The Tree House now has floors. Notice we cut a generous opening around the tree as it continues to grow and we want to give it lots of room. Several 2×4 braces are underneath for strength, to prevent sagging and for all around support from wobbling. Don’t want the floors moving like there’s an earthquake when the grand kids are up there. We have braces between the upright 4×4’s and the frame the floor is resting on.
The Walls are going up
There will be walls on two sides. We’ll cut small “port holes and windows” in them so the shorter/younger kids can peak out. We’ll let them decide what shape and where they are as we want to get them involved as much as possible. The other sides will be camo mesh netting (we’re testing it, left of the ladder) that doesn’t stretch, we can see threw, and will keep them from falling off the edge.
1st Porthole
As with any new project or new build it’s important to get customer and user input along the way to a finished Tree House. Below, is the first test by our users. We know we passed all expectation we one of them said, “Grandpa, this is the best tree house in the WORLD!” And to think it’s not even done, lots more little things coming before it’s finished. Now I’m motivate to make it even better. We’re working on a slide, and a Supplies (food, treats and tows) Delivery System (SDS), and a cowboy dinner bell. The wooden crate or box with the green splash of paint actually a military surplus ammo box, one of three I got for $4 each.
User Testing
Next we’ll add the camo mesh netting, more bracing, a ladder, a bench or two, hopefully a telescope, and the slide (a hose can be connected to make a water slide, shhhsh, don’t tell the kids yet) and more.
Stand by for more, thanks for stopping by, hope it gives you some ideas, thanks, John
Welcome back to our tree house building “documentary” Step 3, Part 1.
The Layout
We’ve done all the planning and measuring, now it’s time to begin the work. First, you want to layout the basic shape to the measurements you made. We put the pier blocks where the corners are to be and temporarily laid the wood frame.
Pier Blocks
We set the pier blocks in sand and leveled them then screwed on our 4×4 s.
Support Posts
This is how we attached the 4x4s for to hold up the floor.
The Frame is in Place
Here’s a view looking down on the entire frame for the floor.
The next post will be about installing the floors, then the walls, then the steps or ladder.
Step 2 Planning Stage –This is one of your most important stage. As I mentioned, for a fun, usable and successful tree house build, many elements need to be considered in the planning stage. Such as, is it the right tree, will the tree support a structure up in the tree? If not, you’ll need to build it from the ground and sort of lifting it into the tree. Also, consider how much room you have, how close are you to your boundry line, how close to the house or property next door, what age and size of people will be using it, what activities do they want to do in it? Play, spy on things outside of it, have tea parties, play “army”, will they want to camp out and sleep in it, read books, have quiet time, how high off the ground, safety features, how will they get in and out, do you want a slide, a firemans’ pole, a ladder, a ships steering wheel, a periscope, a basket on a pulley to lift things, ie. lunch, into the tree, a chalkboard, benches, a desk, shelves, a bird house or two, peep holes, port holes, windows -open, plastic, glass.
This would be a good time to choose a theme, such as Pirate, Fairy House, Combat Bunker, Explorers Lookout, Fort, Harry Potter, a Disney movie, or Boys/Girls Club house, Airplane cockpit, Sailing Ship Crows Nest or just about any theme you can imagine or want.
Consider the structure and how it will be built. What materials will you use? How strong and sturdy do you want it? Who is going to help you with the heavy lifting? How much will it cost. And, don’t for get to check local building ordinances for building restrictions.
My first step in Planning was to search the web for tree house examples. I looked at the type and size of trees used, whether it was built with the ground as the base or was it up in the tree. I looked at how to get in and out, material used and designs.
Once I had a good idea of what I wanted, I photographed my tree and printed it out.
Tree Photo Drawing
Then I was able to draw my design (either on the print with pens, etc. or in a drawing program like Paper 53 for the iPad) right on the photo to see what it will look like. This made it feel like a real project and I was able to make changes until it was what I wanted. When it was drawn I was able to show it to family and ask for suggestions and what they thought it should look like. This was very helpful. Below, is my first, initial plan. I’ve made changes since then and expect to make more.
