Garden Structures – Arch building

The easiest way to build an arch is to buy a kit, many of which come with posts and beams cut to size. Once you’ve installed an arch you can stain the wood it to match your décor, or if you have chosen a metal arch, paint it with enamel paint.

Before going ahead, you need to be sure you have a clear and level site with all the materials and tools you'll need close at hand. If you're making an arch to your own design rather than using a kit, cut all the timbers to size before you start.

Put the first post socket in position. Gently tap the spike a few inches into the soil, then check it is upright and set squarely. Continue hammering it down with a sledgehammer, correcting its position if it gets lopsided. Finish so the socket rests just above soil level. Now push the post into its socket, checking it's absolutely upright. Make sure the recess in the top of the post is orientated correctly to hold one of the cross-beams. Position the next socket the correct distance from the first post and knock in as before.

After making an initial measurement, tap the remaining sockets into the soil in their rough position. Measure across the diagonals to make sure the arch is absolutely square. Adjust the sockets until you find their exact spot, before securing them.

Put the final post into position. The tops of all four posts must be at exactly the same height. This can be checked by eye, or by running a board and spirit level across from one post to another in turn. Lower the heights by knocking sockets deeper into the ground. Now tighten all the sockets until they all hold the posts firmly.

The first cross beam can now be pushed into the pre-cut slots at the top of each post. If the fit is tight, you might need to knock it into place gently with a hammer. Make sure the beam is central, with an equal amount overhanging either side.

Once the arch is built, paint it with a timber colour of your choice before starting to plant. Now, thoroughly dig over the soil alongside the arch, mixing in well-rotted garden compost and fertiliser.

Garden arch photograph by soundfromwayout, used under a creative commons attribution licence.

 

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