11 Free DIY Tree House Plans

By
Stacy Fisher
Stacy Fisher, Writer
Stacy Fisher

Stacy Fisher is an expert on crafting, sewing, and frugal finds, sharing her knowledge of hands-on DIY creations, finding freebies, and budgeting. Stacy was a guest on "The Dr. Oz Show" and featured in Woman's World Magazine. She has nearly two decades of writing and editing experience.

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Updated on 07/21/22
Child reading in a tree house

Muriel de Seze / Getty Images

Use one of these free treehouse plans to make your children the ultimate playhouse in the sky. This wide selection of free treehouse plans includes everything from the simple to the outrageous.

Detailed diagrams, color photos, videos, step-by-step building instructions, and tips will help you build a safe and sturdy treehouse that your kids or grandkids can enjoy for years.

No good treehouse trees? No problem! Most of these free tree house plans include an option for a free-standing treehouse that sits on posts. You can also find some free playhouse plans, and free swing set plans that may meet your needs better.

When you're ready to move on from tree houses and onto your next woodworking project, you can find more free woodworking plans for toy boxes, bunk beds, deer stands, picnic tables, birdhouses, hanging chairs, and bookcases.

  • 01 of 11

    Deluxe Treehouse

    A blue tree house in the woods
    The Wood Plans Shop

    If you are out to build an amazing treehouse, then this free tree house plan is the one for you. Don't worry if you don't have the right trees for a treehouse. This free-standing tree house can be built anywhere.

    Outside this treehouse is a pulley system for treasures and a ladder. Inside there are bunk beds and plenty of room to play out adventures.

    This free tree house plan includes a materials and shopping list, color photos, diagrams, and plenty of step-by-step building instructions.

    Deluxe Treehouse from The Classic Archives

  • 02 of 11

    Handmade Hideaway

    Handmade Hideaway

    The Handmade Home

    Plenty of color photos, diagrams, and written directions will help you build this treehouse hideaway that any kid would love. A master cut list and supply list are available for this free tree house plan as well as separate blog posts on how to build the deck, the walls, railing and shutters, and the roof. 

    Handmade Hideaway from The Handmade Home

  • 03 of 11

    Happy Treehouse Playhouse

    Happy Treehouse

    Made With Happy

    For $300, Made With Happy build this high-quality low to the ground treehouse for the kids to play in all summer long. There's a breakdown on how to build the base and frame, floor, roof, and walls and window.

    Happy Treehouse Playhouse from Made With Happy

  • 04 of 11

    Adaptable Treehouse

    Adaptable Treehouse

    Popular Mechanics

    Popular Mechanics has this free plan for building a "World-class backyard treehouse." There's a handful of images and lots of text in this treehouse plan, so you can't skim through the steps like you can with some of the other plans from above.

    Adaptable Treehouse from Popular Mechanics

    Continue to 5 of 11 below.
  • 05 of 11

    Platform Treehouse

    Platform Treehouse

     Yea Dad's Home

    Here's a fairly simple DIY tree house plan that is a sturdy but wonky platform that you can build within the trees. The free plan includes a list of materials, building instructions, and lots of color photos. 

    Platform Treehouse from Yea Dad's Home

  • 06 of 11

    Modern Tree House

    Modern Treehouse

    Doornob

    If you're looking for an updated tree house plan, this free plan from Dornob will help you build a modern treehouse with an unusual shape and windows from the tiny to the huge. Color photos, written instructions, and diagrams will help you build this unique treehouse.

    Modern Treehouse from Doornob

  • 07 of 11

    Two-Tree Treehouse

    Two-Tree Treehouse

    Instructables 

    Instructables has a lot of free treehouse plans, but this one build by Makendo is a stand-out. It's a simple structure that needs a few trees close to each other for the build. It uses recycled fence posts for the sides and a tarp to cover the top.

    The plan includes lots of building instructions, color photos, and a materials list.

    Two-Tree Treehouse from Makendo

  • 08 of 11

    A-Frame Treehouse

    Girl looking away while sitting in tree house
    Cavan Images / Getty Images

    Outdoor Life has a free tree house plan that will build an A-frame treehouse with a wrap-around deck and ladder. This treehouse is constructed out of 4x8 plywood sheets so that it can be built in a tree or free-standing. The free tree house plan includes detailed diagrams, instructions, and a materials list. Just be sure to click through the pages on the bottom of the plan so that you can see everything.

    A-Frame Treehouse from Outdoor Life

    Continue to 9 of 11 below.
  • 09 of 11

    Treehouse with Slide and Swing-Set

    Grandfather And Grandson Building Tree House Together
    monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images

    This one comes from BuildEazy. This treehouse includes a deck that wraps around the tree, stairs to the ground, a slide that comes off the treehouse, and an attached swing set. You'll be able to view and download a materials list, cutting list, building instructions, and blueprints in this free tree house plan.

    Treehouse With Slide and Swing-Set from BuildEazy

  • 10 of 11

    Tree Fort

    Father and two sons, painting tree house, low angle view
    Stephen Lux / Getty Images

    Here's another free plan for a treehouse, and this one is built with protecting your tree in mind. This one is a series of videos that will take you through each step of building the treehouse. Pressure-treated wood in 2X8s with 4x4 posts makes this treehouse safe for the kids and easy to assemble.

    Tree Fort from Ron Hazelton

  • 11 of 11

    Free Tree House Building Tips

    A tree house with the lights on and a drawstring bridge

    Alex Levine / Getty Images 

    This isn't a step-by-step plan for building a treehouse but is instead a handful of tips that you can use when building your own treehouse, whether they be from own your designs or ones from this list. Some of the tips include keeping weight and stability in mind when building the treehouse, understanding that there needs to be space around the trunk for the tree to move and grow over time, how to keep the floor level and sturdy, and more.

    Free Tree House Building Tips from The Family Handyman