Support Methods and New Technology
There are numerous techniques to fasten the structure to the tree which seek to minimize tree damage.
The construction of modern treehouses, usually starts with the creation of a rigid platform, on which the house will be placed; the platform will lean (possibly on the corners) on the branches. In case there aren’t enough suitable supports, the methods to support the platform are:
- Struts and Stilts
They are used for relieving weights on a lower elevetion or straight to the ground; Tree houses supported by stilts weigh much less on the tree and help to prevent stress and potential strain and injury cased by puncture holes. Stilts are typically anchored into the ground with concrete although new designs, such as the “Diamond Pier”, accelerates installation time and they are less invasive for the root system. Stilts are considered the easiest method of supporting larger tree houses, and can also increase structural support and safety.
- Stay rods
They are used for relieving weights on a higher elevation. These systems are particularly useful to control movements caused by wind or the tree growth but they are the less used, caused of the natural limits of the systems: more elevation they reach and more the branches tail off, decrease capacity, increase wind sensibility. . As building materials for hanging are used ropes, wire cables, tension fasteners, springs etc.
- Friction and tension fasteners
Friction and tension fasteners are the most common non invasive methods of securing tree houses. They do not include nails, screws and bolts. It’s all about gripping the beams to the trunk by means of counter-beam, threaded bars or tying
- invasive metods
Are all methods that use nails, screws, bolts, kingpin, etc. Because these methods require punctures in the tree, they have to be planned properly in order to minimize stress. because not all species of plants suffer for puncture in the same way, depending if the sap conduits runs in the pith or in the bark. Despite nails are generally not recommended a very performance development called the treehouse attachment bolt TAB can support greater weights than earlier methods, and is now commonly used by many tree house companies worldwide.
Read more about this topic: Tree House
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