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Hometalk is where people share and help with everything home & garden

Sherry Fisher

Grove City, OH
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  • You can customize your pergola with curtains, lights, brick and more! 1
  • Hanging plants are a nice touch.
  • Start with strong posts for a strong pergola
  • This is the first pergola we ever built at our farm
  • Small details like this curved arch can make all the difference
  • Double beams and double notches make it strong and secure - here, we are getting ready to drill through the second bolt.
  • Our barn pergola - a lean to style pergola 2
  • A view from the upper pergola to the barn pergola
  • All of the pieces and parts cut out for a pergola
  • See 6 more photos

Pergola Season! Helpful Tips To Building Your Own

There is no mistaking it - we are in full-blown "pergola building season" at the farm. Ever since building our own and then a few more for friends and family a few years back - our ...»
"hobby" has grown to making quite a few each year ( See : Building Our Farm One Pergola At A Time)

We have been so fortunate to have met a lot of wonderful new people through the process - and, more importantly, it has really helped to build the farm and fund projects like the sensory garden and new chicken coop.

We thought we would share some of the pictures, tips and hints that we have learned when it comes to building a beautiful and durable outdoor garden pergola.

A Strong Base Is The Key To A Strong Pergola:With any outdoor structure, everything starts with the base. To put it simply, don't skimp on your posts.

When working with wood, a 4 x 6" or 6 x 6" post is your best choice for long-term durability. 4 x 4" posts - although much less expensive than the thicker ones, simply won't hold up over time. They will begin to bend and bow - and within a year or two - your structure can start to look more like a curvy art sculpture than an outdoor oasis.

Choosing The Type And Thickness Of Wood:There are a lot of choices when it comes to what species and thickness of wood to use. It really comes down to personal preference. We build all of our beams and top purlin boards from 2" thick lumber. Although there are thinner and less costly options - the 2" thickness gives the piece long-term strength and durability.

Almost all of our pergolas are made from treated lumber. It's a great choice when looking to handle harsh outdoor conditions. It's also very versatile - you can leave it to weather to a natural grey patina - or paint or stain it to match almost any wood species or decor.

Cedar is another viable option, but the cost of cedar is becoming astronomical, and it is very hard to find in 2" thickness. No matter the wood species, thinner boards tend to end up like the thinner posts, bowed and curvy over time.

Securing The Structure:A lot of people ask us if its better to bury the posts, or to mount them on a concrete pad or footer. It really comes down to personal preference, as both work well.If you have an existing concrete patio - then by all means securing your posts with a bracket is the way to go. You can find simple plate anchors (Simpson ties, etc.) at most home improvement and hardware stores that do an excellent job of securing posts to concrete.

If you choose to bury your posts - make sure to dig down deep enough to get below the frost line and prevent it from heaving out of the soil. For ours on the farm we buried our posts 24" and then back-filled with packing limestone gravel and dirt.

Quite simply, the important thing is to definitely secure it! If it's not secured, all it can take is one little serious windstorm to turn your beautiful little paradise into a pile of toothpicks.

Jim and MaryIf you would like to receive our DIY & Gardening Tips every Tuesday – be sure to sign up to follow the blog via email in the right hand column, "like" us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter

Old World Garden Farms
Old World Garden Farms Newark, OH
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  • Sherry Fisher
    Liked on Apr 20, 2013
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  • Kim's Findings!
  • Use bits of left over chicken wire
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Turn a cupboard door into Junk Art

Shelley @ Sow and Dipity
Shelley @ Sow and Dipity Canada
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  • Sherry Fisher
    Clipped on Apr 20, 2013 to Decor Ideas
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  • Here is the "before." Terrifying, I know. It's a miracle I didn't burn my house down.
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Trust me...You Need a Glue Gun Holder!

Jocie@OPC The Better Half
Jocie@OPC The Better Half Catonsville, MD
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  • Sherry Fisher
    Clipped on Apr 19, 2013 to Decor Ideas
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  • Barnwood wonderfulness!
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Barnwood Bathroom Cabinet

CreekLineHouse .
CreekLineHouse . Algonac, MI
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  • Sherry Fisher
    Clipped on Apr 19, 2013 to Outdoor living
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Easy and Inexpensive Kitchen backsplash

Daniela N
Daniela N Nashville, TN
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  • Sherry Fisher
    Liked on Apr 18, 2013
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  • Reduce, Reuse, Repur...
  • We bought the pots at Lowes, but if you already have pots that would work, you could probably make this for less than $25... 1
  • The fountain is basically two pots stacked together with a pump.  We used a combination of large and small rocks to hold everything in place.
  • We love to sit on our porch and listen to the water.  During the summer, we have  several different types of birds that visit and it is so cute to watch them "bathe" in the fountain.
  • See 1 more photo

Make your own outdoor Bubble Fountain

Ready to use outdoor fountains can be so pricey, so we decided to make our own... We did it with supplies from the hardware store and you can too! I have written up some basic instructions and you can find them in the link:

75 Easy
Jamie
Jamie Austin, TX
12 Comments | Post Comment | 11037 Views
  • Sherry Fisher
    Clipped on Apr 18, 2013 to Outdoor living
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Fairy Garden

TheCraftyWoman
TheCraftyWoman Vail, AZ
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  • Sherry Fisher
    Clipped on Apr 18, 2013 to Outdoor living
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  • Pallet Deck Furniture/ Easy to build ! 3
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Reuse project for the deck

Hollphi@originsoregon
Hollphi@originsoregon Lake Oswego, OR
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  • Sherry Fisher
    Clipped on Apr 17, 2013 to Outdoor living
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  • Kim's Findings!
  • Finished Mason jar solar light.
  • Supplies Needed: Solar lights, duct tape, Mason jars and outer lid, spray paint and painters tape. 3
  • Screw off the top of the solar light and put painters tape on the top of the solar panel.
  • Spray paint the solar light tops and lids.
  • I folded the duct tape in half to create double sided tape. I used duct to keep the light from falling into the jar. Duct tape is also weather proof.
  • I wrapped the duct tape around the light. Make sure you don't put the tape to close to the top. You don't want the tape to stick out of the lid. 4
  • I stuck the light with the duct tape inside the jar. You don't need to push the light in too far, just enough to make it snug. The lid will make it more secure.
  • It was an easy project that didn't cost very much money. I had all of the resources with the exception of the lights. 1
  • See 5 more photos

Mason Jar Solar Lights!

Don't you just love all of the things you can make and do with Mason jars? I have been wanting Mason jar solar lights since I saw them in a catalog three years ago, but for $40 a jar ...»
there was no way I would allow myself to buy them. I knew I needed to figure out a way to make them myself. I bought some solar lights at the dollar store and was able to come up with my own Mason jar solar lights. Please visit my blog to see all of the details.

60 Minutes Easy
Melissa @ Keep Calm and Decorate
Melissa @ Keep Calm and D... Muncie, IN
54 Comments | Post Comment | 43171 Views
  • Sherry Fisher
    Liked on Apr 17, 2013
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How-To Paint Laminate Furniture

Jenna, SAS Interiors
Jenna, SAS Interiors Saratoga Springs, NY
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  • Sherry Fisher
    Liked on Apr 14, 2013
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  • Like 8
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  • if you like it, put a coat of p...
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