World treehouse list - Canada
2008
Rolf Hill
Courtenay, BC, Canada
4 May 2008
I built my treehouse 90 feet up in a Grand Fir. Even at 90ft the trunk is still 18 inches in diameter! It is 8'x8' with a small loft, so it can comfortably sleep 3 adults. The best thing I did was put a window in all four walls. The view is spectacular, since the rest of the forest canopy tops out at about 80 feet. It is totally waterproof (metal roof) and gets quite the sway going during a windstorm. Its about the equivalent of being on rough seas. To climb the tree you ascend up the branches which go all the way to the ground. I would love to build treehouses for a living, so if this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please let me know!
2007
Michael Schwartz
Ashern, Manitoba, Canada
27 December 2007
Built on the Schwartz Acreage just outside of Ashern. It boasted 29 rooms and three stories high. Built by 9 and 12 year old boys, over two summers.
Erik Kafrissen
Perth, Ontario
1 August 2007
It all began with a curved cedar log which was damaged by the Ice Storm of 1998. Three years and a lot of sweat and blood later and we finally finished our little Treehouse (about 700 sq. ft.). The kids use it for sleep-overs, birthday parties and it is now available for rent for a very modest price (no gouging here). We are located near Perth, Ontario and the Treehouse is virtually right over the river.
We'd love to meet you.
The Kafrissen Family
Steve Dupont
Ontario, Canada
31 May 2007
It is great to read these treehouse stories from around the world. I built my treehouse at our family cottage in an area of mature cedar trees between the cabin and the lake. I built it over four years, mostly while my girlfriend watched and reminded me to be careful up there!. It includes four small decks, and a bridge through the trees that connects the main treehouse deck to a deck overlooking the lake. Perfect for pitching a tent up in the trees and spending the warm summer nights.
2006
RL Joseph
near Shelburne Ontario
8 June 2006
Outside dimensions 8' x 12'.
Suspended by cables from 2 rows of 35 year old spruce trees. Total of 8 trees are used all cables have turn buckles. One fixed point is 8' diameter cedar post founded 4' below grade. In calm conditions it will rock gently with people movement. In windy conditions it feels like a ship at sea.
Contrary to your advise, top end of cables have sleeve of garden hose then wrapped around trunk. Redundant support allows easy relocation of top ends to prevent wear on tree. Actually there is little wear from movement but rather the tree grows around the cable if it is left in the same place for a long time.
Floor, walls, ceiling and sliding barn type door are all 4 x 8 x 6.5" structural insulated panels (Thermapan Industries) weighing about 100 lbs each. Easy for non carpenter to install single handed. Well it would be easy the next time now that I know how to do it. Very good R value. Spent entire winter of 04\05. Cabin is heated by "Little Cod" wood stove designed for boats. ( Height: 11.375 In. (28.5 cm.) to top of cook surface.Width: 18 In. (45.75 cm.). Depth: 13.75 In. (35 cm.) Weight: 50 Lbs. (22.5 kg).
1st roof membrane is applied directly to top of ceiling panel (peel and stick made to go under shingles on conventional roofs at perimeter where ice can get underneath. Should have put a ply wood protection board on top before I built the main since material is not meant to be exposed to light. But it has held up so far. Main roof is shed type painted corrugated metal panels. 1/3 slope.
Appreciate your site I will build a high summer tent platform this year maybe based on your 2 tree design but larger floor area.
Regards,
RL Joseph
Rick Colhoun
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
21 March 2006
Built out of mostly re-claimed materials. my three year old boy loves playing in it and climbing on the rock wall. He also loves the secret door and stairs. This thing will probably never be done as we are always tinkering with it.
2005
Shawn Kisielius
Ottawa, Banff, Montreal, Calgary
12 September 2005
This is my prototype suspended treehouse, a model for the Big Picture, a fully suspended and sustainable adventure center in the temperate rainforest of BC.
This one is in Dorion, Near Montreal, Que. Is made fully suspended 30 feet off the ground, it's a basic toolshed built to code, 3 trees, looped around with 2x4s to prevent digging in and rubbing. Rope ladder up, rope bridge across, and a zipline to a cottage, released on to a trampoline.
2004
Jed
Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
11 November 2004
Hey I just wanted to let u know that I made a 5 floor tree house before it was taken down it was at least 10 meters high in the tree the reason why it got taken down is because other people kept goin in it and the city of Oshawa chop the tree down completely so I trying to find a good tree for me to hang on with my friends. My name is Jared (Jed) I'm 15 in grade 10.
Ken Pilidis
Sherwood Park, AB, Canada
10 October 2004
I built my treefort for my two boys. It was built without one screw or nail (or drilling) into the tree. I clamped it on. I and my adult neighbours climbed up to test it and it didn't even creak.
2003
Patrick
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
7 March 2003
Hello, I'm 15 years old and during the last 3 years I've been working on my treehouse in the trees in my backyard. Right now my treehouse has a total of 3 levels with many balconies. I have one level with a water proof, screened in room and on another level I have a screened in balcony.
