STEP THREE

Measure and cut the wood to the right size in case it is too big.       

MATERIALS      

SAW                      

MEASURING TAPE

Did You Know?

Plywood is one of the easiest woods to cut.

Now that you have found the tree or poles you will use to support your tree-house, you now need to cut the wood to fit.  You may not have found the correct size plywood, so you would have bought a bigger size.  This is all right!   You simply need to find how much you need to take off.

  Say you have got a piece of wood that is 8 feet long, but you only need 80 inches.  It takes two steps to figure this out.  First, you must convert (click here to go to conversion chart) either the feet to the inches, or the inches to feet.  We prefer changing feet into inches, because it will give you a more exact measurement.  As you all ready know, you must multiply 8 and 12, which equals 96 inches.  Now, you must subtract 80 from 96 inches - which equals 16.  You need to cut 16 inches from one end of the wood - if you need to cut anything.  This is how you do any type of cutting, but if you can get exactly the measurements that we suggested, you should be fine.

  All the wood should measure exactly when you cut it, because if it is even a little off (maybe an inch or two) it could mess it up.

  Now, whether you are using two poles, or using a tree, you need to cut a hole to fit the support in. This used circumference, which we have taught you, and maybe a little linear measurements.

  First, if you are using a tree, you will need to know the circumference.  As we said in step two, it should be about fifty inches, so that it is not swaying a lot.  Then, you will measure exactly half way into the floor wood, and cut the circle the same size as the tree.  When you are putting it on, put it about six feet up, or as high as you wish.  If you don't want to put it in a tree or on poles, you don't have to.

  For the poles, do the same thing, but you do not put them in the middle.  Lay the wood long way on the ground.  Measure in five inches from the left side, and make a mark.  On the right of that mark, and cut your circle.   Next, measure 85 inches (as we said in step two), and make a mark.  Then, cut your second circle to the right of your mark.

  On the piece of wood that will hold your door, you will need to mark the door.  Make sure it is big enough to get through, because ... you'll probably want to get in.  You can cut it as big or as small as you want, but make sure you have adult supervision.

  Also, you need to put the windows, if you want any.   You just need to cut as you did before - after you mark the board.

  Now, go to the fourth (and final) step, which will tell you exactly how to put your tree-house together.

	Home		Step Four		Resources and Links
	Step One		Extra Features		Word Search
	Step Two		Conversions Chart		Meet the Creators
	Step Three		Quiz		Glossary