How to Build a Treehouse | This Old House

[@crmcbrideww]

Kevin is so lucky to have such a great father figure around him like Tommy.

[@lambrinos]

Norm, Tommy, this will be the best built, most expensive treehouse in history

[@tobleroni]

Tommy: “We don’t want to fasten anything directly to the tree.” Kevin: “We’re going to screw this ginormous lag bolt right into the tree.” 😂

[@aftech7268]

Exactly

[@lizyh1783]

He means to say that you don't want wood sitting directly on the bark but he didn't say all that.

[@karlbach1451]

Right. Lemme just drill this 3 INCH DIAMETER HOLE

[@rafaelsibila6306]

@@lizyh1783 Yes, but it was funny...Maybe the tree proverbial eyes went wide seeing he lag bolt.

[@Strizzle81]

Great way to damage a beautiful tree

[@MaxRenke]

This is the most work I've seen Kevin do on a job in years 😂

[@JoseMendoza-hv9fe]

Lmfao

[@youredoingitwrong1361]

It's the biggest birdhouse he's ever made, he was excited

[@greglee218]

I agree he’s afraid norm might come back and take over his job

[@jackhammer8364]

😂I'm Dying

[@johnlebzelter4208]

Someone is jealous

[@zmoorern]

I get beyond excited the moment I see Norm. Such a joy to watch his craft.

[@beesoffury]

Who else started laughing when Kevin just grabbed the ratchet to keep things moving? 🤣

[@s50201]

dude was like "what is a ratchet?"

[@philoyphilia]

That was epic lol

[@31mbur]

When was this?

[@jeremymurphy7320]

I wondered how long it was going to be before he grabbed the ratchet and shamed the poor guy in front of his wife.

[@robgautomotive]

You can tell the guy never used a ratchet before in his life lol

[@Terminal-Man]

It’s good to see Norm. It’s probably been 20 years since I’ve seen him on TV.

[@oo-gg6yo]

im gonna need one of those Tommy. shirts

[@geoffbuilds]

Apparently they were sold on etsy a while ago and aren't available anymore, so far as I can tell. Would love it if they brought it back.

[@HomeCraftChronicles]

Tommy says we don't want to fasten anything to the tree, yet the first thing they do is drill a hole in the tree for a giant bolt. Hmmmm

[@ElectricGears]

The bolts are fine. The tree will grow and envelope them without being damaged. Notice the generous space between the bark and the beam. The problem would be if you were to leg screw a beam directly against the bark. That would compress it, restrict it's growth and cause deformation of the attached structure.

[@UnarmedZombie]

He meant you don't want to fasten the framing directly to the tree. That was the way people used to do it, but now the correct way is to use hardware that is made specifically for tree houses.

[@slimjimpotter8044]

I assume he ment minimal tree bults.

[@Davey768]

Doing it like they did, the tree assumes it's been damaged and heals itself. Won't do that if you lag screw straight to it.

[@stevenmalone38]

These bolts are not fastening anything to the tree... to fasten means to hold two things together by nailing, screwing, stapling, or bolting to something else. These bolts are simple an anchor for a platform to rest on. However... the galvanized lags are infact fastening the bracket to the tree...

[@paulrowan4974]

When Norm said he built a jig for routing the rabbits for the ladder treads, I thought to myself "of course you did". That guy is amazing.

[@VideoUserPerson]

Then they didn’t even use it! 😅

[@Husky_Honey]

I said the same thing to myself!!

[@coltsjason]

Figured Norm would ɓuild a 19th century full size dresser 😂😂

[@alexdevelter5091]

Tommy is a genius! He can build anything thank you for being a great teacher tom!

[@korndog76]

Dang!! When I was a kid, we salvaged wood from an abandoned house, pulled and straightened each nail and mounted that sucker right on the bark... If only we had 10 grand and working tools, other than a hammer and a hand saw..............

[@retprob]

Beat me to it. As 11-12 yr. old kids we did the same thing. Is it better this way? Maybe structurally. Is this as fun ? Not by a long shot !

