My treehouse, July 2010

My treehouse is now more than 6 years old. It was built around December 2003 and was finished around March 2004. It is all-wood, 2-storeys high, slatted bamboo floor, originally cogon roof (now galvanized iron), and perched on a live mahogany tree.

The advantage of putting your house on a live tree is that the main “post” does not age or being attacked by termites; on the contrary, the main “post” gets stronger through time as the tree becomes bigger.

One disadvantage is that the tree is getting bigger and taller, and new branches are sprouting up inside the house.



And on the roof, new branches are rising too. These new branches + rising tree require regular repair on the roof, once every 2-3 years at least. That’s one reason why after 5 or 6 years, the original cogon roof has to be replaced by galvanized iron. The termites also do not stop from attacking and eating the cogon roof. They seem to "smell" the roof several feet below, from the base of the house.



And below, here’s how new the new “skin” of the tree would try to swallow a 3 x 8 inches wood.



One view of my treehouse, from the base up. The first floor of the house is not rising, the tree is getting bigger, and it causes some mis-alignment on the floor. The second floor is rising by perhaps 1/2 to 3/4 inch per year. But the roof is rising by about 2-4 inches a year.



Another view from the opposite side.



Side view, with the toilet, covered by slabs.



Farther view and the surrounding trees.



I’m proud of my treehouse. The only house I truly own. I sleep there once every 2 or 3 months.