Building Your Own Pergola – A Few Tips To Get Your Started



While it might look deceptively simple in design, you have to take care when constructing a pergola. If you do so, you will have a wonderful addition to your out-of-doors living area that will be the talk of the neighborhood. If you don’t, then you will have a pile of lumber that might look like an unfinished pile of lumber.

While a pergola doesn’t do a lot for keeping out the elements, it does do a great job of helping you define the boundaries of a specific outdoor area, thus helping to set things off in a very classy manner.

The first order of business after deciding on building a pergola and figuring out where you want to place it, is to decide what you want to make the pergola out of. You should opt for a long lasting wood such as cedar and then, if you want it to last longer, you need to seal it appropriately for your particular geographic area’s climatic conditions.

You will need to lay it out and install the four pillar posts. You will typically set these posts in concrete to assure that they stay put and secure for a long time. It is advisable to be sure that the pad is located below the frost line for long-term stability. These pillars are frequently made of treated wooden 4 X 4s.

The main support cross beams are generally best made from 2 X 6 beams and you will want to make sure that they are level when you install these, since the entire pergola is depending on them.

You will more than likely want to notch the beams that go across in the opposite direction, so that they will interlock with the main beams for strength and aesthetics. For those of you that are having issues envisioning this, think of the pergola project much like a large Lincoln log erector set and it might give you a mental picture of what is going on when we are discussing the pergola project.

You will also want to make sure that you use plenty of the correct-sized screws for the wood size and type that you are using, and that you install bracing where needed. It is hard to completely describe the process in such a short article, but there are many plans available for you to construct your pergola.

The entire project can be assembled easily using only a hammer, nails and a basic saw. You might be well advised, however, to look into getting a table saw to notch the boards, a power driver for screwing it together, a decent long level to make sure it goes together straight and a jig saw to make sure that your supports for the cross braces are easily cut so that they fit flush, look custom and provide the support that they are supposed to give.

Now, all you need is a little time and some climbing plants or vines to complete the project.

By: Tom McFay

About the Author:
You can easily learn more about how to build a pergola by visiting http://www.pergolasplus.com/. Believe it or not, finding the best pergola designs is only one click away.



woodworking plans

April 23, 2011 | Normal | Tags: , , | No Comments »

Woodworking For Beginners – The Importance of Having Good Blueprints

Will D. Kepper asked:

For someone who has just started at woodworking should always consider finding and using easy carpentry plans. One should always have an easy plan to pursue his woodwork hobby. When the plan is sketchy or hard to read, they might get confused and lost thus botching the project.

If the woodworking plan is not up to standard, it will create problem for the person using it. The woodworker might get so frustrated he may be ready to quit or may make costly mistakes and will not be able to finish the project on time.

Once a beginner experienced early failure in his carpentry project, he then will hesitate to pursue the woodworking hobby. If the first project is a success, then it will give him immense confidence and zeal to work on new and more challenging projects. This will make woodworking more enjoyable for him and he will take interest to learn new methods, techniques and use of other carpentry tools.

A high quality project blueprint will have intricate woodwork patterns in it. These patterns are specific and will save lots of money on materials. As the cost of materials goes up, the plans are very important to ensure minimum material wastage and costly errors.

When you are starting a new woodworking project, the design and plan will determine whether your endeavor will be a success of failure. Before starting the project, you should first understand the detailed aspect of the design and making sure what are the tools required.

Starting from cutting of the wood to joining the cut joints, the plan has to tell you the exact dimension of the wood sections. The blueprint should also tell you whether the wood sections are to be glued with adhesives or screws should be considered.

TedsWoodworking Plans and Projects

September 4, 2010 | Normal | Tags: , , | No Comments »

How to Build a Low Arched Footbridge and Garden Bridge

Joe Guraro asked:




Step 1
Determine a location for your bridge. The foundation of the bridge must be on solid, dry ground. Measure your space and buy materials.

Step 2
Place one pair of concrete pier blocks at each end of the bridge location. Dig down or build up in order to ensure that the blocks are level with each other.

Step 3
Connect beams to the pier blocks. Place the pier blocks one length of beam a part. Attach the beams using metal straps.

Step 4
Construct railing posts for each side of the bridge, if desired. Carefully measure the height of the posts to make sure they’re even. Set the posts in incremental spacing to ensure that the railing is supportive and strong.

Step 5
Lay planks across the beams to form the treads of the bridge. Cut the planks to a length that allows them to lay fully over each beam but not too far over the sides of the bridge.

Step 6
Attach hand railing to the railing posts. Measure the proper height and mark each railing post with chalk as a visual guideline, then firmly attach each hand railing section.

Step 7
Stain or paint and seal the bridge. Use a sealer specifically for use outdoors to prevent dampness from ruining the wood and destroying your bridge.

