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arbor and pergola project done...pic heavy !!

14 years ago

The man that built our carport 7 yrs ago agreed to come and build the arbors and pergolas that I have wanted for years. It is impossible in this area to get anyone to do this kind of thing much less work with the owner as far as design and implementation as we went along. The whole was broken up by our trip to NYC or it would have been done a week sooner. He drew what I wanted and we worked from that as he was going along. He spent 55 hrs of labor including time at his house as well as buying materials.

We will stain the pickets and arbors white to match the existing fences. The 2 pergolas will be painted the same as the building trim paint that they are attached to ...gives a cohesive feel to it.

So here is the before 2 weeks ago and then today. He also constructed a 2 part fence to hide the pool pump and extra chairs and the grill. Sorry there are so many pics! Hope this helps with ideas if you are thinking of doing something in your garden/pool area. c

before side gate:

before little house ( DH's music studio):

before back of music studio ( aka Secret Garden ) :

before carport:

before pool pump...2 views...

Today side gate arbor:

Little house left side :

Little house ( secret garden entrance) 2 views :

carport:

pool pump area...painted to match back garden fence 2 views:

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Comments (22)

cat_mom
14 years ago
Nice!!!!!
squirrelheaven
14 years ago
Oh wow, that's awesome! What a great space you have back there. Looking forward to seeing it painted too.
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To do the sun/shade studies I propose here two things need to happen. The site plan needs to be rotated to true north and a set of shade templates must be constructed. The site plan rotation makes it possible to use the same templates for all projects in the same general area. The templates work well over about a 30 mile radius, which can probablly cover the work area of most designers. To do sun calcs one needs the Lat/Long location of the area. This can be found at ... www.topozone.com Below is a screenshot of me looking for Shawn's project at Campbell, CA. Note on the left I have set the "Corrdinate Format" to "D/M/S". Then at the top of the map the Lat/Long will be shown as degrees, minutes, seconds. At the lower right True north is shown with the difference for magnetic north and grid north. A lot of mapping will use a grid north and I suspect Google maps may well be shown to the UTM grid which is a 0.636 error from true north at Canpbell, not something to worry about for sun studies. We don't have the sun observation described above to pin down the rotation needed, but looking at Google Maps of his house I was able to determine that the roof edge is near azmuth 215 degrees. Azmuth is direction of a line in degrees or rotation from North. Think of it as the hand on a clock where 0 is at the 12 position of the clock and as the hand swings clockwise, 360 degrees is the full circle. 90 degrees is East, 180 is South, 270 is West. Sun calcs are easily done at the following web site ... http://www.srrb.noaa.gov/highlights/sunrise/azel.html Below is a screen shot of a sun calc for Shawn's project. Above I have set the "City" box to "Enter Lat Long", and the values I got from topozone are entered. The time offset box is set to 8 (7 for Mountain, 6 for Central, 5 for Eastern time) and set Daylight Savings Time to "yes". A date and time was entered, and then the calc button is clicked to get the results. By changing the time by trial and error I look for an azmuth of 215 degrees, the roof edge direction I got from google maps. The time comes out to be 1.49PM. Though Shawn missed the sun observation last Saturday, he guessed it was near 2PM. It looks like rotating his plan so that the roof is at az 215 is what we need. Next I need to complete the templates for this area.
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Unprofessional - Great picture... I'm jealous of your pond! The Pergola looks very well built especially with the 4 main beams on each side. I was definitely planning on doing mortise and tenon for the top 2x6 rafters just like you did. For the main rafters I was just going to fasted two 2x8's to each side of the 6x6's with stainless carriage bolts. Mark - I'm not sure where to buy Cedar at or if my local yard carries it. I'll have to check next time I'm in there, I priced everything with pressure treated wood and stainless fasteners. I wonder what the price difference would be. Every deck I've seen they have always just sunk the pressure treated post into the ground and filled with cement. I was considering bolting the pressure treated boards to the cement, but all the brackets I found said it wasn't recommended for top heavy structures. This Pergola will be 10' tall when assembled so that kind of scared me. Not staining it is a good suggestion... now that I think of it, after the roses climb the structure you won't see to much of the wood. Ken - Going natural it is... the mulch I have is natural wood chips... I don't do colored mulches. Going larger is a good suggestion. The 12x12 outside dimensions (10x10 inside) would cost $370. I'm not sure I would want to go 16x16, but if I do 14x14 outside (12x12 inside), it would be $490. So if I go 16x16 or 14x14 it's only going to cost $120 more which is still less than half the cost of the all vinyl one. So the cost of a 14x14 or 16x16 would be $490 out the door, that includes all the wood, concrete, stainless fasteners, & tax. Definitely doable and not a bad price at all. I'm glad I checked in with you guys because I was leaning more towards the expensive vinyl pergola.
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Hey Bindersbee, Your plans sound great for the pergola. Being a designer, you have so many more plant ideas to choose from than most of us would think of. That Blue Atlas Cedar sounds cool. How about some thyme growing between the sandstone paver stones? That would smell nice, too, when stepped on. I did go to the sunrise breakfast. You may recall it was a VERY stormy day! The thunder roared a little while they were speaking, and they had to have the sides closed on the bigtop tent, so we really didn't see much garden during the event. They pretty much canceled the garden tours, because it was raining buckets (but they said anyone who *really* wanted to tour it might be able to find a volunteer to guide them with an umbrella). Anyway, it was a bit of a fundraising pitch, with a fancy brochure offering up benches and such that you could buy (for thousands of dollars) and get your name on as a donation. I think that's the work of my friend Cindy Kindred who does communications consulting for them. Hopefully, there were enough rich people there to have some impact! The only thing I really enjoyed about it was the nice people at my table, who included a couple that does flowerbed design work and invited me to come to their home and see their gardens. I looked for you (which was hard not knowing what you look like!) but I kept an eye out for your name tag. BTW, my wife and I have twins as well -- cute identical girls who just turned nine last month.
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bronwynsmom
14 years ago
Well done, you!
mitchdesj
14 years ago
It looks really great; it also looks like it was always there, I like that !!!
kitchenkelly
14 years ago
I am soooooo envious. I dream or pergolas and arbors in my yard. I think of cooperbailey's climbing roses all the time. Your flowers are all looking gorgeous, too! You have quite the green thumb.

