If you are building a treehouse, you need timber, but beyond that, you need a few more building supplies. The exact tools and supplies you need vary based on your objectives and your designs, but you may want to consider the following essentials. They can help make the process easier and more fun.

1. Treehouse Attachment Bolt

The treehouse attachment bolt is a heavy duty building supply. Essentially, it's a weight bearing anchor that you put into the trunk of your tree. It acts almost like another tree branch. You can rest joists and other structural supports on the treehouse attachment bolt. According to some estimates, when correctly installed, these bolts can bear from 3628 to 4535 kilograms, but that number varies based on the type of tree you are building in.

2. Lag Screw

In lieu of an attachment bolt or potentially in addition to your attachment bolts, you may want to use a few lag screws. These are one of the strongest fasteners available at most building supply shops, and they are expressly designed for use with weight bearing applications.

You can use the lag screws to anchor your frame to your tree. Then, you can attach the rest of the timber to the frame.

3. Chain Hoist

When you're working at heights, it takes a lot of effort to hoist all the timber you need up into the tree. This task can require two or more helpers, or you may think that you need to use scaffolding or a cherry picker. Luckily, you can avoid all of those options by using a chain hoist.

This is typically used by mechanics who need to lift heavy engine blocks out of their vehicles. You may also want to consider a pulley. After the building process is done, the kids can use the pulley to bring items up into the playhouse.

4. Circular Saw

In addition to the typical saws and hammers you need to put together the tree house, you may want a circular saw. That allows you to cut curves into your timber. Then, you can more easily make holes for branches. If you plan to design the treehouse so the trunk is in the middle of it, a circular saw makes that process much easier.   

5. Windows, Shingles, Railings and Other Extras

Finally, to dress up the tree house when you're done, you may want to invest in a few extras. In particular, consider putting in windows or doors. Shingles can also add style as well as function, and railings let you make a safe balcony.