Initial Plan
After making the initial plan and drawing I went out to the tree and measured where the structure will actually be. Then I got out the graph paper and plotted everything out.
Detailed Plan
Once the family and everyone agrees as best they can, it’s time to start a budget and supply list, go shopping and get to work.
After that, it’s time to begin the actual building. Let the fun begin!!
My next post will be about Building It with lots of photos.
A great activity for vintage Baby Boomers and Boomer Grandpas is to design and build a Tree House with your kids, grand kids and other family members. It’s a awesome bonding and teaching experience. I plan on having the little kids do the painting and accessories when it’s time. That way everyone can be involved. When it’s finished we’ll have something for the family to use and have fun with for a lifetime. Here’s my story, sort of a documentation of how we are building it. Each stage will be a separate post.
Our family is blessed with a beautiful Maple tree in our back yard. It’s part of our kids’ heritage and memories from growing up around it. There have been hundreds of picnics, barbecues, tea parties, games of tag, birthday parties, and celebrations under our tree and in its cooling shade in the hot summers. It shares it’s beauty in each season. Summer is big green leaves and lots of comforting shade. Fall is the only season when our tree requires our work or maintenance. As fall progresses the big green leaves turn orange and then yellow, finally dropping from the branches, landing on the grass. Here’s where the work comes in, someone, as in Me or our Kids. I choose the kids for this job as they need to learn to work and care for what we are blessed with, right? Hear that kids?
You see our tree above after the last snowfall of this winter.
All the snow has melted now and it’s time to build a Tree House
Step 1Choosing your tree – In our case we have only one tree to choose from. By tree house standards this is a small tree which won’t really support much of a structure up in the tree. So, we decided to build around the tree rather than in the tree. You’ll need to choose a good strong tree, the right tree, then build the right tree house in or around it. The formation or structure of the tree will determine the size and elements you will be able to have in your tree house.
That’s Stage 1. Hope it gives you some ideas to build your own tree house. Stay tuned for the next stage, Planning Your Tree House coming soon.
Lisa Nichols is one of the nicest and enthusiastic people I know of. I always feel hopeful and inspired after watching one of her talks. Hope you enjoy this one.
Here she shows how you can Do Good, Live Epic and really enjoy life without selling your soul to the devil. She says, “I used to think it was all about making money, but that was because I was broke!”
Hope you enjoyed this and feel Inspired to live your Authentic Life.
Recently, I retired after several months of medical leave. It’s the best thing I ever did! Much more relaxing and less stress then the daily 9-5 and long commuting. But, I discovered that retiring can throw you for a loop emotionally and psychologically. You might find yourself questioning your purpose, value and who the heck you are as a person. That’s a shocker.
Below is a great article on the stages of retirement. There are many different ideas about the effects of retirement but this is a good article to start with. Happy Retirement!
Journey Through The 6 Stages Of Retirement By Mark P. Cussen, CFP®, CMFC, AFC
Most major life-changing events, such as marriage or divorce, involve an ongoing process of emotional adjustment. Retirement is no exception. Marriage, divorce and other family-related issues have been the focus of decades of research and analysis by both clinical therapists and religious institutions.
Unfortunately, the emotional and psychological frontier of retirement has remained virtually unexplored until recently. However, while research on this subject has barely begun, it is clear that the psychological process of retirement process follows a pattern similar in nature to the emotional phases accompanying other areas of transition. Read on to discover the six stages of retirement and what you can do to prepare for this important life transition. (For related reading, see Life After Retirement.)
Retirement: The Final Frontier
Retirees must face what is essentially the last transition in their lives. The first transition comes when we leave the security of home to begin our school life in kindergarten, and after school we have the rest of the day to ourselves. Another major transition comes when we join the working world. Now we work all week but still have the weekend to ourselves. Then finally comes retirement, a time when careers are over and the work is done. Retirees have the rest of their lives to themselves. The transition into retirement can be broken down into six main phases. Let’s take a closer look at each of these phases.
