Tree houses and swings??

boreality · May 12, 2014

To be arboriculturally proper swings and houses would be suspended and annually remounted. No matter how kind the mount there will be tree damage. Just saw a picture on fb of a metal tower house built into the tree canopy. Not the same but drilling and bolting could go the way of carving initials and nailing crap to trees. Send $49.95 and I'll tell you how.

Dblehron · May 13, 2014

You're asking $50 for the assumed gift of tree safe swings and platforms? Am I mis interpreting this or is this a joke...?

boreality · May 13, 2014

I'm sarcastically saying we could manage trees without bolting them and tree houses and tree swings are just wrong if a tree could tell you how they felt about it. I'm sure some wall up and grow around the hardware, some don't.

guymayor · May 13, 2014

boreality said:
I'm sarcastically saying we could manage trees without bolting them and tree houses and tree swings are just wrong if a tree could tell you how they felt about it. I'm sure some wall up and grow around the hardware, some don't.

Some arborists make reliable predictions about tree response. Some don't.

No charge!

boreality · May 13, 2014

No harm/foul/malpractice if it fails just more negative impact on the trades image. You know what you would of got for $49.95? Removal for split bolting and just say no to tree houses advice.

boreality · May 13, 2014

I'm the less is more arborist I suppose. How economically and practically can we have a nice canopy to live with? I'd see putting the money for bolting going towards removal. This whole tree surgeon presumption needs to be looked the same as what has happened to human health care. Ah nevermind let's get this season rolling for real. Still waiting for the snow to melt up here. Grr.

guymayor · May 13, 2014

Oh, it's the snow...I agree, overengineered systems can do serious damage.

the A300 and BMP are not thorough or perfect, but the BMP for $8 can guide installers not to overdo it.

I like tree houses!

boreality · May 14, 2014

I know, taking it out on the poor kid's swing and treehouse. How many are built and never used. Ask the tree how it feels about that.

boreality · May 23, 2014

What is this obscene need for tree houses? Based in fiction, exploited by Hollywood and promoted by the Boy Scouts.

Ice is out, +30, off to clean up my last job winter froze me out of, bucket truck needs work. My man starts on Monday hopefully. Thanks treebuzz for helping me through the worst 2 winters in recorded history here. And we were known for Siberian style winters to begin with.

Tom Dunlap · May 23, 2014

It seems like tree 'houses' that model on ground houses are a way for people to have the same feeling that comes from having huge sailboats, power boats, monster trucks, too-fast cars and other examples of over-consumption.

Too many seem to have NOTHING to do with trees. They're used for less than props and posts with no respect to the dignity of he trees. A lot of the trees are wounded in the worst way. The designs don't allow the trees to sway. I have to wonder how long some of these buildings will last nc ore they be pulled apart

One of the kids treehouse a that I built was used for many years by the brothers who I built it for. The last time I saw it showed the use after any years.

tuttle · May 23, 2014

This picture is from a holiday park in France, they have a few treehouses for holiday lets, cable and braced, cleverly built around the trees, some are 60ft up in scots pines.

guymayor · May 24, 2014

Beauteous, and respectful of tree dignity! I'm consulting on the design of a 2ox20' deck on a red oak. Using what i learned from tom when he build mine, etc. i talked the client out of the roof, but designing to allow for adjustment is tricky. It'll happen though.

Have a good summer, bo, all 3 months of it!

dogwood · Jun 11, 2014

There's been an ongoing conversation between arborists and tree house builders for years, about whether it's a good thing to do or if it's bad for the trees. If the trees are selected carefully and the work is properly done, there's every reason to believe a tree house can be pleasing, long lasting and not harmful to the tree. First, not bolting or pinning it to the tree, but rather perching it on the tree is the right approach. There are builders on the West Coast who've been pioneers in this work and have come up with some really ingenious solutions. Here's a shot of Jake Jacob showing the installation of a Garnier Limb, and a couple of tree house pics.

Oxman · Jun 18, 2014

Here's a little video of treehouse philosophy.Out 'N' About Treehouse Design @ 163':

dogwood · Jun 20, 2014

Hey Oxman, Have you been to Out n' About? I attended the World Treehouse Conference there in 2005. It's happening again in October this year. However, the Rendezvous is happening also around the same time.