A wooden house from childhood dreams
Our own tree house is every child’s dream. It’s a wonderful place for having fun which becomes a magical world when triggered by vivid imagination. After all, the structure can be easily turned into a fortified castle or a pirate ship. Building the house is a challenge but on the other hand, a great fun for the whole family. We are giving some hints, what to pay attention to when planning such a facility and how to protect it suitably.
A few years ago every adult dreamed of having their own ‘villa’ or at least a small ‘M2’ flat erected in a tree. Despite flow of time, children’s fantasies haven’t changes in this matter at all, and even today’s youngsters often dream of having their own hut. It’s possible to make their dreams come true, however, it requires some effort. The prize for our hard work in this undertaking will be smile and admiration of our kids.
A good plan is half the battle
Building a real tree house, apart from manual skills, requires imagination and a bit of creativity. There are no alike trees, so every project must be adjusted to various conditions. Consequently, the house construction must be planned thoroughly. At the beginning we have to establish, how the children will be able to enter it – through the floor, by climbing a special ladder or a rope, or small steps? Of course, these are only few options. Depending on the alternative we choose, the hut construction will look differently. While preparing its visualization, our inspiration can be derived from the internet. When we select the best possible shape, we can get down to work. At the very beginning we have to find suitable wood. It should be fine and its trunk sufficiently thick. If we manage to find a sturdy piece, it is very likely that the whole house will be supported on its trunk and boughs. Despite that, it’s worth strengthening the whole construction by installing additional brackets in the ground. The house ought to be designed so that it is stable, and simultaneously does not interfere with regular tree development. It’s advised to use natural materials such as wood which is not only beautiful but also - protected in a suitable way – solid. Additional advantage of using this material is quite an easy finishing. Since we are building for our kids, it’s worth bearing in mind the safety issues. The construction should not be placed too high. It’s recommended to create a thick layer of amortization around the tree, e.g. made of bark. The wooden elements of the house must have rounded edges and all surfaces sanded and free from any splinters.
Suitable exterior protection
So that the house is solid and resistant to unfavourable weather conditions and insects, it’s essential to protect it suitably. It refers both to ‘elevation’ as well as the interior and all cut edges, cut-outs or drilled holes. Thanks to that we can be certain that the effect of our work will be well preserved. By applying a suitable product we can sort out a problem of providing an efficient protection to raw wood. Firstly, we apply upon the surface of the wood a colourless version of VIDARON Protective – Decorative Preservative. The colourless version will create a base for other layers. Used as a primer, the preservative protects the wood efficiently against fungi, blue stain or insects. It penetrates the material deeply and provides full protection against biological hazards. In order to obtain full protection, and simultaneously impart an aesthetic look to the house, the preserved surfaces ought to be sanded after 24 hours and dedusted as well as painted by applying a suitable product in colour version, e.g. VIDARON Protective and Decorative Varnish. It contains a unique system of three high-quality resins and forms solid and flexible coatings. A wide range of colours is available such as: golden pine, American mahogany or Canadian maple. The varnish is applied upon the whole surface along the wood grains. In order to obtain an efficient protection it’s necessary to apply at least two layers. Subsequent applications are performed after minimum 12 hours after setting the previous layer. The application can be performed by using a paintbrush, a roller or spraying method. VIDARON Varnish contains Teflon® surface protector, and as a result ensures optimal protection against destructive weather conditions. Elements painted with VIDARON Preservative and Varnish are embraced by a 6-year warranty of efficient wood protection.
Colourful interiors
When the house is set and its all external elements are suitably protected, it’s time to take care of the proper interior design. It also requires proper protection. As regards colour selection we can let our imagination run wild – eventually, we are creating a house for our children. Vivid and exciting colours will spur them to play and become the source of inspiration for further, full of joy adventures in their invented world. VIDARON Super Efficient Varnish and Stain, for protective and decorative painting of wood, is highly recommended since the product is safe and gentle for our kids.
The varnish is also suitable for painting wooden toys and elements in the playground. It has excellent covering properties and ensures easy application. After painting, it forms coats resistant to influence of water, light and weather conditions. The product complies with the European standard – ‘Safety of Toys’. Creating a tree house is a true challenge but also an enormous reason to be proud for every handyman. Nothing can be as enjoyable as children’s look, full of admiration, who just dreamed of something like this. A tree house built from solid wood and suitably protected against weather conditions, is an ideal spot for having fun for many years.
