- They went back to the other side again, this time to finish Jason's side of the frame.
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- The next morning, after the posts had the opportunity to set overnight, they permanently attached the posts to the frame. Andy first drilled a clearance hole…
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- …and Jim hammered a carriage bolt through the hole. Andy added a washer and then a nut, which he tightened with a socket wrench.
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- While the two neighbors went to work on the other posts, Ron used his Japanese handsaw to trim the tops.
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3. Ladder construction:
- They took a break from the tree house to construct the two matching ladders. They built the ladders by boring holes in a pair of 2 x 4s and inserting dowels for rungs.
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- They clamped the two 2 x 4s together to ensure that the holes were perfectly aligned.
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- They drilled the holes into both 2 x4s at once using a drill guide, sometimes called a "portable drill press". This inexpensive accessory, which can be purchased at any home improvement center, kept the drill perpendicular to the surface.
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- Compressing the ends of the dowels with channel-locks made them easier to insert. Ron explained that the dowels would expand later creating a snug fit. They used rubber mallets to gently pound the dowels into position.
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- After all of the dowels were snugly in their holes, they used a portable nail gun to pin the dowels into position.
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4. Decking:
- After the second ladder was complete, they were ready to install the two joists that would help support the floor or decking.
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- Ron clamped a small ledger made of scrap lumber inside the frame so that they would not have to struggle holding the end of the new joists up while they were attached in place with screws.
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- With both joists screwed into the frame they could begin laying the decking.
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- It was important that the first plank of their deck was flush with the edges. They attached each plank to the frame with deck screws.
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- They put ½ inch spacers between each plank by simply placing them right on top of the joists. The spacers created just enough distance between the boards to allow water and small debris to fall through.
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5. Wall frames:
- While Andy and Jim attached the rest of the decking, Ron began working on installing the wall frames.
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- Each frame was made up of two end posts, 2 x 4s on the top and bottom and two studs in the middle.
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