Treehouse Windows - ideas please

[PlacidCasual]

Hi Peeps

A few weeks ago I posted asking about a slide for my kids tree house which I have now finished. I bought a plastic on in the end, it was the most straightforward solution.

The tree house has two windows one larger than the other. I was thinking of the following and could do with some advice on how to achieve it.

Window 1 - four panes, two outer panes fixed, two inner panes horizontal sliding. Frames probably iroko as I have some to hand, glass 6mm toughened. Dimension to follow. Opening 1542mm by 473mm
Window 2 - two panes left hand pane fixed right hand horizontal slliding. Frames and glass as above. Opening 859mm by 473mm

I had though originally of doing the windows like shaker door panels glued in place but I've changed my mind and I'll fit the glass into a rebate with glazing pins and putty to secure. With regard to the sliding mechanism I'd thought of routing a dado into the bottom frame and putting a spline in with a rounded top. The machining a matching groove into the base of the sliding panes. What I couldn't decide was whether to secure the tops of the sliding panes by having a rebate with a fence screwed to it ot cutting a dado deep enough I could lift the pane into it and drop onto the spline. The former sounds the easiest but the latter would allow me to take the pane out if I so wanted.

Having never made a window frame before I was looking for some pointers. I have a homemade router table, band saw, planer thicknesser and the usual hand tools.

Regards

PlacidCasual

edit the rebate is only 10mm in the drawing and with 6mm glass that only leaves 4mm for putty and glazing pins. Sounds small. I can imaginne me tapping in pins and shearing off the outer 4mm.

 

[Fitzroy]

Can’t help with the window but having built a treehouse before they can be damp affairs if not weather tight or well ventilated. Mine was neither and got nasty and mildewed inside and no one wanted to play in it anymore ;(

In the end it needed a number of well placed vents, I recall a couple in two opposing walls, and a good few weeks to dry it out and get it back in action.

Fitz

 

[Bod]

Washing machine glass doors, very strong, interesting shape.

Bod

 

[Oddbod70]

Sounds overkill TBH, but a bit of fun and good practise. I can’t see why the principle wouldn’t work.

I think you’d need to be a bit careful of the tolerances to avoid the window racking when you try to open it, so perhaps the rebate and fence idea? (Also stops little fingers discovering they can remove said window and drop it on a passing sibling!)

The other thing is that 18mm feels way too thin for a frame that size in a kids treehouse – even using Iroko. (450’ish square?) I wouldn’t be sure if the wood is supporting the glass or the glass supporting the wood.