Wood Tree Houses, Playhouses & Play Forts

I specialize in designing and building fine custom and high end wood tree houses, theme playhouses and play forts that provide a safe place for children to play and easily transition into adult garden retreats as your family's needs change. Below is more information about the type, style and pricing for the structures I design and build.

           Design Guide         Pricing Information         Related Links        Portfolio Photos

Design Guide for Wood Tree Houses, Playhouses & Play Forts

This design guide provides information on how to achieve the look of a specific style, create the best design, and choose a location for your tree house or playhouse.

Tree House, Playhouse & Play Fort Themes

The first place to start when thinking about having a custom play structure designed is to think about the themes that best reflect your children's individuality favorite play fantasies and unique interests. A fairy princess needs a castle while a budding astronaut would prefer a spaceship.

You want to also look beyond the moment (and the latest children's blockbuster) to the activities that your children love and the emerging talents you want to help them discover. The right playhouse or tree house theme can grow with them and be a safe place to explore their interests. For example, if your child has an enduring love of astronomy, you can build them a "mini observatory" where they can set up a telescope, plaster the walls with star charts and fantasize about traveling to Saturn or colonizing Mars. If they love painting, you can build them an artist's studio complete with an easel, art supply cabinet and gallery space to hang their latest work.

To help you get started thinking, here are some common playhouse (and tree house) themes:

Houses, Cottages & Castles

• Miniature of main house
• Cottage: Rustic, Tudor, or Queen Anne
• Chalet: Alpine, Bavarian or Swiss
• Castle: Keep, Tower, Hill fort, Dungeon
• Fantasy or fairy tale dwelling
• Adobe: Santa Fe or Mission
• Nature hut or hooch

Western Themes

• Classic Barn, ranch house or bunk house
• Western or "Foreign Legion" fort
• Lodge house: Eastern Native American
• Log cabin or Homestead
• Western town: jail, saloon, stable

Tree House Themes

• Tarzan or Swiss Family Robinson
• Tree Bridges

Ocean, Space & Military Themes

• Ship: pirate or frigate
• Lighthouse or lifeguard tower
• Boat house
• Rocket, space ship or space station
• Military fort, bunker, foxhole, battlefield tank or armored car

Work Related Themes

• Clubhouse or school house
• Main Street: general store, beauty shop, garage, train station, fire or police station
• Laboratory: functional or mad scientist
• Restaurant or café
• Artist studio

Design Criteria & Location Considerations For Treehouses, Playhouses & Play Forts

• Use ~ As children age and adults mature, so do their need for spaces to play and dream. Consider the alternative uses you want your play house or retreat to be able to handle: sanctuary, studio, workout room, meditation center, fantasy zone, cooling off space. Design issues include:
  
  
  • permanent structure (or built for easy knockdown for transport to another home)
  • utilities (both current and future needs)
  • physical access and interior space (sized for growing children, toys, guests and emergencies)
  • child use (radiused edges, railing height and orientation, childproof hardware and outlets)
  • oversight (do children or adults need to be seen or heard from the house)
    
    
• Structure ~ It should be well planned, especially if it will be used by children. Railings should be high enough so that small children cannot fall over or easily climb up on them. (Vertical uprights are preferred over horizontal rails which can act as ladders.) Metal hardware and bolts should be cut short and filed to remove sharp edges and burrs.
  
  
• Site Selection ~ Proximity to trees, fences, animals, neighbors, streets and cars should be considered. Trees with tempting, climbable limbs should be kept away from high structures. The area should be free of large rocks, stumps, holes, cliffs and overhangs near where children can leap or fall. The ground around the structure should be padded with soft grass, chipped bark ground cover, sand or rubber matting.
  
  
• Noise ~ Also consider the noise of children playing in relationship to the main house, retreats and neighbors.
  
  
• Sunlight ~ Think about the path of the sun and the amount of sunlight and heat exposure during peak usage times throughout the day as well as the seasons. Consider where furniture should be placed to catch the sunlight or shade.
  
  
• Water ~ Excessive moisture can lead to premature aging, structural damage from rot and musty smells. The structure should be designed to shed rain and dew readily. Rain must have good drainage away from site. For the longest life, the structure should be allowed to dry out thoroughly.
  
  
• Finishes ~ Heat and light contribute to weathering, so a UV protective finish is important. Stains (clear, colored or solid) or paint are popular wood finish choices.

Design Options & Accessories

In addition to the general design criteria above, there are lots of options and accessories you can add to make your structure more functional and unique.

Design Options

• Doors: front, back, trap
• Windows: openable, set in panes
• Skylights or translucent roofing
• Stories or multiple levels
• Porches & separate rooms

Utilities & Access

• Lighting: ceiling, reading lamps, sconces
• Heating, air conditioning, fans
• Water: water faucet, drainage sink
• Electrical outlets
• Music stereo or mounted speakers
• Telephone or data port
• Stairs, walkways, ramps, bridges & fire poles
• Ladders: rope or wooden access

Activity Elements

• Sand pit & slides
• Swings: plank, porch or tire
• Bulletin or chalk boards
• Bells, whistles, doorbells
• Miniature train tracks
• Steering wheels
• Telescopes
• Play appliances: sink, oven, refrigerator

Furniture & Accents

• Storage: built ins, closets, toy chests
• Secret compartments & panels
• Playhouse furniture: table, rocking chair
• Window planter boxes or seat
• Weather vanes, spyglass, flagpole

Additional Resources and Related Links

Here are a few resources you can use for inspiration and ideas for your design.

