Treehouse Lover’s Dream: 1,800 Square Feet Spanning Seven Trees
- Posted on February 1, 2012 at 11:47pm by
Liz Klimas
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Is Michael Garnier’s 1,800-square-foot home built within the branches of seven trees the largest treehouse in the world? He sure thinks so.
Fair Companies reports Garnier saying he knows this because “I‘ve been claiming it and nobody’s saying that it isn’t. Nobody’s showed me a bigger one.”
The home is built primarily around a 300-year-old white oak, which is no longer living, but also incorporates seven trees into its structure, making it a “trees-house”.
Check out Fair Companies’s footage of the home:
Why did Garnier choose a treehouse for his homestead? He explains to Fair Companies that it actually does less damage to the woodland surroundings than if he had built the home on the ground. If the home were built like a traditional home, the foundation would have disrupted the root system of the trees, shortening their lifespans.
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Comments (73)
DD313
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 9:11amLoved it! The owner explained issues which were raised in prior posts such as the concrete slab, the preservation of live roots, and the fact that the central tree was dead when he found it; so watching the video first proved helpful. The one thing the owner said which may be misleading was his repeated use of the word “torque” when he should have said “resistance to torque”. The sliding bolts attaching the house to the living trees allows them to naturally twist with the wind (causing torque), while the house is not being pulled apart at the joints. This is what a structure that big must have in order to last.
Report Post »MittensKittens
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 1:30pmLet me guess, you’re a mechanical engineer, right?
Report Post »Welcome Black Carter
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 11:38pmIt would seem many comment without watching the video. You don‘t know what you don’t know.
Report Post »Free2speakRN
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 8:43amI like it.
Also, either way, if it holds up, great. If it breaks, Tremendous.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 10:48am.
Report Post »I like it too.
but….
“the foundation would have disrupted the root system of the trees, ”
So, why is he standing on a concrete slab?
Isn’t that the same as if he built if on the ground?
Tom K
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 11:21am@FREE2SPEAKRN: Don’t you mean – Tree -mendous ? The tree in the middle of the house looks dead.
Report Post »POdVet
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 11:24am@secretsquirrel
Report Post »A simple cement slab for light use like he is doing only needs to be 4 inches deep to prevent cracking. But a structural cement slab for supporting the house would have needed to be 10 inches thick if I read the regulations right.
@leftfighter
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 11:38amTree houses aren’t 6 feet off the ground. This is a house on stilts with trees growing through it.
Report Post »AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 11:40amYet only a few feet off the ground. Hardly worth the effort – or the claims.
Report Post »Free2speakRN
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 1:03pmTom K,
Hi Tom. I was hoping someone would catch that. I had Treemendous, but figured it was a give away.
I copped it from a joke I heard about 50 years ago:
Q) What did the two houses say when a tree fell on them? A) Treemendous.
It was’nt necessarily funny, so I went for a hidden effect. You’re good. Thanks for the reply.
Report Post »jb.kibs
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 8:32pmi like it, but agree that it is not an “official treehouse”.
it’s a house on stilts built around trees…
a treehouse can contain no other support to the ground but trees themselves.
Report Post »auntmoxie.com
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 8:32amIt‘s nice that he wants to help keep the trees’ root systems alive…. By the way, how many trees did he chop down to make that thing?
Report Post »Kirsten
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 10:04amThat is exactly what I thought!!!!
Report Post »AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 11:44amJACK0FF7: Missing the whole point AND being a contradiction to your own statement – now that IS stupid.
Report Post »WhiteFang
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 11:46amIt looks like it may not be a true tree house.
Report Post »It looks more like an elevated house built in the midst of some trees.
A “tree house” is one that uses a tree or trees as its support structure.
beenaroundyaknow
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 8:14amSo, it has a dead tree trunk in the middle, bid deal. It looks like a house on pilings to me. Gullible media as usual.
Report Post »PATRIOTMAMA
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 7:56amCan you hear the collective screams coming from treehuggers everywhere?!! LOL. Ooh that’s good stuff. I love this house and would live there in a heartbeat. It’s neat. I would think termites would be a problem. Maybe they addressed it in the article. Sorry I didn’t have time to read it all, just looking at the pics. Having a five year old kind of morning. ;-)
Report Post »THXll38
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 7:34amCool house. Don’t listen to the haters — they are just jealous.
Report Post »nelbert
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 7:45amIt is kind of odd that there are as many negative comments. It’s a neat house. Don’t see reason for a controversy.
Report Post »imsteph
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 8:10amAgreed! A childhood fantasy come to life :)
Report Post »But I was wondering about one comment he made….
That if he had built the house on a slab in the same location it would have disrupted the trees’ root systems shortening their life span…
Which is all well and good-but in the picture he is standing on a cement slab under the house that he has his lawn care equipment on…
Made me laugh ;)
boltfan63
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 11:46amWhy do so many people go to the negative. The house is cool and I’m envious. Would live there in a heartbeat. He is one talented man!
Report Post »4xeverything
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 6:49amIt may stand up to the tork, but will it stand up to termites?
