How to Build Your Own Cedar Arbor

An example of an arbor with a lattice-style roof.

If you are looking for an outdoor structure to liven up your garden, look no further than a cedar arbor. Vines and flowers have the ability to wrap their way around the arbor's lattice-style roof. This means the arbor can look like a natural part of the outdoor environment. Building these structures can be challenging; more specifically, the lattice-style roof may require you to enlist a partner to help nail in beams and joists. When selecting a wood for the project, consider using cedar. According to Creative Publishing International's "The Complete Guide to Outdoor Wood Projects," cedar is not only easy to cut, it also has natural properties that repel bugs and insects.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Wood stakes
• Shovel
• Wood braces
• Nails
• Hammer
• 4 cedar posts (4-by-4 inches)
• Level
• Concrete mix
• 4 cedar beams (2-by-8 inches)
• 8 carriage bolts
• Drill
• Ladder
• Assistant
• 9 roof joists (2-by-6 inches)
• 24 roof slats (2-by-2 inches)

Instructions

1. Measure the dimensions of the arbor and place a stake at the four corners of the structure.

2. Dig a hole at each corner for the arbor's posts, approximately 2 feet deep. Check with your city's building department to find out how deep the holes should be for your structure. Each municipality will have different guidelines for footings that hold up an outdoor structure. This can be due to the type of soil in your area or the type of material being used to build the arbor.

3. Place the posts in the holes. Nail wood braces to the posts so each brace is stuck in the ground at an angle; the braces should keep the post upright. Ensure that each post is upright and level. Fill each hole with concrete, pouring up to the soil line. Allow the concrete to harden overnight. After the concrete hardens, take off the wood braces.

4. Set up a ladder at the first post and measure 4 inches down from the top of the post. Mark the area and hammer in a nail. Repeat this on the outside of the second post. Lift the first beam in place with the help of an assistant, and rest the beam on the two nails. Drill two holes through the beam into one of the posts. The holes should be 1 inch apart. Drive carriage bolts through the holes to secure the beam to the post. Repeat this process on the opposite post that is holding the other end of the beam up with a nail.

5. Add the second beam to same posts, but on the inner side of the arbor, by repeating the process in Step 4. Once you are finished, you should have two beams running in a parallel fashion between the two posts. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to install the last two beams on the posts on the other side of the arbor.

6. Install the wooden joists on top of the beams, to connect the beams on one end of the structure to the beams on the opposite side. Ensure that the joists are evenly spaced, such as 12 inches apart if desired. Nail the joists to the beams on each side, but allow the joists to hang over the side of the beams by a few inches.

7. Lay a number of roof slats over the joists. The roof slats should run perpendicular to the joists to give the roof its lattice style. Place the slats in even lengths across the joists and nail them on to the top of the joists.The slats may hang over the joists and the beams, but ensure the slats are all the same length.

Tips & Warnings

• The length of the cedar posts, beams, joists and slats will be determined by how large you want the arbor to be. If you want the arbor to be 10 feet high, purchase 12-foot 4-by-4 posts. Two feet of the post will go underground. If you want the arbor to be 12-feet wide on each side, purchase 12-foot-long beams, joists and slats.

• Regarding maintenance, Creative Homeowners' book "Ultimate Guide to Gazebos and Other Outdoor Structures" says that wood such as cedar is a rot-resistant lumber that needs little maintenance. If you so desire, apply paint or stain to the structure to give it a finished look. However, paints and stains must be regularly reapplied, which can be difficult if plants begin growing around the arbor.

• Call your city's utility companies to ensure there are no underground gas, water or sewage lines where you plan to install the posts for the arbor.

References

• "Ultimate Guide to Gazebos and Other Outdoor Structures"; Creative Homeowners; 2007
• "Better Homes and Gardens Trellises, Arbors and Pergolas: Ideas and Plans for Garden Structures"; Better Homes and Gardens; 2004
• "The Complete Guide to Outdoor Wood Projects: Step-By-Step Instructions For Over 50 Projects"; Creative Publishing International; 2005