[@Effedup]

lol yeah same here our treehouse down by the creek was made out of cast off construction materials and other found things. It was not nearly as safe as this thing but hanging out up there reading comic books eating candy and drinking root beer slurpees we'd buy at the 7-11 around the corner on hot summer days was the best. There is no more magical time than summer breaks when you're in middle school, old enough to really make the most of the day but too young to have to get a job and start earning money. For me, this was back in the 80s, in those days kids had a lot more freedom, almost everybody's parents all worked full time in our neighborhood and the vast majority of us were left home alone all day to more or less do as we please (so long as our younger siblings survived unscathed) until dinner timer. After dinner it was usually right back outside to play until the street lights came on and we all marched home. There'd be groups of us 12 deep out in the woods building forts and climbing trees together, building ramps for our bikes, talking about movies and video games, listening to our walk-mans... I dont really see kids doing that stuff anymore in my neighborhood and it makes me sad. Running wild all summer long on our own at 11 years old was pretty freaking rad.

[@adeebmomen4541]

@@Effedup your comment gave me a run of nostalgia

[@gangisspawn1]

Same here. We built it on a wooded lot in our neighborhood. Never saw the owners there and never asked permission. 🤣. It was an amazing hangout for us neighborhood kids and so much fun building. It had a thatched roof from field grass we collected. Kids need to do stuff like that on their own.

[@PoisonousChickens]

That's just a normal playhouse screwed into a tree, needs more height and danger

[@keithreay]

We don’t want to attach anything directly into the tree. First step, drill two 3 inch holes directly into the tree.

[@zackamania6534]

Hey look billy, I’m a whole SIX FEET OFF THE GROUND

[@mgjk]

When I was 6, I did this by climbing up into a pine tree and start hammering 1x2 scrap to the branches. If you bend a nail, just keep hammering, it'll get flat. If you hear the 1x2s cracking, you're standing in the wrong spot.

[@aidenp265]

I built one when I was 13 it was 14 feet off the ground. We started off with a ladder made of scrap. You would climb and nail into the tree. We used scrap tongue and groove flooring and we even had a working sink and gutter. If you think about it, this treehouse is just a deck secured to a tree.

[@walterjordan7844]

I guess Im randomly asking but does any of you know of a way to log back into an Instagram account?? I was dumb lost the account password. I appreciate any assistance you can give me.

[@johnmyers473]

Always great seeing Kevin and Tommy but really great seeing Norm! Great job!!!

[@philoyphilia]

I love watching these guys working together. But that project is a tree deck, rather than a tree a house.

[@jackchn23]

Neighbors must LOVE this....

[@DillonFinnegan]

Pretty sure the husband has no idea how a ratchet works.

[@jackhammer8364]

😂

[@slimjimpotter8044]

Lmfao

[@TheChangeWithin]

I was thinking the same thing. 😂

[@roshi98]

The dude looked like "what is this SORCERY?!!!"

[@jsweizston5410]

Lol I was laughing at that too.

[@CuddleTrouble]

Man, I miss watching norm make furniture.

[@kwatogsatx]

There goes the privacy of that neighbor.

[@112wade]

Especially with the telescope.

[@James-wk5mj]

Yeah great “very own water park” with the black mucky mulch and mud everywhere hours of fun

[@112wade]

Leave it to Norm to make a jig for a treehouse project.( Gotta love it). I could have used you guys in the '50's when I was a kid making a treehouse in my grandmother's backyard. Really fun and instructional video, thanks.

[@Gaspipenicklioni]

Norm is a national treasure

[@grantblum352]

So cute they let her push the button

[@Frankie_2s]

My maple tree is metric, does anyone have an adapter?

[@hoen00]

Must be one of them Canadian Maples!