Part 2

1. Use 16′ 2x12s for the stringers. Square both ends of a 2×12 and cut it exactly 16′ in length.

2. Measure up 4″ on each end of the 2×12 and make a mark. Locate the center of the 2×12, measure 1 1/2′ (18″) toward the left and right ends, and mark. Draw cut-lines between the marks as shown below.

3. Use a circular saw to cut the stringer along the cut-line. Use the first stringer as a pattern to mark and cut the other stringers.

Marked stringer

1. Cut 2×6 decking boards to 36″ for decking.

2. Center the decking boards on the stringer frame so there’s about an inch of overhang on each side. Secure the deck boards with two screws at each stringer. Leave a 1/8″ to 1/4″ gap between each decking board. It may be necessary to cut decking boards to fit where the incline flattens out on the bridge.

Cut stringer

For this bridge, we decided not to install railings. In most areas, structures under two feet high are not required to have railings, but always check with your local building inspector for requirements in your area. If your local code requires railings or if you would like to add them to your bridge.

More Plans that might work good for you.

My wife had casually mentioned that a footbridge over the dry creek bed drainage culvert we created in the front and in the back would be a nice feature. I decided to surprise her and built the bridges in one day. I used 2×12 lumber for the sides, cut the arch shapes out with a jigsaw, and then transferred that shape to the other side and cut it out too.

I left a flat area on the bottom side at each end where it would rest on the ground. The only limit to design on the cuts is your imagination. If you don’t want a tall bridge, or if it isn’t spanning a wide area, you could use 2×10, 2×8 or even 2×6 lumber. I made mine 6 feet long and 24″ wide, and used 2×4 and 2×6 boards for the decking, and a 2×6 vertical support in the center to give it more rigidity. I used a square to make sure the board sides and ends were perpendicular and parallel.

I used redwood If you want to make a smooth arch shape, you can use 1/2″ PVC pipe, bend it to the shape you want, screw it to the board, and then trace out the curve on the board. The bridge is very sturdy, and looks pretty good too. Of course, you could use 2×8, or even 2×6 side boards, depending on the span and how you cut the side boards.

Build a Footbridge
August 26, 2010 | Normal | Tags: , , | No Comments »

Build Small Chicken Coops

Andrew Oke asked:




The prospect of constructing something to house your own chickens can seem daunting, but anyone with a saw, hammer, and screwdriver can build small chicken coops.

I didn’t start out with any particular plan to prove myself as a carpenter. The desire to build my own coop was born out of financial necessity. My chickens were arriving in three days’ time and I assumed that I could just visit my local hardware store and pick up a coop for a few dollars.

How wrong I was! The cheapest chicken coop available was $500 for a medium sized hen house. I didn’t have that kind of money, yet I couldn’t cancel the chickens’ imminent arrival. My children would have never forgiven me.

So I circled the chicken coop section of the hardware store a few times, examining the designs on show. Like human houses, they ranged from the basic “box” style to fancier residences with all the trimmings.

Whatever the styles of the coops, the materials did not look expensive. To my eyes, they just consisted of wood, chicken wire and a few nails and screws.

In fact, I was pretty sure that I didn’t need to buy any wood – I had plenty of reclaimed timber lying around at home from a refurbishment project we’d had done earlier that year.

As I gasped with surprise at how cheap chicken wire was, my determination to learn how to build small chicken coops grew. Maybe I could provide a decent home for my chickens after all.

When I got home I searched the internet for information. Given that keeping your own chickens is one of the fastest growing hobbies around, there are plenty of online forums and articles with information about chicken health, and how to get the best yield of eggs from your flock.

Scrolling down through a few more searches, I came to what I was looking for – information on how to build small chicken coops.

First I should consider the needs of the chickens. They want a place to roost at night, and comfortable nesting spaces in which to lay their eggs. They also want a run to peck in, and forage generally for the bugs they find so delicious.

Most designs met these criteria. However, I chose the most comprehensive I could find. I do not have extensive DIY experience, so I favored the plans which also came with pictures showing me what the coop should look like every step of the way.

The plans also provided a list of tools and materials needed, which enabled me to go to the store with a new shopping list. I needed a few bits of lumber and a roll of chicken wire, which set me back considerably less than $100.

On returning home, I laid out all the materials on the grass in my backyard. The plans and designs reassured me that anyone can build small chicken coops, so I set to work.

After making sure that the pieces of wood were of the appropriate sizes, I screwed them together to make a sturdy frame. It was satisfying to see the coop take place, and my kids even helped me stretch the wire around the run.

It was a really good start to get the family involved before the chickens arrive. I would recommend the plans for anyone thinking about trying to build small chicken coops. If I can, anyone can!

Small Chicken House
August 2, 2010 | Normal | Tags: , , | No Comments »
 
 
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