Create Tree Art and Build a Backyard Playset in a Tree.
Custom wooden treehouse with elevated deck and upper platform – handcrafted by Jack's Backyard.
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Custom treehouses are my favorite backyard projects and my latest passion. Building a treehouse is a whole different challenge from putting together a custom backyard playset that is perfect, plumb, and square. A tree is alive, imperfect, and determined to remain what it is. The secret to a great custom tree house build is not to fight the tree, but to work with it — letting the branches, trunk, and curves shape the design.
A true treehouse in Texas doesn’t come from a kit. Even the simplest plan can change in the first ten minutes when the tree decides otherwise. That’s where experience matters. The best treehouses move and flow with the tree itself, blending craftsmanship with nature to create something one-of-a-kind. Say yes to an experienced custom treehouse builder who knows how to listen to the tree. |
Custom Treehouses Designed Around Your Trees
Every tree has its own story, and every treehouse should tell it. The tree comes first, and the build is shaped to honor its branches, trunk, and character. That’s the way treehouses are built at Jack’s Backyard. Whether it’s a backyard hideaway, a wildlife observation deck, or a one-of-a-kind playhouse in the sky, the design starts with the tree and the imagination behind it.
How much does a treehouse cost?
Rustic custom wooden treehouse with rope accents and covered deck – handcrafted by Jack's Backyard.
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How to Build a Tree House Time MachinePeople often say how cool it must be to build one-of-a-kind treehouses and custom backyard play equipment. They’re right. There was a time when the thought of working for a living meant focusing on an eventual retirement. That idea has been replaced with a resolve to keep making backyard memories in Texas for as long as these hands and this body will allow.
“Lucky,” some would call it. But this craft isn’t luck. The ability to balance nature and man-made craftsmanship was shaped and refined over many years. Each build is more than just lumber and nails — it’s patience, experience, and a respect for the tree that makes every custom tree house possible. |
Craftsmanship in Every Board
Every oak, cedar, or pecan has its own story. A treehouse has to honor that story. Each plank is measured and cut to fit the tree’s natural form, leaving space for growth while creating a clean, safe surface underfoot. Cedar decking, strong joinery, and durable finishes come together with the living tree to create a structure that lasts.
The result is a handcrafted treehouse that is more than wood and nails.
It’s a backyard escape, a family project, and a place where imagination can take root.
It’s a backyard escape, a family project, and a place where imagination can take root.
Tree House Builders and Design
Custom hillside treehouse with elevated deck and bridge walkway – built by Jack's Backyard.
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Before reaching out for a consultation, it’s important to know what to expect. My services are more specialized and often more expensive than what you’ll find in the contractor section of a free ad publication. A custom treehouse build is a quality structure designed to last, and it comes with the price of true craftsmanship.
This isn’t handyman work done on the cheap. Every project is crafted with care, built safely, and made to blend with the tree itself. Treehouse building is a passion that has grown over the years, but because each one takes time and attention, the number of projects that can be built each year is limited.Most of my custom treehouses are found in Austin, Columbus, Round Top, and Houston, Texas, where families wanted something personal and lasting. Each build is carefully chosen, shaped by the tree, and designed around the vision of the family who dreamed it up. |
Please take a moment to enjoy some of my favorite projects in the treehouse gallery
Custom Tree Houses Across Texas
Every project tells its own story, shaped by the tree and the family who dreamed it. No two treehouses are alike because no two trees are alike. That’s the beauty of a custom treehouse build — each one is designed to move and flow with the branches, creating something one-of-a-kind. From Houston backyards to Austin hill country escapes and quiet corners of Columbus, Texas, these treehouses are crafted to fit their surroundings. Whether it’s a wildlife observation deck, a family hideaway, or a simple backyard fort, each project blends imagination with craftsmanship to become part of the landscape.
Curious about cost, tree selection, and what to expect?
Read my latest Ask Jack blog on getting a treehouse.
Wondering what a custom treehouse really costs, or which tree is best? Jack breaks it all down in his latest blog post.
A multi-level cedar treehouse with bridges, decks, and climbing features — the perfect call to action for families dreaming of a backyard adventure.
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My Treehouse Story
My first treehouse memory goes back to a time before video games, cell phones, and 24-hour cartoons. My grandparents had a lake house in South Texas during the 1970s, and you’d think a group of 11- and 12-year-old boys would have been satisfied with fishing, swimming, and hunting snakes and frogs. But as boys often do, we grew restless and wanted something more.
There was a giant willow tree rooted on the bank, stretching its branches far over the water. It wasn’t the best choice for a treehouse, but we saw the potential for a deck high in the branches where we could fish, dive, and lay claim to the ultimate hangout. In our eyes, it would be the Taj Mahal of treehouses, admired by every boater who passed. We even planned a security system — complete with a dachshund named Peanuts and a sign that read “Beware of Peanuts the Attack Dog.”
