DIY Indoor Treehouse

Indoor ‘tree-house’ style play areas have rocketed in popularity in recent years. Mostly extravagant and seen in the U.S in larger than average homes, you may wonder whether creating a similar solution in a smaller UK home is feasible. You’ll be pleased to know that with a little imagination, creativity and raw materials, it is!

When visualising your own DIY indoor treehouse, there are many factors to consider including size, materials, and design. However, despite many glossy and oversized designs dominating online inspiration boards like Pinterest, the structural makeup of your chosen frame is important. For example, many choose to build an indoor treehouse as a standalone structure, able to stand steady on its frame. However, if you own your home and want to make this structure a little more permanent, you do have the option to fix it to the walls to create something similar in appearance to the indoor fixtures commonly found online.

In addition to a hardwood frame, there are a number of other materials that will make up your treehouse design. For example, polyurethane foams are popular for a range of safety and comfort purposes, including the protection of little heads from hard and sharp corners! If your treehouse design includes a loft-like element, you may wish to pad underneath with a thin foam sheet. For this, we’d recommend a medium to high density polyurethane foam of approximately one to two inches in thickness, depending on your desired level of protection.

Not only can you build a frame to your desired size and specifications, but building your own indoor treehouse enables you to design it as you wish. Foam also plays an important part here, as it can form the basis of toy components and soft embellishments incorporated in your design. For example, should you wish to make a jungle-themed treehouse, foam can be used to create soft faux shrubbery to decorate the frame. Alternatively, interactive foam leaves can be created by covering a foam shape with a desired material before sticking it to the frame or surrounding walls with Velcro attachments. eFoam’s foam cut to size capabilities mean that any design can be accomplished – simply enter your dimensions and send us a true to size template of your desired shapes.

One of the main attractions of an indoor treehouse for children is the possibility of many ‘campouts’ with friends. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to consider a sleep or ‘camping’ area in your treehouse design by using foam sheets and other components to make the frame more comfortable. For example, for floor mats, we’d recommend a medium to high density polyurethane foam sheet of approximately two to three inches in depth as an appropriate sleep solution. If this sleep area is next to a supporting wooden post, custom foam cut to size can be used to pad these areas. For additional comfort, you may also consider making seats from high-density foam blocks – a comfortable and portable solution for your little campers!

We came across an incredible example of a DIY indoor treehouse project, built by ‘The Evening Woodworker’. Take a look at his step by step YouTube video for inspiration.

Should you have any questions regarding custom DIY projects that incorporate foam elements, do contact our friendly team.