How to Make a Platform Hover

Now that the platform dimensions have been figured out, the question arises, how do we get this thing off the ground? With a will and little bit of careful planning there's always a way. Let's start with the cross beam. I started out with a couple of pressure treated 2x6 boards. I lagged them into the trees on both ends tying the two trees together. I only used 1 lag per end and per board to ensure the trees would still have the ability to pivot and flex. This would be the cross beam my platform will rest upon. I made sure to use 2-2 x 6's paralell to eachother as the weight of this platform will start getting heavy with the building and the kids that will be playing on it. These cross beams were made level cross wise as well as perpidicular.

The next step was to build a platform frame. I made the frame out of 2 x 6 lumber. The majority of the frame was made on the ground. I first made the plaform 14 ft long by 8 ft wide. in order to get it up between the two trees the rest of the platform would be built in the air around the trees. I was able to hoist this platform up by myself by using 2 x 6 lumber as ramps. I found the balancing point on the cross beams and put up temporary 2 x bracing.



This is what the platform looks like with the temporary bracing. ...And yes, that is my 3 year old daughter. Don't worry, she was plenty safe.

The fun part was the remaining framing around the trees. I doubled up the outside perimeter with a 14 ft long board and filled in the rest of the floor framing every 2 ft on center. This gave me doubled up 2 x 6's on all 4 sides.