Need Help Building Permanent Treestand
 

I have a couple of places that I would like to build a treestand for. I've never built a permanent treestand, ie, like boards and nails to fasten to 3 or 4 trees. I hunted off of them twice in my life.

I'm thinking most likely will be using 3 trees because it's easier to find a clump of 3 than 4. What I need help with is the strength issue. I might have someone else be up there with me. This will be a rifle stand. Not far up, about 7'-10' high. For the main boards I'm thinking of using 2" by 6"s instead of 2" by 4"s.(more strength)

Now I'm no carpenter, but I have built a few things. What I'm wanting to learn is how to best build the platform for strength.

1.) Do I use nails or screws?
2.) Do I need treated lumber or can poly or paint work?
3.) Do I pre-drill holes to prevent cracking?
4.) Do I need to add joists or just top boards?
5.) What size floor boards do I need? 2"x4"s?

Besides just putting up the 3 main boards, how best do I attach them to the tree? Do I also attach some sort of supporting boards too? I really would appreciate a detailed description, a picture, a drawing or link that would help.

If this project lends itself to be too much, I'll just pull out the manufactured treestands. LOL!

Thanks,

iSnipe

Edit: In regards to #1 above, I did learn that screws hold better than nails. I don't know if they are stronger, but are more secure. Also, nails back out over time.

"To save you some time, I know the dangers of a wooden built stand. I have many... and I mean many different treestands and climbing sticks, etc. This is a fun project I'd like to work on. Thanks!"

1) Use lags to affix to the tree. Use deck screws to put your decking on.

2)Go with treated. It will save time, and after buying paint and stuff, it will probably save you money.

3)For the lags, yes, pre-drill. For screwing your decking down, no.

4)Depending on your span, and choice of decking, joists could be a good idea. You can get away with using some 5/4 board if you have some joists.

5)As mentioned above, if you use joists, you can get away with 5/4 board.

By the time you get done buying all the materials and devoting your time to building it, you could have purchased a couple of good ladder stands.

Attachment 3395




hope this helps

Hey guys! Appreciate the tips and diagram.

vipertech - Obviously you missed the last part of my message I had above. Long reply short... I have a treestand or two.(tongue in cheek) And I doubt 3 2"x6"s and 5-7 2"x4"s, some lag bolts and wood screws come up to even 1/2 the cost of 1 ladder stands. We'll see! Thanks for the advice regardless.

I think this project is a go guys! Thanks for the help and if anyone else wants to add a tip or two besides telling me the cost of materials will be enough to buy 2 ladder stands, I'm open for ideas. LOL!

iSnipe

"Stay tuned guys. I'll get pics of the finished project when I'm done along with some details."

My permanent treestands are 16' w/ 4' platforms and 32" sides cost me about 360.00 each and over a 8 year span I have 15 of them... The metal stands are no comparison of which I have 3... The wooden one take time and money but if I'm going to sit in a stand all day that's what I want to sit in... Good luck!

If you are planning on screwing , nailing or bolting 2X4's (whatever) to trees and then attaching top boards remember .........the wind will have the trees moving in different directions and pull the screws , nails , bolts loose .

That's right. Hence my decision to stay lower as it is affected much less. Thanks for the heads-up.

iSnipe

I say go all out and build it for two, and make the walls insulated with a propane heater. Put a funnel and hose hook up in the corner for RELIEF, just make sure to bury the other end of the hose in crushed rock and cover it with sod (no smell). Bring out the meals in a bag and stay all day. I've even seen some guys go to the department store and get wireless drive-way alarm systems which you can set up with multiple sending units and set up a perimeter. All you need to power the senders are batteries and the main unit can be powered by a portable power box. The main unit has up to four zones (sender) that light up and or beep indicating which one was tripped.

What the heck, you only live once.

A permenant stand may cost a little less, but if you want to "tweak" the location, you're screwed. Once it's there, it's there.

Attachment 3490
screws, nails, and lag bolts.
I use nails to start and get something there to work from, then lag bolts for the main supports, then screws so the wind movement doesn't work the decking apart.

