How to Make a Patio Arbor
Patio arbors don't necessarily offer a lot of shade or shelter. But what they lack in practical purposes they make up for in charm and beauty. Arbors have four columns and a roof that looks like a trellis. If you build an arbor over a patio, you will have a designated gathering space. Just add patio furniture below your arbor. You can even plant vines and flowers that will creep around the posts and around the trellis roof. For this example, the arbor will be 10 feet high and 10 feet in length on each side. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shovel
- Gravel
- Concrete
- Trowel
- 4 12-foot long 4-foot by 4-foot wood posts
- 8 12-foot long 2-foot by 8-foot wood beams
- Ladder
- Tape measure
- Marker
- Nails
- Hammer
- Drill
- Carriage bolts
- 5 12-foot long joists (2 inches by 6 inches)
Instructions
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At the four corners of your existing patio, dig a 2-foot deep hole. Fill each hole with approximately 6 inches of gravel. Next, drop a 12-foot long post into each hole. Make sure that the posts are standing completely upright. Mix a batch of concrete and pour it in the four holes. The concrete should reach the soil line. Smooth out the concrete with a trowel and allow it to dry overnight.
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Place a ladder on the left-hand exterior portion of the posts. Climb the ladder and measure down 4 inches from the top of the posts. Use a marker to mark the spot. Then lift one of the 12-foot beams to the spot you just marked. You may need an assistant on another ladder to help you keep the beam in place. Line the beam up just below the marked line. Then drill two holes through the beam. Attach the beam to the post with carriage bolts. Repeat this process on the opposite end of the beam. When you are finished, the left-hand posts will be holding up one beam. The beam should also hang over the post by 1 foot.
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Now install another beam on the other side of the beam you just finished working on. Measure down 4 inches on the interior portion of the posts. Then drill two holes through the beam. Attach the beam with a pair of carriage bolts. If done correctly, your left-hand posts will be sandwiched between two 12-foot long posts.
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Repeat steps 2 and 3 on the right hand posts. The right hand posts should be identical to the left hand posts. The posts must be sandwiched between two 12-foot long beams. All four beams will be running in the same direction.
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Now install four crossbeams above the four main beams. These beams will be placed in the 4 inches above the main beams. They will also run perpendicular to the main beams. Use a ladder and lift the first crossbeam into place. Drill two holes through the crossbeam and into the posts. Then attach them with carriage bolts. When the work is complete, you should have two crossbeams in the front of the arbor and two more at the back of the arbor. You should also have a perfect square attached to the top of the posts.
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The project will be finished off with the addition of roof joists. These joists will finish off the trellis-style roof. Run 12-foot long roof joists perpendicular to the crossbeams. These joists will hang over the crossbeams by 1 foot on each side. Nail each end of the roof joists into the front and back of the crossbeams. The joists will have to be nailed into the crossbeams at an angle. If you space each joist one foot apart, you will have space for five joists. The project is finished once the roof joists are all installed. You should have a 10-foot long arbor with 1 foot of overhang on each side.
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References
- Photo Credit windows,arbor image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