My grandfather was a hobby builder, always working on a project. Looking back now, it’s clear how much he shaped the path I’ve taken. He grew up during the Great Depression and carried values that many people today have never known. When I asked if we could raid his lumber stash, he simply said: “You can use what you pay for.” Between all of us, we could scrape together maybe seventy-five cents.
Instead, he sent us scavenging the shoreline for driftwood and discarded boards. Determined, we gathered everything we could — planks, life jackets, part of a sailboat hull, even a single ski. My grandfather donated a coffee can filled with old, bent, and rusty nails. He told us we’d bang up our fingers, but those nails would hold.
So we worked. A board here, then a swim, a snack, and back to work. After a few days, our rough deck in the willow tree took shape. It wasn’t perfect, but it was ours. For years we fished, swam, held sleepovers, and ate more bologna sandwiches than I can count in that treehouse. A storm finally took the tree down, but the memory has never left me.
Nearly forty years later, I can still feel the pride we shared. That poorly built deck planted the seed for what would become my passion — building custom treehouses that blend imagination, craftsmanship, and the living tree itself.
There was a giant willow tree rooted on the bank, stretching its branches far over the water. It wasn’t the best choice for a treehouse, but we saw the potential for a deck high in the branches where we could fish, dive, and lay claim to the ultimate hangout. In our eyes, it would be the Taj Mahal of treehouses, admired by every boater who passed. We even planned a security system — complete with a dachshund named Peanuts and a sign that read “Beware of Peanuts the Attack Dog.”
My grandfather was a hobby builder, always working on a project. Looking back now, it’s clear how much he shaped the path I’ve taken. He grew up during the Great Depression and carried values that many people today have never known. When I asked if we could raid his lumber stash, he simply said: “You can use what you pay for.” Between all of us, we could scrape together maybe seventy-five cents.
Instead, he sent us scavenging the shoreline for driftwood and discarded boards. Determined, we gathered everything we could — planks, life jackets, part of a sailboat hull, even a single ski. My grandfather donated a coffee can filled with old, bent, and rusty nails. He told us we’d bang up our fingers, but those nails would hold.
So we worked. A board here, then a swim, a snack, and back to work. After a few days, our rough deck in the willow tree took shape. It wasn’t perfect, but it was ours. For years we fished, swam, held sleepovers, and ate more bologna sandwiches than I can count in that treehouse. A storm finally took the tree down, but the memory has never left me.
Nearly forty years later, I can still feel the pride we shared. That poorly built deck planted the seed for what would become my passion — building custom treehouses that blend imagination, craftsmanship, and the living tree itself.
A treehouse deck designed to fit the oak — redwood planks cut to match the trunk and branches, turning the tree into the heart of the build.
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Texas Treehouse Craftsmanship in Balance With Nature
Every custom treehouse has to start with the tree itself. This oak carried so much character that the design couldn’t be anything but built around it. The deck was cut and shaped to match each branch, leaving space for the tree to grow while still creating a strong, smooth walking surface.
It’s the kind of work that sets a true Texas treehouse builder apart — not forcing the tree to fit the plan, but shaping the plan to honor the tree. The redwood planks highlight the natural grain, while the oak’s bark and branches remain the heart of the space. That blend of craftsmanship and nature is what makes each backyard treehouse in Texas unique and personal
It’s the kind of work that sets a true Texas treehouse builder apart — not forcing the tree to fit the plan, but shaping the plan to honor the tree. The redwood planks highlight the natural grain, while the oak’s bark and branches remain the heart of the space. That blend of craftsmanship and nature is what makes each backyard treehouse in Texas unique and personal
Treehouse Gallery Across Texas
Over the years, custom treehouses have been built all across Central Texas — each one as different as the tree that holds it.
Brookshire Wildlife Observation Treehouse – Columbus, Texas
Adventure Treehouse – Austin, Texas
Magnolia Hideaway – Magnolia, Texas Family Treehouse –
Dripping Springs, Texas Hill Country Lookout – Boerne, Texas
See our stunning creations in the treehouse gallery for inspiration
and contact me to start your journey with a consultation.
Each project was shaped by its tree, its family, and the story it was meant to tell.
Treehouse Consultations in Texas
Every treehouse begins with a conversation. A consultation is the first step in turning an idea into a real project, whether it’s a backyard hideout, an observation deck, or a one-of-a-kind family retreat.
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- Phone or Zoom Consultation Free
Perfect for sharing ideas, photos, or questions. This is a chance to talk through possibilities, but no technical details are disclosed in this stage. - Onsite Consultation – Starting at $300
A detailed walk-through at your property. The cost depends on distance from Columbus, Texas. This is where the tree, the space, and the ideas start to take shape into a custom design.
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