No, I saw the last part. I based my response on the fact that I built a few wooden ladder stands in the past. I ultimately sold all of them. I used pressure treated lumber, tongue and groove for the platform and decking boards ripped down the center as ladder rungs. The cost of the materials, screws, paint, etc was on par with a decent store-bought ladder stand of roughly the same dimensions. Factoring in the time it takes to build the stand AND the fact that the home-built stand does not adhere to any TMA standards, it's just not worth it.

But if you still want to go forward and make a wooden ladder stand, here's some tips:

Dado cut the ladder rungs. It's much stronger than just nailing some rungs against a couple of long pieces. In case a screw or nail comes out, the rung still have a chance of not falling. I used decking boards ripped down the center because the sides of the decking boards are rounded. This made the wood last longer because sharp edges would constantly rip away from stepping on them.

I made my platforms with tongue and groove pieces. It was very strong and the grooves added a bit of traction.

I used large eyebolts on the sides of my platforms. I hooked ratchet straps to these eyebolts to secure the stand to the tree.

I would cut a V notch in the back of my stand where the platform would rest against the tree. Then, I drove about 6 bolts into the V cut. Cut off the head of the bolt then sanded the remaining shaft down into a point. These points would then help anchor into the tree.

Hope this helps.

Buy the friggin' ladder stand! It is much easier to put up and is mobile. Permanent are just that permanent. Plus no matter what materials you use, they will only last two to three seasons before the wind and squirrels have them in need of repair.

If you must build the permanent, don't put it in multiple trees. During a decent wind event, each tree will sway in different directions at differing degrees. They will tear the stand apart. When I used to build them, I would find a tree with a "Y" and place the boards across the "Y" to create the platform.

Exactly what I was thinking. Unless you just have all of these supplies just sitting around already, then I dont see the sense in doing it. Do yourself a favor and get a manufactured stand.

I should realize by now by being knowledgeable people are always going to say things one already knows. That's life and this is no exception, so I'll work with that. I'm doing ok guys. Have more manufactured stands that 95%+ of the common hunter, besides outfitters. Use to be a bowhunting freak! I hunt; that's what I love to do. However, treestand building is new to me and I want to make one. I have API's, Loc-Ons, River's Edge, Ol'Man, Staghorn, Summit and several others in climbers, portables and ladderstands, not mentioning all the ladders, climbing sticks, etc, that go along with the game. It's one of my hobbies being in the woods; regardless if I get anything or not. I'm sure you know what I mean.

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tschaef,

Hey buddy! Thanks for that picture. That's the kind of thing I'm going to build; nothing fancy, just a project I can sit on this fall/winter. LOL!

vipertech,

Hey! You were absolutely correct on the cost of materials... meaning they are HIGH! So far I only bought 3 2"x6"s, 5 2"x4"s, 12 lag screws, some screws and a couple of heads for the drill and I'm about 70% the cost of a new ladder stand. LOL! Thanks for your reply and additional help.

I'm looking forward in doing this guys. Yeah, I have a few "real" stands already, but it seems traditional to me to have said one has built at least one wooden tree stand. Someday I'll have some stories to share about that stand!

Thanks,

iSnipe

You can lag to the tree but I normally go to the hardwar and get some steel cable and furrals and a turnbuckle to tighten . Go around the tree to a turnbuckle and tighten , this seems to make a big diffrence over the years.

Hey Cedarswamp1!

You know, I thought of that. Also, thinning some upper limbs will let the wind pass through much easier too, but then we're talking getting the ropes and climbing gear out... that and a good Silki. Interesting you should mention turnbuckles. I was thinking about it. LOL!

iSnipe

If you are building between 2-3 trees they will have to be big solid trees. I have built them with 2x12's with 4, 5inch lag screws into each tree and still had the trees move enough to break them apart before winters end.
My best results have come from building on 4 poles set in the ground 4 ft. or 2 poles with the platform leaning against the tree( like a ladder stand just bigger) and lagged to the tree. I would use a big tree too to lessen the movement from the wind. Then you can make it a 4x4 or 4x8 or whatever platform to build your walls on. Also an x braced house on poles with the poles leaning inward to create a larger base works to set on top of the ground. You can also build them on an old trailer and park them where you want.

just my opinion and i can say i have built quite a few perms..... you dont save money they are 100 times more dangerous and just plane dont last .. for 69 bucks at dicks you can buy a 15 foot ladder no bells or whistles except for the safety harness that usually comes with them .

