... I built a fairly elaborate tree house for my granddaughters two years ago. It is a 12 x 12 foot square platform supported by the tree trunk at the center and by diagonal struts from the tree trunk to the corners of the platform. The hip roof has a hole for the tree trunk in the center. My daughter consulted an arborist who OK-ed the tree, which is a sturdy red oak with a roughly 2 1/2 foot diameter trunk. The location is near the Virginia coast where hurricanes are not uncommon, so the structure is bolted together with heavy stainless steel hardware and attached to the tree with 24 very large stainless steel lag screws.
Since life and limb were at risk here, I needed to do a competent design. An architect neighbor suggested designing for a 100 pound/sq. ft. live load. I knew how to do this from undergraduate engineering courses. However, setting load limits for the bolted joints between the wood members was a total mystery until I discovered this book. It is full of practical data on joint loading, hole locations, etc.
If you need to design a tree house or pole barn from scratch, this is an essential resource. ...
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