Newbie here! Advice on building kid's fort-20x20 deck w 12x8 fort in middle

[fortfreak]

Hey there!

I found this website recently and it is really cool.  Besides building some basic deer stands, work benches, and recently a crude kayak/duck boat rack, I have little experience with carpentry.  But for about 1 1/2 yrs I been telling my son Declan (now 9 yrs old) that I was guna build him a really nice treehouse or fort.  I originally was going to build a treehouse for my older son Aidan, but he passed away at age 9 from an unknown heart condition 3 yrs ago.  After finally getting back some motivation, this is like a second chance to get this done for Declan and we can have fun this fall building it together, and we had another baby (Adam John "AJ"), so he will can take it over when Decie gets too old for it.

With no suitable trees for a treeshouse, I sketched up some plans for a fort to be built on a deck that would give a wrap around porch for the fort.  I was shooting for a 20x20 deck with a 12x8 fort with a 2nd floor loft and red tin roof to be built in the middle of the deck.  I have an old 8x6 cedar shed I was going to disassemble and use the 2 6 ft sides for the 12 ft front of the fort (with French door front entrance) and the 2 8 ft walls of the old shed to be the sides of the fort, leaving me just the rear 12 ft wall needed to be built for the fort.  I was thinking about having a wider 8 ft front porch with an overhanging roof, but saw a neat pic on here in the gallery that has an overhanging roof over all of the wrap around porch.  I might go with that idea but it appears a lot more carpentry involved.  In any event, I at least have to get this project started with building the 20x20 deck and have some questions like:

how to build this deck-
use 6x6 posts on footings?
how many posts? 
how to do footings? 
how deep of footings? rent an auger for holes?
how to build beams and joices?
size of wood for beams/joices?
type of wood-pressure treated, cedar, hemlock?

Are there any good books/deck plans I could buy to learn this stuff?

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice!

Adam

[MushCreek]

I've got more questions than answers right now. How high off of the ground? What climate? Zoning? permits required?

I would start with the 2012 Prescriptive Deck code (you can google it). It gives you a pretty good idea of the minimum code requirements, which I strongly urge you to follow for a strong, safe deck. Learn as much as you can, then ask questions. DIYchatroom.com is a good place to ask questions, and I think that there is a deck building forum out there somewhere.

I would also contact the local building authority early on to make sure you can legally do this, and what codes (if any) you will be required to follow.

This is a great project for you and your son. So sorry to hear about your first son's passing, too. Please be careful; both yourself and the little ones.

[fortfreak]

Thanx Mush!  I will check out that 2012 prospective deck code info. I have been learning a lot researching this project so far and can't wait to teach my boy how to build something!  The back of our property slopes down a hill, so basically the fort is going to have 1 or two steps up to front deck, but backside of deck is going to be approximately 8-10 ft off the ground. Thanx again for the info n kind thoughts!  Happy building n stay safe! 

[Bob S.]

could you build a storage shed under it?

[fortfreak]

Absolutely!  Great idea!   I'm always thinking bout maximizing space. Jus don't want to infringe on the boys' privacy too much, storing smelly gas lawn mowers, roto tillers n such!  Lol

[John Raabe]

With the downhill side being 10-12' off the ground, this means you will want to build a strong and well-braced structure. It should be reviewed by the building inspector and perhaps an engineer. The floor and railings need to be done right. Horsing around 12' in the air can be dangerous!

This will be much more complex than a backyard playhouse or fort on flat ground.

[tommytebco]

http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6017&hilit=building+project&start=100#p98274

A man has documented a project very similar to yours. lots pf pictures. Follow the link.

[fortfreak]

Thanx Tommy!  That's an excellent post to learn from!