HOW TO BUILD A GARDEN ARBOR ARCH

8 Materials
$200
20 Hours
Medium
We recently built a garden arbor arch to go around the gate to our backyard from our side yard. The space is pretty empty so we wanted to try to fill it with something eye catching and beautiful. We constructed the garden arbor arch over a few weeks in three different sections and then installed it. It’s definitely a statement and is huge but is going to look amazing with climbing roses all over it.
Get the full cut list and supply list in our blog post.
We started by making 8″ notches at 90 degrees in the top of all four posts. We notched halfway through the post 8″down and then cut out that section.


Next, we added the 2″x4″s. We added all of these using pocket screws. Start by adding the first one at the top of the posts with the newly cut notches facing away from each other. Then add the next one 14 inches down and the last one four feet down from that. The lattice goes in this section.


Now for the lattice. Add a 1″x1″ near the middle of each post and nail them in place with a nail gun. Then lay the piece of lattice on top of those pieces. Finish it off by nailing the other two 1″x1″s into the post on top of the lattice so that it holds in place.


Repeat for the other arch side.
The arch top is much more difficult, only because it involves turning square wood into round wood.


Start by mitering the 2x6s at at 22.5 degree angle. Miter both ends on six of the boards and just one end of four of the boards.


Each side of the arch will get two of the straight edge boards on either end of the arch and three double-mitered boards in the middle to form an arch. Connect these boards together with pocket screws.


Now, we have to turn these 2x6s into 2x4s with a round shape. We traced a curve around the entire arch using a 3 1/2 inch piece of wood, then used a jigsaw to cut out the arch shape. Do that for both pieces.
Assembling the garden arbor arch can be done in one of two ways. You can attach the curved top to the two sides and then concrete it into the ground, or you can concrete the sides into the ground and then attach the arch. The big thing to consider is just whether or not you can carry the entire thing assembled or not. I would recommend digging your four holes for the posts in roughly the space you want them, then add in the two sides, attach the top to the sides with outdoor screws, then concrete in your posts. This will make sure that the sides are properly spaced out.
As I mentioned, drive long decking screws through the posts and the arch to attach them. Then what I did was cut pieces of 1″x4″s out to wrap around the four connection points to cover the cuts and the screws.
Resources for this project:
2 eight foot long 4″x4″ posts
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Morgan McBride
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Charlotte Charlotte on Jul 31, 2018

    I have siding on my home but there are some holes from stone kicking up from my driveway how card I repair the holes? There making the house look bad. Please help me. Thank you


















  • Tracybonacci Tracybonacci on Aug 06, 2018

    can You suggest more ideas for using lattice for non traditional ways for gardening and or landscaping

  • Joan Joan on Aug 07, 2018

    What nail gun had you used? What nails does it handle? What jobs do you guess work doing ? Thank you.

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