[@communityracecar]

Wow!! I love that this show is still going! ❤️❤️

[@annhysell6064]

Absolutely love it! Planning a tree house/slide/rope ladder for our family's home and these ideas are an inspiration. Thank you This Old House b/c ours is well over 100 yrs old. And great to see Norm involved too. Be well

[@robopaul9]

Funniest part is when Kevin uses a long pole to get leverage for tightening one of the big bolts and right after that scene, Tommy is just using the socket wrench without a pole to tighten another one of the big bolts. Tommy, the legend.

[@impsquared]

Norm working on a tree house - amazing!

[@gustavramirez2891]

Always wanted a treehouse. Glad it's actually feasible to do this.

[@arturomontalvo2963]

Tom Silva’s the man the legend

[@johnroberts9560]

I wish I was little again so I could enjoy a tree house , I love this one !!! 👍😀🛠

[@chrislawson1233]

Heck, don't need to be little. I'd take a book and a beer up there and hang out all afternoon if I had that.

[@nomalevolence]

This is like the avengers of This Old House! Great episode!

[@nickkk420]

Cept Roger wasn't there to pretty up the gahhden

[@dolam]

That is really great. I love the little touches, like a hammock chair and log railing.

[@Gershwin17]

These project videos need to include the number of man-hours involved; otherwise I might try this “great DIY project” and go missing for a month.

[@phoenixman8569]

i first saw bob and norm way back in the 1979-80 season when i was around 10 years old...

[@pandraus]

I would take all my vacation days to do this with the crew. Amazing experience for the couple!

[@heavyq]

Using the old tree limbs and trunks as the railing is such a great idea. Excellent work, TOH crew!

[@Patmanduu]

The neighbors are going to love having kids looking into their yards.

[@Picklejam08]

Yep… that’s how it goes when you live in postage stamp size yards. Like it or lump it… or move to the countryside.

[@Guillotines_For_Globalists]

A voyeur's dream cum true!

[@graynoble4795]

I just read that those bolts act like a broken branch to the tree, and that it sends anti fungal nourishment and also reinforces it where the bolt meets the tree. This is cool

[@saurabhg4060]

He said the bark's important and later drilled 3 big holes in it😂

[@wompbozer3939]

It’s better than the half pound of bent over 16’s I used to use

[@RegulareoldNorseBoy]

That doesn't hurt the tree at all 🙂 That's the same procedure we use when checking the age of trees 🙂

[@randyd3649]

Tommy and Norm on the team? That treehouse will outlive every one of us!

[@paulrowan4974]

It's almost unfair, isn't it?

[@davebutler4959]

Nice to see Kevin channel Tommy thru that shirt! Nice build!!

[@eastonvonschist2283]

I would not call that a tree house. More like a tree platform.

[@24revealer]

I agree. Any house I ever have been in had a roof.

[@jasenrock]

aint that hard yo add a roof. The hard part is the platform

[@Shawn-dg8ow]

Give em a break. Lumber prices probably cut the project short.

[@eastonvonschist2283]

@@Shawn-dg8ow Probably!

[@minirichiPap]

@@jasenrock of course, why don't you add a roof to the floor and call it a house? no walls just "rails" se if that adds up

[@zentrucker]

In the old days, kids would build their own tree-houses. That was a very important part about the tree house, that you did it your self.

[@PatrolOfficer161]

You can say that again. I had to all but force my teenage boy (he's a 35 year-old former Marine now) to build a treehouse with me and today we're converting half the garage of his new home into a carpentry shop and has been grateful for the tutorage. Don't let your kids down just because they initially resist an idea.

[@sherriianiro747]

You are so right! The neighborhood kids all built one in my yard because I had the best tree. Had to buy all new tools after that one!

[@bparabellumli39]

I was looking for videos on how to build my daughter a tree house... I was so lucky to find this because now I know that I'm going to go back home and look at my steam list library and play all those games that i bought that i would of never played if I had to build a tree house.

[@jaredbrown2747]

Festool for a treehouse... goals

[@renevalencia7121]

Hooo. That’s wonderful!!!, the kids must be very happy

[@Mihogan]

Him turning the ratchet 360 and nobody telling him how a ratchet works 😂

[@pklemm1]

Wow look at Kevin. Putting in some work

[@LightGesture]

His face @5:28. Priceless. 👀

[@almondflour4785]

Grand view of the neighbor’s yard.

