These are the stands I build on my property to hunt out of. They are big, 4'x4' with lots of room, and even in strong winds are a pleasure to sit in (as long as the tree you're in is solid above you). I even mounted a ground blind I had bought in the thing and have sat up there with deer all over around me, and they have no idea where I am.
I made the stand out of all treated deck material. I used 4x4's for the main ladder post. My stand is 10 feet off the ground, but the post run an additional three feet above the deck. It helps climbing in and out of the thing. It also gives you places to tie off your main line for raising and lowering the stuff out of and into the stand. I started out with 14' main posts. They are buried 1' in the ground on top of a cement cookie.
All the floor joist and deck material are screwed together as is the ladder. No nails. Nails can back out in cold weather. Also get some
Liquid Nails adhesive glue (construction grade) and put a dab under each set and with each joist. It will help when the thing goes through lots of weather changes.
The floor joist are made of 2X6-1" and they make up a 4'x4' square. They are 16" on center, and the deck is the same stuff you use on the decks when you build your house. Be sure and put a wider gap of 1/2 inch between the boards. It will help with the melting of snow up there.
The main brace is 2x6-1". They come off the inside of the main ladder 3/4 of the way up. They raise at a 45? angle to the main deck where they are rat tailed in.. just like when you set rafters on the roof plate of a house only upside down. The main support can be angled so it will hug the tree better. It helps to have a general idea of how big the tree is before you put the brace in, you want a snug fit but not so snug that as the tree grows or the wind rocks it, it will break it apart.
I also put a second brace inside behind the main deck face, which I screwed to the main deck face and then to the brace after it was attached to the tree. This helps give more support in that area.
On the back of the main deck have two large eye hooks bolts (not screws or it will crack the main deck box there in the winter and in the wind), You then run a strap from these eye hooks, around the tree once, and to the final eye hook. The strap has a come a long type tightening device (I am sure you know what I mean. you use them to secure loads to trailers)
On the main brace, on the outside of the tree, I have eye hook bolts in that. I run a second support strap through those and snug the support in a little to the tree. It also acts as a secondary guard in the even one of the straps should fail.
After you have the platform up, I took 2x4'-16' and ran them up from the ground to each corner of the deck (don't forget the cookie under the foot of the brace. It helps prevent rot) and above. I then put railings on the back and sides. I also strapped the railing to the tree also. Not really necessary, but it made others feel better about be being up there. The front is left open.
On this railing is where I attached the cloth ground blind with roof by putting braces on the railing and running the blind poles through that. You open the desired windows to view your shooting lanes, and can close them in bad weather.
These are very heavy, and take two men to put up and are not something you want to move very often. I used the winch on the front of my ATV to lift and lower the blind into place actually. Once they are up, they are really rock solid. Then you can build a bench seat on the platform and be sure and attach the bench with angle iron or L brackets to the deck so it will not move or tip over.
Check your straps from time to time to make sure the squirrels have not been chewing on them. Other then that, mine has been sitting in the same tree for 8 Wisconsin winters and is still solid and strong. Hope this helps...
