Cutting Hole in Tree for Beam?

[secureland]

umpkin2: umpkin2: :rocker: :rocker: :rocker: qw sruolkjmnbvcxazlmiuytredfg



I have 15" DBH Scotch Pine Trees.

Can I bore a hole in their center to hold a beam for a Tree House without killing them? There will be no metal in them just the hole and the beam sitting in it.

Thanks for any replys!

 

[memetic]

"There will be no metal in them just the hole."

If there is nothing in the hole why do you need it?

 

[Farmer Ferd]

I built a 16 x 16 tree house with wall to wall carpet, cathedral ceiling, a loft bed, surround sound, 2 flat screens, and a 4 foot deck. The whole is suspended from two trees. Each tree has 4 through bolts, two at base holding beams and two holding cables. It stands 13' above ground and is reached via a floating gangplank. We have had it for 5 years and the trees seem none the worse for ware. I hope the photo comes out this is my first attempt.

 

[memetic]

I built a 16 x 16 tree house with wall to wall carpet, cathedral ceiling, a loft bed, surround sound, 2 flat screens, and a 4 foot deck. The whole is suspended from two trees. Each tree has 4 through bolts, two at base holding beams and two holding cables. It stands 13' above ground and is reached via a floating gangplank. We have had it for 5 years and the trees seem none the worse for ware. I hope the photo comes out this is my first attempt.

That's really cool. Please tell me you built that for your kids and not yourself.

edit: can you post some shots of the interior?

 

[RUBE]

Very nice!

 

[secureland]

That's a Beautiful Tree House!

I Have Scotch Pine Trees and I think they are much more sensitive than most hardwoods.


Farmer Ferd, could you please explain a bit more how you supported your main horizontal beams (structural members). I understand you did use some bolts, but could you please go into a bit more detail.
I have my Dad (the kids Grandpa) coming over tomorrow at 9 AM and I'm trying to have a gameplan in place!

Thanks for any replys.

 

[secureland]

I'm considering boring holes in these tall Scotch Pine trees, and just sliding the beams in.

The trees may die, but it's the other hardwoods near this sight that make it beautiful. The pines are tall and have little branching and it is only at the very top, so they appear as poles. if the trees did die from this I could cut them off so they aren't dangerous, peel the bark off, and put some sort of preservative on the wood to keep it from rotting as long as possible. At the point they start rotting i could put other posts in the ground with a more traditional dug hole and post system.

But, the question still remains, Will the Scotch Pine die if I bore a hole 2/3 into them (it wouldn't have to go all the way through)?

I know this is a tough question, but I'm hoping someond with more aboriculture experience might have some insight.

Thanks for any replys!

 

[oldirty]

i'm thinking if you remove that much heartwood it might kill them trees. could be wrong though

 

[limbwalker54]

I remember an article where a children's camp put a ropes course in trees, about 30 feet off the ground. The trees were topped COMPLETELY to support the system. This, caused root system failure in all of the trees (DUH!). One day, one of the trees supporting the system fell over, fortunately no one was hurt. Finally, an arborist was called into look at the trees and immediately closed the course. He educated the camp on how to properly install a course in healthy, living trees. You can't do the UNnatural with Nature!

Tree houses, to my knowledge, are best when supported with through bolts because the tree can compartmentalize around the hardware. If you bore a hole as you say, perhaps for a four by four, you will create a serious structural deficiency in the tree.

If the trees die, then their root systems will begin decomposing. This could cause a serious liability.

How would you feel if your tree house collapsed on one of your kids or on grandma cause she wanted to keep an eye on the grandkids?

 

[secureland]

How would you feel if your tree house collapsed on one of your kids or on grandma cause she wanted to keep an eye on the grandkids?

:monkey: SAD

 

[secureland]

I am reluctant to put any metal in these Scotch Pine. 20 years ago my dad did for a treehouse built for me and the trees died. I know some species can take it better than others (White Ash I've watched take an eye bolt and grow around it quickly).

I want to avoid any metal in these Scotch Pine. I have another plan that will avoid boring and watching the tree most likely die. It involves posts that are simply strapped to the live Scotch Pine trees with blocks of wood holding the strapping away from contacting the bark of the Scotch Pine. The posts would be set off of the ground and on large field stone.
i would then set the horizontal beams on these and strap them as well, again no metal would enter the live Scotch Pine trees and no strapping would touch them because the wood blocks would hold it off.

With boring I expected that the structural lifetime of the trees would be reduced to maybe 10-15 years if they die, and would require me to come in at that point and install new posts.

Based on the last response there are some concerns about root rotting, THIS IS GOOD INFO, AND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR!

Please give me more insight and Thanks for any replys!

 

[memetic]

I don't understand, you don't want to use metal? but you will bore giant holes and are expecting to kill the trees? but you don't want to use metal?

 

[cityevader]

NO metal at all?

How high up these trees are you planning to go? If only a few feet, there can only be maybe an inch or so opposite sway in a gale, So you only need to go in a little bit past the bark. all the way through isn't merely overkill, it's killing!

It's likely able to survine a 4 inch gash in it's side, but surely not all the way through. Maybe make a vertical notch in each just enough to squeeze in the beam, and make some flashing with silicone or something above the wound so it can breathe but be weatherproof to prevent rot...After a few years, the tree will grow around it stronger than any metal you could throw at it.

My hypothesis and 2 cents.

 

[secureland]

NO metal at all?

How high up these trees are you planning to go? If only a few feet, there can only be maybe an inch or so opposite sway in a gale, So you only need to go in a little bit past the bark. all the way through isn't merely overkill, it's killing!

It's likely able to survine a 4 inch gash in it's side, but surely not all the way through. Maybe make a vertical notch in each just enough to squeeze in the beam, and make some flashing with silicone or something above the wound so it can breathe but be weatherproof to prevent rot...After a few years, the tree will grow around it stronger than any metal you could throw at it.

My hypothesis and 2 cents.

6'-7' height (the ground slopes). 7-8' finished floor. You've opened my eyse to the possibility of not going 2/3 into the tree. I was considering that much becuase of just what you said, "gale". If I can get away with 2-3" I could get a beam in to put the floor on. i still don't know how the Scotch Pines will respond.

Thanks for any replys!

 

[secureland]

I don't understand, you don't want to use metal? but you will bore giant holes and are expecting to kill the trees? but you don't want to use metal?

There are two methods I'm considering, maybe i don't have to do such a deep bore cut and the tree will live, that would be great!

 

[Ghillie]

This may help you out.

LINK

 

[secureland]

This may help you out.

LINK

This page is very informative

http://www.thetreehouseguide.com/treedamage.htm

Thanks Ghillie!

 

[Ghillie]

This page is very informative

http://www.thetreehouseguide.com/treedamage.htm

Thanks Ghillie!

You're welcome, I can't take the credit though... Got it from someone else's post. I just saved the link so I could read through it later.

Hope it helps,

Fred

 

[Mitchell]

collars

umpkin2: umpkin2: :rocker: :rocker: :rocker: qw sruolkjmnbvcxazlmiuytredfg



I have 15" DBH Scotch Pine Trees.

Can I bore a hole in their center to hold a beam for a Tree House without killing them? There will be no metal in them just the hole and the beam sitting in it.

Thanks for any replys!

I would stick to bolts or collars. I spent a few weeks setting up a tree top zip line. The plat forms were set on a collars friction secured around the trunks. As the trees grow the two halves of each collar can be backed off to allow expansion. the trees are none the worse for the wear.

 

[secureland]

OK, Can you please tell me how many lags or bolts were used to hold each collar on?

Thanks for the info.