It may difficult to believe, but building
an arbor for your landscape can actually be quite inexpensive.
If you keep the arbor small, to a two-post size,
you can have a very attractive landscape feature for a small
cost. Even
the novice landscaper can build a small arbor without too much
trouble in about two days (three at the most). It can be a
very rewarding project that provides a sophisticated sense
of beauty to your over all landscape design.
Essential
to building your arbor is thinking of it as five distinct
phases. This will help you break the project down
into doable goals and help you accomplish the task better.
Breaking projects down into sections also aids the landscaper,
as he or she will find that the task does not seem so daunting
when done in bite-sized pieces. Additionally, a sense of accomplishment
at the end of each stage can help the landscaper stay motivated
throughout the project.
The
first layer is to prepare the site for concrete placed
under ground to secure the structure. In order to lay the concrete,
you need to first get some things out of the way. Dig two holes
where you want the posts to stand. The holes should be one
inch wide and three inches deep. Put half an inch of gravel
or crushed stone inside the holes. This will help water drain
away, preventing cracks in the concrete. Set one post in each
hole and lay a board on top of them. Use a carpenter’s level
to determine whether or not your posts are standing at equal
heights. Adjust, if necessary, until the level shows that your
posts are equal in height. You can use scrap lumber, nailed
to the posts, to form temporary stabilizers.
The
second layer is anchoring your arbor posts (they should
be 4x4 posts) into the concrete. Before doing this, check again
for equality in height with the stabilizers in place and make
your adjustments to the stabilizers to adjust the height. Next,
mix your concrete using concrete mix and water from a garden
hose in a wheelbarrow; a shovel stirs the concrete to mix it
well. Pour the concrete to fill each of the holes and allow
at least a day for the concrete to dry. You can remove the
stabilizers after the concrete has hardened.
Layer
three of building your arbor consists of laying two 1x6
pieces of wood along the sides at the top of the posts. These crosspieces should be perpendicular to the posts, and
they will be opposite each other, one on the inner side and
one on the outside. This creates a sandwiching effect for the
tops of the arbor posts, as they are surrounded by the 1x6
pieces of wood. If you would like, you can cut designs into
the ends of your crosspieces with a jigsaw for a piece of added
flair.
The
next layer, the fourth, consists of using 4x4 rafters to
lie on top of your 1x6 crosspieces. These will be perpendicular
to the crosspieces, and parallel to the line of the posts.
There are five of them, only four inches long, so you will
need to cut your 2x4s into pieces of the proper length. They
should also be notched so that they fit tightly across the
crosspieces. Notching can help you adjust for level differences
in the rafters as well.
The
final layer is the actual assembly of the arbor. Making
sure that everything is properly aligned can help you as you
bore the holes necessary for the arbor construction. You will
need bolts that will go through the posts and the crosspieces
on either side, making sure that the one bolt holds all three
pieces of wood together. Additionally, you will need to secure
the rafters in place and add any finishing touches you would
like to add.
Different plans for simple arbors exist, with variations on
different themes and looks (using similar principles it is
possible to build an arbor that has four posts). Looking on
the Internet for plans and instructions is very simple, and
can help you find an arbor that would complement your landscape
design. Once you have found that, acquiring the lumber is simply
a matter of searching for a good deal in lumberyards or warehouses.
It is possible to get your wood for $30 to $40, and most of
the other tools needed are commonplace and usually found around
the house or easily rented. Once you have your arbor, you can
use it as a backdrop for intimate weddings and for entertaining.
An arbor can quickly become one of the focal points of a classy
landscape.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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