Several people like tree houses as they feel cozy inside and can smell the woods when they enter.
The construction of treehouses may be a fun activity to perform with your kids, as they are incredibly fascinating to children.
Moreover, they are also significant investments for your property, so you should ensure they are sturdy enough to withstand wind storms in some winter.
What is the life expectancy of a treehouse? It’s best to scroll down this article to get the exact answer! Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
What Is The Life Expectancy Of A Treehouse?
A treehouse can stand for ten to twenty-five years when constructed with high-quality materials.
However, many factors affect the average longevity of a treehouse, such as a tree selection or building technique.
Keep reading to get into details!
Life Expectancy
The construction quality and level of care a treehouse receives will determine how long it will last.
A well-constructed house of high-quality materials may survive between 10 and 25 years.
Environmental elements also affect how long your house will last. Any serious climatic situation, such as too much snow or rain, scorching heat, or bitter cold, can cause faster wear and shorter life.
Yet, if you keep your treehouse in good condition, you can increase its longevity.
Make sure to finish routine maintenance, like protecting wood and maintaining the roof.
Moreover, you should fix any harm caused by animals that could also want to nest or chew on your house.
Factors Affect Longevity
Your treehouse’s lifespan will significantly influence your decisions throughout the design and building process’s early planning phases.
Your choices for the wood and accessories you select, and your early designs are all crucial.
It would be best to consider your surroundings because doing so will assist prevent premature aging. Here are the essential things you should consider:
1. Materials
If you select cheap materials, your house may last only 5 to 7 years.
For this reason, it’s best to invest in good materials right from the start. Otherwise, degradation of materials happens quickly.
2. Making Plans
Making such preparations guarantees that your house can last for a few short seasons.
You should evaluate your commitment to constructing your house if you’re unwilling to hire an expert to draw a plan for you.
3. Maintenance
Due to the numerous moving components in treehouses, materials require routine care and maintenance to function at their best and have a long lifespan.
Additionally, you’ll lengthen the lifespan of your house and guarantee everyone who uses it continues to be safe.
Here are some pointers for maintaining your treehouse!
Sealer:
Applying the sealer to your house’s wooden components is crucial.
Wood is vulnerable to various environmental elements, including heat, UV rays, sunshine, erosion, rain, and insects.
The wood will last longer if you seal it at the beginning of your house project and every 4 to 6 years.
Lubrication:
Make sure to regularly lubricate everything with a movable element with something like WD-40.
Insect extermination:
Termites, wood-boring wasps, and scorpions, among other things, might invade your house depending on the region you live in.
Maintaining control is essential to prevent it from turning into an insect haven.
Regular cleaning:
A treehouse’s interior and surroundings will accumulate with leaves or branches.
Depending on the accumulation level, you must thoroughly clean your house at least once a month.
Maintaining cleanliness will lessen degradation and the development of mildew and mold in the region.
Safety checks:
These seemingly insignificant details are simple to ignore, yet they significantly impact your house’s durability and security.
Check for indicators of movement or dislodgement on decking, railing, siding, tree attachment crews, doors, roofs, and windows every three months.
4. Weather Conditions
Research thoroughly about the weather in the area you plan to build a house before construction.
For instance, many significant problems come with constructing a house in a chilly area compared to the tropical climate.
Ensure your planner has proof stating that the structure and materials meet your region’s state building code criteria.
It will significantly boost the chances that your house will withstand the trial time and the unyielding character of nature.
Do You Need Permits Before Building A Treehouse?
Typically, permission is essential in most locations. Only a few states’ construction laws do not specifically regulate it.
Before working on the construction itself, legal authorization must be obtained.
To make a treehouse, it’s crucial to determine whether you need building permission.
You might not need a construction permit if you plan to construct a house or small playhouse for your children.
But if you leave the building, which could have more people inside than just little children, this might be the regulation.
The situation can be different when constructing a house with plumbing for electricity. You should consult your local authority.
Legal permission can assist you in learning about local ordinances or laws that may impact your construction, like height limitations.
No matter your reasons for creating a house, the size and function of the structure will decide whether a construction permit is essential or not.
In any event, confirming that building a treehouse is legal in your region is advisable before cutting down trees.
You need to file for permission and consult the local inspector about the construction if your house designs are intricate and the building seems habitable.
Besides, you should inform your neighbors about your construction plan as your house may be visible, and you can see their property.
This action measure can stop future grievances and legal actions.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Living In A Treehouse?
While owning a treehouse might be beneficial in many ways, there are some drawbacks.
Pros
Your Children Will Have More Space To Play.
One perk of constructing a treehouse is that your children will have lots of extra space to explore and play around.
This place may be a terrific spot for your kids to play out together with their best mates.
Your Kids Will Have More Time Outside In The Clean Air.
Your kids prefer to enjoy time outside in the garden’s clean air rather than staying indoors staring at a computer screen.
The young generation appears to have lost touch with nature since computer games are frequently more essential to them than having fun outside.
You may offset this issue to some extent by creating a treehouse and showing your children how intriguing and incredible when playing outside.
Adding A Treehouse To Your Home Might Boost Its Value.
Another advantage of building a treehouse in your home is that it might raise your property’s value.
It might not be necessary because you may be planning to dwell in your house for an extended time.
You can benefit from this construction because people will be willing to pay more to own this beautiful home.
Cons
Treehouses Take Up Room In Your Garden.
The larger your playhouse, the more room you can waste that you will no longer utilize for other things such as gardening or pool construction.
Therefore, before building a treehouse, you should think carefully about other projects to avoid unwanted surprises.
A Treehouse Can Be Relatively Expensive.
Your house might cost several thousands of dollars, depending on its size, design, and construction.
Whether you construct your house yourself or hire contractors to do it will significantly impact how much money you need to invest.
Your overall expenditures for your house will be significantly less if you make it yourself since you may save a lot of payment on labor.
Therefore, you should construct your treehouse for budgetary reasons if you have the required time and expertise.
Construction Flaws Might Cause Your Treehouse To Collapse.
If you lack building expertise, there is a good probability that the entire structure may start to sway and eventually collapse.
Ensure you are knowledgeable in this area to avoid making any mistakes during building and guarantee that the finished product is a secure space for your kids to have fun.
During Wet Seasons, Treehouses Will Be Useless.
You won’t be able to utilize your home’s treehouse in the cold season or during wet weather, which is another drawback.
Most treehouses aren’t sturdy enough to keep you dry during torrential downpours, so some rainfall will still drop on your house.
Your Children Might Fall From Your Treehouse.
Your kids might not realize the dangers of using a treehouse, particularly if they’re too young.
For instance, if kids fall out of your house, it might cause severe damage.
You should implement adequate safety precautions in this aspect, especially if the treehouse is relatively high.
Final Thoughts
What is the life expectancy of a treehouse? It can last for around 10 to 25 years, depending on the construction skills, materials, weather conditions, or maintenance level.
Most importantly, you should check whether your house needs a local permit. Also, ensure everyone is safe when staying in.
If you have further questions, please comment below. Thanks for reading, and see you in the next post!