[@chrislawson1233]

Maybe Mrs. Jones next door likes to water the garden in a not-so-carefully fastened bathrobe.

[@ramonl6637]

I love it. Now I just need a tree!!!!

[@4602experience]

5:58 that look on Kevins face....my contract stipulates I'm not suppose to sweat this much

[@jefffeyh3704]

Before the show started I was thinking Norm never built a tree house in the New Yankee Workshop. It was nice that he was apart of this build

[@ALAPINO]

Honestly, I want a Tommy t-shirt.

[@brodinigotmagic]

Feels like an episode of sesame Street without puppets.

[@KarinClark-y4y]

There's definitely different ways of doing it and making it solid and sturdy and not necessary to do it theirs! This isn't the only way, but it's still good!

[@ionlyplayps5530]

Man, growing up the ghetto always wanted one.

[@kristjan1757]

Yep! That is really a great thing. I love very much touches and hammock and log railing

[@faridjahed]

Nice tree balcony

[@ibmtpx24]

Shouldn't the initial hole be treated with something to prevent the wood from getting rotten before the tree bolt is inserted?

[@smackenzie1340]

no need if installed correctly.

[@supermodestmouse]

Always wanted a treehouse as a kid. Probably outside my dad's skillset and not sure if we'll have yards with trees big enough to support one in CA, but maybe one day :)

[@lukewilliams7264]

Just got three people on the end of a drill 🤷🏼‍♂️😂 thanks for some great ideas, I loved the rustic rails.

[@danielkennedy8530]

Hey Kevin, how come Mr Silva didn't need a cheater bar on his bolt. lol...🤭 And the classic coin phrase"I made this jig". Still enjoy watching the craftsmanship of the crew ever since I was a little kid watching the shows with my dad.

[@phorcep]

The trick Norm does with the tread dado jig is mind blowing in its infinite simplicity.

[@degenwow]

yea, true this

[@jeffwilson1399]

@@brianglade848 anddah loafah

[@31mbur]

We’re going to use the sawr right here , a jigsawr 🥴

[@farithjarir7616]

Mann.. that's amazing family project

[@dhoyle19]

With current lumber prices, this tree house was built for a cool 2.3 million dollars. Build yours today!

[@Vanilla_Icecream1231]

Lmao in Canada 2 years ago it was 3 cad for 2x4 now it’s like 9 cad

[@dhoyle19]

@@Vanilla_Icecream1231 USD $7.77 for a 2x4x8' today.

[@McScott76]

Not to mention the $500 of specialty hardware they used to anchor it to the tree.

[@Ryan-bh9jp]

I was worried about screwing up a bird box on my tree. I was worried screwing into it would damage the tree. After watching this I’m sure my tree will be fine 😂

[@ShakespeareCafe]

The tree's bark is just a protective cover. Water flows via the xylem and sugars/carbohydrates/nutrients via pholem

[@johns5263]

Nothing like putting in a 4" nail and hammering that summabish flush. I was upset when the house around the corner from me dismantled the treehouse they had wrapped around a huge oak tree. It was a Fortress and I could tell by looking at it, whomever built it wanted it to last forever. P.S: everytime i hear Kevin, all i think about is the spongebob episode with Kevin the pickle. Keeeviiinnnnnn

[@socalboomer]

Wait - Norm makes a JIG???? Who would have guessed! LOL

[@JohnAranita]

When I was a student @ Ka'ala Elementary School, I was part of a group that I named "the tree people." @ the schoolyard, we would hold meetings atop a tree. Also, we would climb my family's Avocado tree.

[@musicjazzvez]

I will like to build a tree house for my kids! Thank you for sharing!

[@heartstonecampground1081]

I sure miss watching Norm in his New Yankee Workshop building furniture...the end of an era for sure. Is there any way to purchase all those old episodes?