2002
Patrick
MB, Canada
13 July 2002
I was 12 when I started working my tree house and now I'm 14 and I'm still constantly adding to it. At this point the tree house has 2 stories with balconies about 3 feet higher than the first floor. I used to have a basement but I had to take it apart since I was running low on wood. The second floor is has a roof and walls with screened windows, a roof trapdoor and a trapdoor to get inside.
2001
Tim Odegaard
Comox, British Columbia, Canada
1 February 2001
My tree house is a three storey tree house built with three different designs. The first layer which is at about 25 feet is balanced on three branches attaching it is a 1 foot long bolt to each branch twice. The second platform is built just hanging from cables attached further up the tree. This layer is about 45 feet up the tree, getting scary to work on. The final layer is an octagon built around the entire tree. The floor beams come straight of the tree supported by a triangle underneath and cables going upwards. This last level is up about 60 feet. An underground fort is situated directly at the base of the tree. So much work to still be done.
2000
Tom Chudleigh
Denman Island, British Columbia, Canada
21 August 2000
I built and live in a 9' diameter spherical treehouse. The treehouse is suspended from ropes up in the canopy between 3 trees. Access to the house is via a suspended spiral staircase that wraps around the main tree. A suspension bridge carries you from the top of the stairway to the treehouse.
The sphere is made of yellow cedar strips with a clear fiberglass finish. Construction is similar to a cedar strip canoe. The empty treehouse weighs about 550 lb (250 kg).
David Wood
Lac La Hache, British Columbia, Canada
30 June 2000
This tree house was built during my volunteer days with the Canadian youth program, Katimavik in 1977. I am told that it still stands and is located on the lake side road just across from what is now a summer camp for kids.
1999
Andrew Doepner
Navan, Ontario, Canada
25 August 1999
My treehouse is currently two platforms 10 and 12 feet high up a willow at the back of my neighbours backyard. I am in the middle of building a large platform (6x7 feet) so I can sleep out there. The large platform will have a tarp on a frame for a roof. I would like to thank my friends Dave and Kyle and my brother Chris for helping me build it.
John Berdan
London, Ontario, Canada
9 August 1999
Built in 1988, it is 8 feet off the ground, about 80 sq. feet, including a "porch". It is accessible by a ladder and can be exited by either of two slides. It is built between two 40 foot spruce trees. It is a great play place for the kids!
1998
Carol and Jon
near Kingston, Ontario, Canada
12 October 1998
We built our treehouse as a guest cabin for our cottage. The next one is already in design stages.
Diane Fowles
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
10 October 1998
Hi- My husband built a treehouse on a small piece of unused city land at the bottom of our driveway. A lot of kids in the neighborhood helped to build it and paint it. Unfortunately the city has ordered us to take it down by nov 2. There are two strikes against us 1. We built it in a Garry Oak - a protected tree in Victoria. 2. The city does not want to be liable. We have been trying to save it by asking the municipality to declare the area a park. We have been on the local TV station twice and radio.
Chris Hornby
Ashern, Manitoba, Canada
17 September 1998
- Approximate 2400 square feet
- Cost us less then 100 bucks to build
James Swanson
Pigion Lake, Alberta, Canada
27 August 1998
The actual treehouse part of this design is still in the design phase. The lower areas of this project consist of one 150 sq. ft deck @ 15 ft height level with stairs down to a 320 sq. ft. second deck @ the 8 ft height level. These decks are built off of the back of my cottage into a group of rather large pine trees. The treehouse will be built between two of the larger pine trees that are skirted by the upper deck. This platform will be about 28 feet above the upper deck thus giving a commendable vista of Pigion Lake.
The very real and growing concern is the anchoring of this platform to the trees in such a method that it is stable and yet does not harm the trees. However the size of the platform itself will only be about 40 sq. ft.
Cody
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada
16 August 1998
It is 220cm long, 150cm high, and 150cm wide. we have no power but we do have a fire place for winter it cost us about 100 dollars but it was worth it. We built it over the summer of 1998.
Chris Gishler
Toronto, Canada
14 July 1998
This 30' high, 200sq' gazebo was started with a "how hard could it be?". The completed structure includes a trap door, front door, deck, vaulted ceiling, sliding windows and a bird feeder. All of this is suspended on 6 cables throughbolted in a 60' white pine which gives it a floating feel. Salvaged materials include the tin roof, door, and windows; one from the old village of Mont Tremblant. The lumber, which is also white pine, was harvested and milled locally. Future expansions include a spiral staircase, zip line and stain glass in the door.
Craig Brigden
Milton, Ontario, Canada
13 June 1998
My tree house is on the ground but it is nailed in to a tree beside it. On my top floor you can go up in the tree. The top floor is made with a big piece of plywood going around the tree therefore I call it a tree house.