Report Post »tiredofprogressives
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 6:34amThe trees will die. Where are the environmentalists? This person cut the branches and leaves off this these trees. He should be thrown in prison. There is less oxygen in the air and if more people start to build tree houses more of the same will happen. Congress needs to pass laws protecting trees since no one is speaking for them. Where is Eric Holder, that big joke, in all this?
Report Post »COASTIE90
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 6:20amIt’s unique, but, a tree house it isn’t. The supports are on the ground.
Report Post »jb.kibs
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 8:35pmagreed… a treehouse only uses trees as support to the ground.
Report Post »Guitarcarl
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 5:26amlooks like a regular post and pier house to me. We build them in Hawaii all the time. I guess if you build one around an old dead tree you become an environmental hero. Hope the guy doesn’t hurt his arm patting himself on the back. Lucky for us he’s saving the earth for all of the regular house dwellers disturbing the precious tree roots. And to think I always thought a tree house was actually built in the trees.
Report Post »Wyo_Kan
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 8:04amAnd why would having a foundation on the ground disturb roots any more then the concrete pad (foundation?) that is poured under the house.
On the bright side for him, when the trees start to grow/die he could always just have the house lowered onto the foundation that is there now. But until then lets not call it that and then people will think that he is cool for being environmentally friendly.
Report Post »Guitarcarl
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 3:17pmI guess one could argue that’s better than digging a basement, but each of those post are sitting on footers that are probably 36″ deep. I wonder how many trees were killed to produce the lumber to build that place. The whole house is wood. No doubt the place is very cool, but as a contractor, I can tell that is a very expensive house and it’s loaded with heavy timber piers. Lots of dead trees there.
Report Post »grannyrecipe
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 5:24amCome on! the dud says that building an ordinary house would “disrupt the root system of the trees” I guess that’s why all of the trees next to houses everywhere on Earth are dead. Just be honest, you wanted to build a cooky house.
Report Post »asybot12
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 6:34amDid he not say the tree was dead BEFORE he built the thing, well I guess he got his 2 seconds of fame.
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 4:08amIt’s a very beautiful building, but the problem with a house with trees in it, as opposed to a house in a tree, is that the trees are either going to die or continue to grow. Either way it will lead to serious complications as the years go on.
Report Post »uglytoytruck
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 2:38amsince when do tree houses have metal posts holding it up? maybe im just old fashioned
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 4:23amThat’s called iron wood.
BTW…. the freaking house is a house on stilts… it’s not a freaking tree house
And the barbarism…. he skins a 300 year old oak tree and strings it up in the middle of his house. Freaking sicko. LOL
Last note…. guy is a moron who barely understands what he’s talking about. He’s either drunk or STONED…. I’m guessing the latter.
Report Post »ConservativeBrony
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 2:31amI totally want a house like this, it’s awesome! It’s always cool to see some imaginative architecture.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 2:07amWait until the EPA finds out he harmed a tree frog…Then he is screwed…
Report Post »Ken2
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 2:03amUmmm…I guess this guy has taken into account that trees grow at different rates, right? If not, he‘s in for some interesting variations of the ’split level’ house.
Report Post »TxSon
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 7:10amThat might be the case if it were actually attached to those trees. It’s build on piers. However, storms should be interesting as those trees that are 3″ from the house sway and bang into it.
Report Post »OptimusJD
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 11:45amTrees grow from the top up. As long as he accounted for the trunks getting wider it’s fine.
Report Post »southernpatriot
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 1:32amReally nice house. I would not want to be in this house when lightning strikes one of those trees!!!
Report Post »meeester
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 1:13amthis one isn’t even the biggest
Report Post »http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wmEjJKtJYHs/Svm4-UzdkAI/AAAAAAAABns/CUgtHjDF67o/s1600-h/treehouse.jpg
WeekendAtBernankes
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 1:45amHoh lee shhh…
Report Post »Hossua
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 5:15pmThat was my thought too. The Crossvile, TN treehouse is way bigger.
Report Post »olddog
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 1:00amWhere is the Handicap access?
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 12:54amReminds of a show in the seventies; APPLE’S WAY…Pretty cool.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 12:54amTarzan had a better treehouse!
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 12:56amThe Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse is the best
Report Post »blaaaaackwoman
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 12:51amThat’s as ugly as sticking a trailer house on a pole.
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 4:25amLOL…. I was thinking something along those exact lines…..LOL
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 12:29amI love it! Imagination is wonderful.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 1:13am@KICKINBACK…….true, it is a very nice house, although now he probably lives in fear of squirrels stealing his nuts…..:D
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 4:28amYes… smoke as much weed as the home owner and get a nice haze going on and you can pretend you’re living in a tree house and not a simple house on stilts.
Report Post »MrMagoo
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 12:05amToo close to the ground.A tree house is just that,in the trees.Nice tho’.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on February 1, 2012 at 11:57pmMay God bless Mr. Garnier. Our troubles are over.
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on February 2, 2012 at 2:02amTry not to be all darkness all the time, there has to be a balance of light and dark… No, this won’t help the humanity of the world, but when a world is in turmoil sometimes its just nice to see some that brings a little ray of joy, or sunshine!
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