Cheating a wofati.

My hope with this post is to help all who read it either shy away from my exploit or embrace it. With the discussion we hope to iron out skipping a step. Now, onward.

I was camping on my 2 acre plot and trying to simplify the plan. Now, what do you think about a simple design, say ten by ten wofati and instead of digging out all 4 holes for the structural posts, digging three and chopping down the last one at the desired height? The results would be a root foundation. Obviously you could potentially do this with all four posts provided they were already in the desired spot. Unless this is a stupid idea because the roots would eventually rot or worse collapse and with people inside it. I am exploring options. I have helped build wofati 0.8, but for many reasons I believe we could have gotten it built much faster, not to say it wasn't a success or filled with learning lessons.

Also is it possible to graft the bonds once
secured by spike? I am thinking a total grafted structure would have better overall strength. Am I off to think these things, or am I on to something here? Would the roots rot or pop under the pressure? Perhaps if the central post was living and then you dug the proper four holes and then did a traditional wofati with a tree popping out from the top. The living tree could get everything absorb the residual moisture from underneath you and so no real load on the center tree.

Lots to explore, help me to not die.

Hi Taylor,

Using a living tree should be fine as long as it stays living... Using a dead tree I consider a poor idea, as the roots will indeed rot in time. Can't say how much time...

Is it really faster to adjust the roof in order to deal with a tree sticking up from the roof, than to make a post from it and dig a hole for the post? How deep are you digging these holes?

If you wanted a front overhang, the tree could extend through this area, without the roof necessarily being leak-free around said tree... A tree that can be coppiced/pollarded would be good, as you could keep the upper growth to multiple trunk in manageable sizes, rather than a single huge trunk which could wipe out your wofati, and occupants, if it should fall. Deciduous would also be good, for max sun in winter and shade in summer.

Just, IMO, don't use a dead tree, or kill the tree in the process.

Another thread related to this here, including links to fancy tree attachment devices: https://permies.com/t/45176/timber/Standing-trees-building-supports#359594