At work on this Atherton treehouse, Barbara breaks out the coffee tool box, complete with everything she needs to brew up some potent java and keep the crew properly fueled.

To support the weight of the treehouse without harming the tree, we use a special bolt called the Garnier Limb, which enables secure fastening of the brackets with fewer penetrations to the tree.

Since each tree is unique, we customize brackets for a perfect fit, tacking down the precise shape on site before moving to the shop for the heavy-duty welding.  Here’s Marco fitting all the pieces together.

This multi-level treehouse even includes a hanging bridge. It’s a team effort to hand-lash that much rope railing; can you spot all five of us?

Here’s a sneak peek of what the final product will look like. Until the big reveal for the kids, however, we are draping the whole structure each night to preserve the surprise factor!