Who said anything about saving money?

You didn't read my post where I already own ladder stands. In fact, I'm leaving in a few minutes to go buy 3 more ladder stands right now. LOL! Saving money? Please, you only live once.

And they are NOT 100 x more dangerous. That's an exaggeration, but more dangerous? Most likely and don't really care given the real odds. I'll take the risk.

iSnipe

:wave: ohhh i read your entire post .. as i said it was my opinion.... good for you to be wealthy and lucky enough to beat the odds.Your right my guess on the odds of danger was just that a guess ... im just a sucker for safety , want to be around long enough to take my grandsons hunting .:D

the ones we build are not ore dangerous, they have more area than that of a manufacturer stand and is way sturdy-er in my opinion.

my metal one is slippery, and the wooden one has more traction when wet from mornin dew

i wouldnt use more than 1 tree as sum1 has said, it destroyed itself in less than a month and these were 2 of the biggest pines on the farm , prolly 2 men around hand to hand. i think i drew u a crappy picture on here and this design allows the tree to grow and sway without messin it up. the blind is in no way attached to the tree, simply built with a lil grow room. kinda like a sleeve. and i use a rachet strap to hold er still, just like most tree hangers

i have been in it when winds were 25 mph and ir moves with the tree just fine,

Snipe,
I have used wooden SKIDS as platform for tree stands and they are very strong.
You just have to nail two proper lengths of 2x6 to the side of 2 good size trees and set the Skids in between. You can also cut them in half dividing the bottom and upper side to make 2 platforms.
Next is making a ladder that you can take on and off the stand so people won't just use it when you are not there.

I haven't beat the odds yet nysmoker. Haven't even started the stand yet. LOL! We'll see. If I'm around come January 15, then we know I made it. LOL! I understand though. It's always good to be safe. If you knew me and how I operate, you'd be comforted to know I do err on the side of safety.

And about wealthy... true wealth to me is like a pie with several slices. The money part of wealth is only a piece of the pie. Having friends, family, health, "grandsons" are other slices of that pie! I'm poor to moderate in some slices, while others are huge.

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Thanks for the additional replies gentleman. I read them all. I have most all the material and when it comes time, I'll be building...and that's coming soon. I'll have pics too, so keep an eye out!

Take care,

iSnipe

I've built more than a few permanent stands, and I liked to put them in red maples, usually a triple off the same stump. I started by attaching a 2x4 between 2 of the trunks (trunk 1 and trunk 2 - the ones oriented toward where I wanted to be looking most) at the height I want the stand to be. Get this piece level. It can be left in, or later removed. I used it to make sure the ends of the floor supports that rest upon it are also level. Then install 2, 2x4's or 2x6's that are the floor supports. One end of each rests upon the first 2x4, nail them to trunk 1 and 2. Then nail the other ends to trunk 3, making sure they are level with each other. Now you have the 2 floor supports that run between trunk 1 and 3, and trunk 2 and 3 installed and level. Add your floor. I always liked 2x6, spaced about a half-inch apart. Your seat can be any number of things, but I liked a strap-on tree seat. That way I could attach it to any of the 3 trunks. Add a 2x4 rail if you like. To get into the stand you can use screw-in or tie-on tree steps, or an old aluminum ladder.

I always used spikes to attach to the tree (can't recall the size) and 16d nails to attach the floor to the floor supports. Never had a problem. I never added sides or a roof. If possible, I put these near a hemlock tree or other evergreen that would offer some cover, but they did work out in the open too. Once installed, I sometimes used a spray can of grey or brown auto primer to dull the new wood.