs of one of the four in place.

Successful Scrounging!

Over the past month I have been busy locating specific materials, and have found some interesting sources. I have managed to find a nice supply of cedar log skins, a bit of sheet steel, and a fantastic supply of both 2x4 and 1x4 lumber...

The cedar is the outermost wood and bark from cedar logs, the waste from a small cutting and milling operation that friends of Katherine (Dave and Eileen, thanks!) on Carson Lake had done. I think they had about 25 or so cedars on their property felled, and then cut into lumber that they used for projects and sold to friends. The leftover scrap they donated will be cut down and used for feature siding and possibly window frames.

I will use the sheet steel (approx 1-1/2" x 6 ft) underneath the two main beams, to protect them where they slide over the bracket on the small tree. I found it at Golden Triangle Specialty metal in Cambridge, a company that I visited when working as a courier. The guys there were kind enough to donate it to the cause!

The lumber comes from Dan, my next door neighbour, who works as a flat metal roofer (I think). Apparently his materials are delivered in large crates about 3' x 4' and anywhere from 8' to 20' long! After they remove the materials, the crates are broken down into garbage - until now! Dan has volunteered to bring a reasonable supply home which I will then dissassemble. They provide 2x4" studs, as well as 1" thick lumber which I will use as sub floor under the finish floor deck of the treehouse.

I think using these (and other supplies like them) is is a great way to reduce construction costs, aid in reuse and recycling, and keep stuff out of the landfill. Win-Win all around, thanks to everyone who helped out!

More Mulling

As the floor joists slowly go up over the four main beams, I have been thinking of what I want the actual treehouse to look like, or the style in which I want to build it. Sorry folks, but unpainted exterior grade plywood walls are unacceptable!
I want something that will look as much in place (as a house within a tree can look) as possible, so natural (or natural looking) materials, and a rustic appearance are required. Finances also dictate that the materials must be reasonably priced, so I will be looking at reclaimed, donated and/or discarded materials also. On the short list of possible materials are board and batten siding, cedar shakes or shingles, lapped board siding, and even waste skins from cedar logs.
I am planning on giving the treehouse a design and appearance based on the Craftsman (USA early 20th century) or Arts and Crafts (English and European, late 19th century) styles of architecture. I have included a link to one of my favorite websites, Robinson Residential Designs Inc., a Regina Saskatchewan based architectural firm specializing only in the Craftsman style. Check them out by clicking on the picture of the gorgeous house!