How to Make a Garden Canopy

Once you master a small canopy, you'll be ready to tackle major projects like this.

A garden canopy is a great way to give a "ceiling" to your outdoor rooms. By building an arbor, you give vines an area to climb up, and eventually they will completely surround the beams and top slats, giving you a fully covered canopy. Add a hammock, furniture or even a table and chairs under your canopy to take full advantage of the outdoor space.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Four two by fours
• Four wooden posts of desired height
• Post level
• Braces
• Drill
• Fast-setting concrete
• Tape measure
• 16 cedar beams
• Rustproof screws
• Handsaw

Instructions

1. Dig four holes that are 42 inches deep for the posts, and fill them with crushed rock. Use a post level to put the first post in the hole. Attach one end of the two by four, acting as a wooden brace, to it, and the other end to the parallel post. Repeat for all four posts.

2. Add fast-setting concrete and water to each hole, completely filling it. Watch the posts to make sure that they stay vertical as the concrete hardens. When it's dry, you can remove the braces.

3. Measure the length of cedar beam you need to reach lengthwise between posts. Use a handsaw to make all of the beams the appropriate length. Ideally you will have enough length for 16 cedar beams but if not, as few as eight will work; you will just have fewer slats at the top of your square. Screw four beams at the top of your posts so that you have a square.

4. Screw the remaining cedar beams as roof slats across the top square. Start at the middle and measure each one so the look is symmetrical.

5. Apply a water-seal wood protector on the entire arbor.

6. Plant fast-climbing vines at the base of your arbor. Wisteria and Honeysuckle vines work well because they don't need supports or tacks to help them climb. English Ivy climbs quickly, too, but can be aggressive in growth and can leave sticky pads behind where it has climbed.

References

• Ron Hazleton: Wood Arbor for Garden or Yard
• All About Planters: Climbing Vines