• Children's Playhouses: Plans & Ideas by Tina Skinner
  This book will provide lots of inspiration with its hundreds of exterior and interior photos of playhouses and tree houses.  LA Public Library book
  
  
• Kids' Places to Play by Jeanne Huber
  This book is full of ideas and inspiration for creating play houses, tree houses and play areas.  LA Public Library book
  
  
• The New Kidspace Idea Book by Wendy Jordan
  Although this book only features about 20 photos of outdoor playhouses, it is a great book for getting inspiration and ideas for designing spaces (bedrooms, bathrooms and play areas) for kids.   LA Public Library book
  
  
• Books by David and Jeanie Stiles
  This author site features kid friendly "how to" books and lots of ideas for tree houses and play houses. Look at "Tree Houses You Can Actually Build" and
  "How To Build Tree Houses, Huts and Forts"  LA Public Library books
  
  
• Image Search
  You can search the image archives at Google Images, Yahoo Images, MSN or your favorite search engine to find inspiration from architectural showcase homes, historical buildings and DIY projects.

If you are interested in accessories or a basic or high end playhouse or tree house, check out these online sources.

• Play-well of Pasadena and Sacramento, CA
  If you are looking for a "basic" treehouse or playhouse, check out this manufacturer of swing sets, treehouses playhouses and more. They have a great showroom in Pasadena and lots of cool accessories you can add to your existing or custom built playhouse or tree house.
  
  
• Daniels Wood Land of Paso Robles, CA
  This "intermediate" level builder of whimsical tree houses offers pre-made tree houses that come with their own tree -- a nice feature if do not have the right tree in your backyard. (Remember to add on the cost of installation to your budget.)
  
  
• Signe's Little Houses of Lancaster County, PA
  Beautiful pre-made miniature houses for role playing, picnics, and sleep overs. You select the size and then customize all the interior and exterior details. They ship all over the USA and the playhouse arrives fully built.
  
  
• Barbara Butler's Play Structures
  This premier "high end" level playhouse design and construction firm located in San Francisco offers many designs with whimsical touches and installs in the Los Angeles area. Featured in numerous articles and TV shows, they are masters at playhouse design and their clients include celebrities and people who see their playhouses as an investment.

Prices For A Custom Treehouse, Play house or Play Fort

There are three price ranges for tree houses and playhouses: basic, custom and high end.

• A basic tree house or play house starts around $2,000, which pays for purchasing and installing a pre-made play structure and adding customizing accessories. For this type of tree house, please see the pre-made resources above or my related links.
  
  
• In the custom price range, which is much of what I build, you can spend between $3,000 to $8,000 for a fine custom wood tree house, play fort or play house. That involves helping you select the appropriate tree or site, creating a design that will be useful and fun throughout its life, and building your play structure on site.
  
  
• At the high end, which I am happy to build for my clients when their budget permits, you can spend anywhere from $10,000 - $25,000. This covers the cost of envisioning, designing, building and decorating the playhouse or play fort of your child's dreams. Please see the high end resources above.

If you are purchasing a pre-made play equipment, remember to include the cost of on-site installation in your budget.

Portfolio of Wood Tree Houses, Playhouses & Play Forts

My online portfolio features a few project photos so you can get an idea of the variety of tree houses and play forts I can build. I specialize in creating client inspired designs -- so if you see an example of exactly what you want (or something close), we can use that as a starting point for your design. Or you can let me create a custom design that matches your home's architectural style.

If you need ideas and inspiration, check out the resources above, clip magazine pictures, look through your vacation photos and keep an eye out for what you like in the neighborhood. The more you know about what you like and don't the easier it is to create and build something you will be delighted with for years to come.

Free Standing Rustic Wood Tree House Pasadena, California 1998 Peeled Douglas Fir logs with Redwood beams and decking 8 feet by 8 feet, elevated 14 feet off the ground Budget: Starting at $5,000 More photos

Free Standing Rustic Wood Tree House (tree detail) Finding the right tree is important. The shape (branches and trunk), location, height, foliage (seasonal and amount), strength and views all play a major factor in determining if a tree is the right one to build around.

Free Standing Rustic Wood Tree House (side view) Framed in openings allow plenty of room for the tree branches to grow. Enlarge photo Front view

Play Fort in the Woods San Rafael, California 1995 All Redwood construction 10 feet by 6 feet by 6 feet Provides adult access and room underneath to store toys or a sandbox. Budget: Starting at $8,000

Multiple Level Wood Tree House with Crow's Nest Los Angeles, California 2001 Redwood decking and railings with pressure treated frame 12 feet by 20 feet by 18 feet Budget: Starting at $9,000

Multiple Level Wood Tree House with Club House Malibu, California 2006 Redwood and Cedar 18 feet by 16 feet by 20 feet Budget: Starting at $18,000 Enlarge Photo More Photos