Building an arbor

[danlightbulb]

Planning to build a wooden garden arch/arbor to replace an old metal one that is almost falling over and which is carrying a mature climbing rose.

Just wondering if anyone's made one and what timber you used.

I was originally thinking 8 ft 3x3 posts, with 1 ft concreted in the ground leaving 7 ft above. But this might not be enough. I could instead go for 10 ft 4x4 posts possibly buried 2 ft into the ground which will make an 8ft tall structure. Obviously an intermediate size could be 4x4 posts 8ft long with 1 ft buried. I can also get 4x3 posts.

I don't want to dig down more than 2 ft. Even that might be difficult hence originally planning for 1ft.

Top cross member was planning to be 6x2.

Would be built around a prefab piece of 6x2 trellis on each side. So the structure will be just over 2 ft front to back.

 

[Gav_r26]

You do know you can cut wooden posts to length right?

 

[danlightbulb]

You do know you can cut wooden posts to length right?

Yes, what are you thinking?

 

[200sols]

The depth depends, its just a small structure with holes in so wind load isnt like a row of.fencing when you go 600mm deep. I wouldnt overthink it tbh.

Softwood fence posts will be fine, oak posts look better.

 

[danlightbulb]

oak posts look better

No doubt, at probably at least 5x the price. Can't afford it.

I wouldnt overthink it tbh.

Agreed but the reason for thinking about it is not to waste money on longer posts then cutting them shorter. I can get 8ft or 10ft posts, obviously 8ft is cheaper so if I can get away with 8ft I will.

 

[aVdub]

Have you considered bolt down Met-Posts

 

[danlightbulb]

Have you considered bolt down Met-Posts

It's an option but would require laying a concrete pad or at least 4 individual concrete footings. More work than digging a hole?

 

[aVdub]

It's an option but would require laying a concrete pad or at least 4 individual concrete footings. More work than digging a hole?

I was blind to that fact.

Have you considered punch in Met-Posts

 

[becks]

If I were you, I’d probably skip the 3x3 and, if you’re replacing a metal arch with a fully grown rose, go for a 4x4. Just so it doesn’t look a bit flimsy in a year or two. If you dig the posts about 45 cm deep and attach the top brace properly, 2.4 m seems sufficient to me. Drive-in stakes can work, but for a heavy rose I would still opt for posts set in the ground.

 

[danlightbulb]

Have you considered punch in Met-Posts

Yeah looked them, don't seem to get much love online really. a lot of comments saying they work loose over time.

There's also concrete-in stub met posts. And I've seen concrete-in rebar type brackets that you then bolt the post onto.

It's probably a lot simpler just to concrete the posts directly in the ground I'm just not sure of the depth and appropriate height of the structure.

There's quite a few arbor making videos on you tube but almost all of them use 2x4.