Thursday, February 14, 2013

Free Garden Arbor Plans

Garden Arbor Plans


If you want to create a charming place in your garden but you don't want to invest a high amount of money in the venture, we recommend you to build a simple garden arbor. We have a rich experience in these kind of garden projects, so we will share a few tips with you, as to prevent mistakes and to get a professional result.

First of all, we recommend you to study all the shapes and designs, before choosing the garden arbor plans. If you don't have a large expertise in the woodworking field, we recommend you to start with a small scale project. Use 2x2 lumber to build the legs of the of the arbor and attach 2x2 trims to both sides of the construction. In addition, if you want to add style to your arbor, you should attach 2x6 lumber to the top. Drill pilot holes trough the shade elements and fit them to the support beams with galvanized screws.

Grape Arbor

Alternatively, if you want to create a privacy screen or you like climbing plans, you could choose proper grape arbor plans. These constructions are similar in many ways, but you just need to adjust their design as to fit your needs and tastes. While the construction techniques are the same in all these garden projects, you need to use your creativity to create something unique that will fit the style of your house.

Last but not least, we cannot emphasize enough on the importance of securing the posts into place tightly. There are several alternatives that you could choose from. On one end, you could dig 2' deep holes and set the posts into concrete. This will provide a lot of support to your construction, but you won't be able to move it to another location. Alternatively, you could pour concrete footings and use metal anchors.

Free Garden Arbor - VIDEO



Resources:


Garden Arbor Plans Free

Friday, February 8, 2013

Free Gazebo Plans

Planning the gazebo

When building a gazebo in your backyard, there are a few things that you should take into account, in order to prevent costly mistakes and to keep the expenditures under control. We have built dozens gazebos and we have learned throughout the years that a good planning doesn't have any substitute.

Therefore, you need to use the old-fashioned technique: write the plans of a white sheet of paper. You need to wrote down several things, such as the total budget of your project, the materials you want to use and the size of the gazebo. Afterwards, you need to go to the local building department and see general requirements, such as the distance you need to let from the property line, the depth of the footings or if you need a building permit.

After getting done with all these bureaucratic paperwork, you need to search on the Internet plans for your needs. If you want to keep the costs under control and to build the gazebo by yourself, a square construction is the good choice. Otherwise, the best compromise between looks and costs is to choose quality rectangular gazebo plans. An octagonal shape will add style and character to your backyard, but it requires a significant investment and a high amount of work.


Free Gazebo Plans

Generally speaking, a gazebo construction consists of four main components: footing, flooring, roof and railings. In order to create a rigid frame, we recommend you to dig deep holes in the ground (6" under the frost line), fit tube forms and lock the posts into concrete. Plumb the posts and lock them temporarily with braces for a couple of days.

Afterwards, attach the 2x6 joists to the posts and lock them tightly with lag screw. It is essential to level the components and to secure them into place with screws, before attaching the decking slats. Space the 2x4 decking slats by placing a nail between them. In this manner, you will get consistent gaps and the water will drain properly.

Building the roof of the gazebo is a complex task, maybe the most difficult of the whole project. In order to get a professional result, we recommend you to plan everything form the very beginning and to use a good miter saw, as the roof requires many angle cuts.

As far as the railings are concerned, you need to choose the design that fits your needs and tastes. Basically the railings consist of bottom and top railing, cleats and balusters. There are many options that you could choose from, so make sure you work with attention and choose a model that fits your needs.


Rectangular Gazebo Plans


A rectangular gazebo is not difficult to build, provided you use proper plans and quality materials. As you can easily notice in the plans, the most difficult part of the project is to build the roof. A roof for a rectangular gazebo requires proper plans and many angle cuts.


Resources:

http://myoutdoorplans.com/pergola/rectangular-gazebo-plans/