1. Pre-retirement – Planning Time
During the working years, retirement can appear to be both an oncoming burden and a distant paradise. Workers know that this stage of their lives is coming, and do everything they can to save for it, but often give little thought to what they will actually do once they reach the goal – the current demands that are placed upon them leave them little time to ponder this issue. Many people face retirement like a running back on the football field who dodges or plows through one defender after another until reaching the end zone. It’s hard for many workers to think seriously about what their lives will be like in 20 or 30 years when they are trying to stay on top of their mortgage, put their kids through college and have a little fun in the meantime. They want to reach the end zone, but other issues will tackle them long before then if they don’t take immediate action. (For more insight, check out Enjoy Life Now And Still Save For Later and Life Planning – More Than Just Money.)
2. The Big Day – Smiles, Handshakes, Farewells
By far the shortest stage in the retirement process is the actual cessation of employment itself. This is often marked by some sort of dinner, party or other celebration, and has become a rite of passage for many, especially for those with distinguished careers. In some respects, this event is comparable to the ceremony that marks the beginning of a marriage.
3. Honeymoon Phase – I’m Free!
Of course, honeymoons follow more than just weddings. Once the retirement celebrations are over, a period often follows where retirees get to do all the things that they wanted to do once they stopped working, such as travel, indulge in hobbies, visit relatives and so forth. This phase has no set time frame and will vary depending upon how much honeymoon activity the retiree has planned.
4. Disenchantment – So this is it?
This phase parallels the stage in marriage when the emotional high of the wedding has worn off and the couple now has to get down to the business of building a working relationship together. After looking forward to this stage for so long, many retirees must deal with a feeling of letdown, similar to that of newlyweds who must get down the the business of living once the honeymoon is over. Retirement isn’t a permanent vacation after all; it also can bring lowliness, boredom, feelings of uselessness and disillusionment.
5. Reorientation – Building a New Identity
Fortunately, the letdown phase of retirement doesn’t last forever. Just as married couples eventually learn how to live together, retirees begin to familiarize themselves with the landscape of their new circumstances and navigate their lives accordingly. This is easily the most difficult stage in the emotional retirement process and will take both time and conscious effort to accomplish. Perhaps the most difficult aspects of this stage to manage are the inevitable self-examination questions that must be answered once again, such as “Who am I, now?”, “What is my purpose at this point?” and “Am I still useful in some capacity?” New – and satisfying – answers to these questions must be found if the retiree is to feel a sense of closure from his or her working days. But many retirees cannot achieve this and never truly escape this stage – make sure you do!
6. Routine – Moving On
Finally, a new daily schedule is created, new marital ground rules for time together versus time alone are established, and a new identity has been at least partially created. Eventually, the new landscape becomes familiar territory, and retirees can enjoy the last phase of their lives with a new sense of purpose.
Conclusion
Life planning is an important key to successful retirement. Workers that have given serious time and thought to what they will do after they retire will generally experience a smoother transition than those who haven’t. Dreams and goals that cannot be achieved with a single trip or project may translate into long-term part-time employment or volunteer work. But it is never too soon to begin mapping out the course of the rest of your life. (To get started, read A Pre-Retirement Checkup.)
As with all emotional processes that can be broken down into separate phases, it is not necessary to completely achieve one phase before beginning another (except, of course, for the actual cessation of employment). But virtually all retirees will experience some form of this process after they stop working. Their ability to navigate these uncharted waters will ultimately determine how they live the last phase of their lives.
Original post at http://www.investopedia.com/articles/retirement/07/sixstages.asp
For more on the emotional transition to retirement, see Money Can’t Buy Retirement Bliss.
Read more: Journey Through The 6 Stages Of Retirement | Investopedia http://www.investopedia.com/articles/retirement/07/sixstages.asp#ixzz41yfnRlVV
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Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you again soon, John
