Building a treehouse on stump

[Anonymous]

We have a large red oak tree in our yard that is dead and will be cut down on Monday. I'm debating whether to ask the arborist to cut it 6 ft off the ground instead of 6 inches to build a tree house or lookout. Has anyone done this? How hard is it? Any special considerations before we proceed? I'd hate to then be left with an unsightly 6 foot stump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a large red oak tree in our yard that is dead and will be cut down on Monday. I'm debating whether to ask the arborist to cut it 6 ft off the ground instead of 6 inches to build a tree house or lookout. Has anyone done this? How hard is it? Any special considerations before we proceed? I'd hate to then be left with an unsightly 6 foot stump.

This is an excellent idea!!!! Not hard because you have an incredibly stable base (or foundation as it were) to begin with. I might go with 8 or 12 feet so you can use part of the trunk for the roof or something interesting. Just Google all of the fabulous tree dwelling photos and you will be inspired. Lucky kids to have such a creative parent.

[Anonymous]

PP here *Your kids are lucky to have such a creative parent.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP and think just ask the arborist if this is a good idea (maybe the dead tree's roots have deteriorated, etc)

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

I'd be concerned that if the tree is dead, the roots will shrivel/decay and it would no longer be stable. If not now, years from now. Trees that were cut down and left with roots in the ground are causing sunken places in our yard. They were cut down before we bought the house, so I don't know house long that process took.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Got it cut w 8ft stump. There was still a living branch so arborist said it will be stable for quite some time. Now let's see how long it takes DH to start, much less complete this project!

[Anonymous]

This is awesome. I'd definitely put a few posts on cement tubes in the ground as actual support though as well.

Have fun with this!

[Anonymous]

Leave it at 30 inches or do, then can make it into an outdoor table or the base for a kids tree stump playhouse! I have one in my backyard; i have one half of a wooden cable-spool on it: as a table for now(not used often), thinking i will build a play house on the stump for my 10 year old son

[Anonymous]

Very cool. Keep in mind that red oak does not have the same excellent rot-resistant properties as white oak, so maybe give it a bit of love with sealing or covering exposed areas.

[Anonymous]

It will be good for a few years, until decay sets in, but by then the kids will be grown and not likely playing in it.

[Anonymous]

We had a huge stump in our yard. It decayed and got filled with bees and termites. I'd recommend against doing this. Tree houses work because they're built into living things. Building on a stump is like throwing a bunch of untreated logs in the back yard and building a house on top of them while keeping them exposed to weathering. Just buy a playhouse and get rid of it when your kids outgrow it.

[Anonymous]

Call your home owners and make sure you have coverage for it! My cousins took theirs down after finding out how much it would cost to cover it. Remember it is not just your kids...it is their friends etc who might fall off and sue.

[Anonymous]

That stump will decay faster than you can possibly imagine. Especially with nail holes in it. Trust me.

[Anonymous]

I would build supports around the treehouse so that the stump is for the visual effect only and not structural.