Building a tree house in your backyard

The kids have been begging you for a tree house for months now and - let's be honest - the idea of building a mini house up in the treetops appeals to your inner child. But now that you've decided to go forward, how do you get started on this project?

First, examine your building skills. If you are adequate with a hammer, nail, screwdriver, saw and other basic tools, chances are good you'll be able to build this structure from scratch. If your talents lie in a different direction, you might want to opt for a tree house that is prebuilt. Also determine if your community requires a permit to build a tree house. If neighbors can see into your backyard, chat with them before you start planning to make sure you won't receive any complaints once you've spent time and money building the tree house.

Find a large and strong tree to host your house. You may discover you'll need to build support structures from the ground, especially if you go for a larger tree house design. As you plan your house, also plan for tree growth, and develop the design so it won't damage the tree. No two tree houses are alike, so involve your children in the design, but make sure the house has plenty of safety factors like railings, good support structure and the strength to withstand harsh weather elements.

Gather your materials - lumber, tools, equipment, concrete, measuring devices and roofing supplies, just to name a few - and start building the tree house frame. This is the platform the house will rest upon, and the frame determines how strong and long-lasting the house will be. Since much of the tree house work will be overhead, you may need to develop a pulley system to help bring heavier materials and tools up to your work space.

Start adding walls or railings after the frame and floor are constructed and tested to ensure they can hold the weight of the house and children inside. You may want to build these on the ground, and then attach them to make the process easier.

Once the walls or railings are constructed, start on the roof. If you're concerned about rain water coming in through the roof around the trunk, consider using the inner tube of a tire for flashing, which will help protect the tree from damage, but also keep water from leaking in around the trunk.

Once it's constructed, make sure you add the tree house to your property insurance so you are protected in case the house (and all your work to build it) gets damaged due to weather or vandalism.

Encourage your children to decorate their new backyard tree house. Window or railing flower boxes work well for aspiring gardeners, and a mailbox is a great way to pass messages. Once their house is complete, you'll know where to find your children - and the neighbor's children all summer long.