How to Make a Tree House Safe

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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One of the great joys of childhood is having a tree house as a place of play, refuge or meditation. One of the concerns of parents, however, is whether or not the child or children who play in the tree house will be safe inside. Below are some tips to help you make this play area a safe one for your kids.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step1

Check the wood ahead of time. Make sure that it is smooth and free from splintered areas. A tree house that fills you with splinters is not safe or fun for anyone.

Step2

Monitor the construction of the tree house, at least at the very end of the process, if not during, and check to make sure that all nails used are hammered all the way in. You want your kids to be safe from the metal heads, or, worse, from the points that may be sticking through the ends of some boards.

Step3

Hammer down any nails, tips and heads, to keep them flush with the boards themselves. If necessary, use wood filler, sanded down when dry, to prevent stubbed skin.

Step4

Put a couple coats of varnish over the surface of the wood in order to insure safety in your tree house. This will help prevent splinters and breakage over a long period of time. Check the surface occasionally to make sure that it is smooth.

Step5

Be sure to include walls or at least railings of some sort. This will give the children a place against which to lean, while also helping insure that they cannot inadvertently fall out.

Step6

Create a sturdy, strong ladder that will safely stay attached to the tree leading to the tree house. Minimize the risk of children falling by checking periodically to be sure that it is securely attached at all times.