[@Mixwell1983]

6:03 an impact wrench would have worked wonders here.

[@TdSharp]

We want more norm!

[@onezeroone354]

Awesome build. Thanks. I would use gloves though especially working with power tools.

[@jays1752]

When i was a kid, we trekked out into the middle of the woods with found and "borrowed" scraps of lumber to create a place that our parents couldn't find us. I'm sure Norm and Tom did the same. Can't help but thinking the kids of today are losing out on something.

[@somerandomgirl2869]

Yes my friends and I have been saving to build a treehouse and we are going to try and build it do you have any tips?? We’ve already built a secret garden in the woods where we spend a lot of time and it is the most fun in the world !!! We don’t know where to get cheap lumber though because we only have $122 so far

[@dougbrockelbank1196]

@@somerandomgirl2869 you can often get wooden pallets for free

[@culbyj3665]

so where we gettin the shirt at>???? It seems Sully truly didnt know that was coming by the doubletake !! Thats freaking great

[@LucidDreamer54321]

This is not a treehouse. This is a tree deck.

[@matthewwynne939]

I like how they basically say that the last thing you want to do is damage the tree's bark, then they proceed to bore several deep holes into it.

[@kazper4137]

How did you get both holes lined up perfectly for your mounting lags?

[@smackenzie1340]

use a water level.

[@vjdav6872]

Briliant!

[@chet174able]

That tree house is way up there

[@TrekMercier]

One question. Many trees have old branches that might been sawed of some time ago. Have you ever thought about of “hanging” the tree house on these and let gravity handle the down force.

[@njutarn8381]

this channel is the best i will try this

[@cearnach5046]

Wholesome stuff

[@quint7394]

the bark does NOT feed the tree. its the layers under that do. the cambium if i remember

[@eckels_gear]

6:46 "Kevin, you're genius" Tommy - *sad noises*

[@CrystalWhitlow]

So much for the privacy fence.

[@jimkirby9959]

A tree doesn't "grow up" in the sense of continually raising the limbs, but instead only adds to the top and the ends of the limbs and branches. Thus a spike driven in at 6 ft will always remain at 6 ft.

[@Kyle.216]

More like a tree deck.. wood prices caused this lol.. I like it though

[@timjballin]

Exactly - this is a tree platform, not a treehouse.

[@NSResponder]

The treehouse attachment bolt (TAB) was invented by Michael Guarnier. His TABs are sold under the name “Guarnier limb”.

[@phoenix0110]

Best episode ever! Haha

[@thebowtiechaplain3399]

They make a scribing tool. You can find them in the flooring section of your big box stores. It has lots of small teeth that will impress the shape of your object and all you have to do is trace it

[@norm4260]

I'm amazed that jigsaw blade didn't snap the way they were yanking it side to side.

[@davecarter4129]

Norm needs a MUCH bigger role... he's the absolute man

[@rickfromthecape3135]

Kevin was balking at paying a master carpenter to just build a tree house...lol

[@davecarter4129]

@@rickfromthecape3135 That lobster needs to learn some manners

[@RegulareoldNorseBoy]

he said in a interview that he doesn't want to be a host or anything I think he's right where he wants to be 🙂

[@degenwow]

Best show, best guys

[@dyannevans9179]

Wonderful job norm did very nice job on the latter. Very nice job you guys. Ron

[@jeffwilson1399]

Latter??? Wtf?

[@rid1coza]

@@jeffwilson1399 his part came in the end, so yes

[@johnfoley2582]

The compressive force in the brace going down diagonally to the tree will want to pop the cross beam up out of the hangers attached to the girders. Am I wrong about this? I am sure the treehouse will be fine since those hangers get nailed in well and won’t let the crossbeam move up, but the whole point of using hangers is to have bearing connections right?

[@PsycotikMind]

That is NOT a treehouse. That is a tree-DECK.

[@Essenkiller]

you must be fun at parties

[@112wade]

@@Essenkiller ditto that!