Just as wooden garden sheds, gazebos, and pergolas are making a comeback so are arbors and arches for your yard. Arbors are being used to lead to patios, sitting areas, garden sheds, gardens, play areas etc. This is because arbors set up a natural entrance to an area you want to take your visitors. Some arbors are also being used for private seating in secluded spots around the yard. You can have an arbor with fixed seating or an arbor with a swing.

BUILD YOUR OWN WOODEN ARBOR – It is really easy to build an arbor if you have a good set of plans. If you are like me you first hesitate about building your own arbor because you do not know how to make the curved cuts for an arched arbor. There is a simple solution to this and that is proven arbor plans which will show you how to make all of the cuts necessary. Another solution to this problem is to simply make a pergola style arbor where the sides are vertical and the top of the arbor is a flat top. This way there are no curves or angles to cut. Everything in a pergola style arbor is square cut.

PURCHASE ARBORS IN KIT FORM – There are many manufacturers today that make arbors and arches in kit form for ease of the homeowners. Arbor kits can be installed quickly and easily by the homeowner. They now even make no-dig kits to allow you to install an arbor without having to dig any holes in your yard. Talk about making life easy.

STYLES OF ARBORS – When we think about arbors we normally think about arched or curved arbors. I know I did and that stopped me at first because I knew I could not figure out the curved cuts. But when you look around today there are a lot of pergola style arbors and once vines are grown over the tops you will forget what kind of top the arbor has. Arbors also come with gates, benches, side fence walls, and are free standing or attached to other structures.

MATERIALS FOR ARBORS – Arbors are now made out of metal, vinyl, and wood. Metal arbors and vinyl arbors come in a variety of colors. Metal arbors come in black, white and green. Wooden arbors are made out of teak, cedar, or redwood. These woods are used to make arbors to prevent rot and decay.

REASONS FOR INSTALLING AN ARBOR – The best use of an arbor is to direct foot traffic to an area of your yard in the way you want your visitors to approach a certain area. By providing the pathway you want people to follow you prevent foot paths from being worn in the yard. You build your path, install an arbor, landscape around the arbor and direct the traffic the way you want it to go. Arbors also frame the view you want visitors to have of highlighted special areas in your yard. They add beauty and with seating they also provide functionality to the structure. Arbors also give you many landscaping options for vertical plantings such as ivys, vines, and roses. Arbors provide for a vertical change of pace in the normally flat world of our yards.