Please keep us updated with more pics. Say hi to Sam for me.
pinkpowertools
14 years ago
Very Nice. I love the pergola over the car port it really makes it so much more charming.

Are those blue wine bottles upside down on stakes in your garden? Great way to add color and interest to the garden.
User
Original Author
14 years ago
thank you cat...he did a very precise job.

Thank you squirrel ,it is really coming along. You wanna come help with the brush LOL. They say to wait 1 month w/ treated wood so I will get started w/ the damg porches I guess.

thank you bronwynsmom !!

oh mitch...I sure hope so . Thanks for saying that..I wanted it all to blend in.

oh kelly if you only knew but THANKS for the vote of confidence. I have killed more plants than I care to think about :( All you see is what manages to outlast my care LOL. Sam has left for "meatier" territory I guess as we no longer see her and the dang chippies are still here.

You are all such a great boost to my confidence. c
nanny2a
14 years ago
Pretty, pretty, pretty!!! We don't have a pool, and already have an arbor, but I just love yours, and can imagine sitting out there enjoying all the plants and peace. Beautiful job!!
User
14 years ago
Trailrunner, what a difference. I love, love, love it all. You did an awesome job on design and your builder did a wonderful job exicuting it to perfection. I agree with Mitch. Looks as though it's always been there. Thanks for the inspiration. My hubby and I just this morning were discussing what to do around our two heat pumps that wouldn't look like we were hiding something. Which is just what we want to do, only we want it to look like it belongs there. I'll be showing him your pictures when he gets back from picking up another load of mulch at Ho De.
patricianat
14 years ago
You did a fantastic job, you and the carpenter. Now stay under the shade in that lovely garden with an adult beverage and good food for the Fourth. Looks great. Love your bottle tree. I do need some blue bottles for mine. No one in our group uses "blue bottles." ;-) I need to barter some red and green ones somewhere with someone.
teacats
14 years ago
Wonderful!!! -- what a wonderful addition to your pretty backyard!

Jan
User
Original Author
14 years ago
Nanny THANK YOU...if you are ever in AL you may be certain that you are welcome to come and "set a spell" . Would love to meet you. Can you post your arbor so I can get ideas for plants?

just: I am glad that it gave you ideas. He took the cedar fencing and cut it to 4 ft lengths and attached them in the "shadow" pattern to help block sound and to add interest then attched them to the treated wood like a fence. The one end is attached to the house. The other end has a "foot" to hold it. The second piece has a "foot" on either end so it can be shifted out of the way. We are going to add 4 wheels to that 2nd section to save wear and tear on it and us :)

Ah Patricia thank you. It is indeed hot as you know....do you think we will ever get any rain ?? The blue bottles came from the restuarant. Thank goodness as we don't like any wine that comes in blue bottles LOL. Roses are loving this weather though and the spraying has them all looking very good and the fertilizer made a HUGE difference. Live and learn.

Jan coming from you that is a real compliment . You have such a great eye. Thank you. c
User
14 years ago
Well with your help we figured out what to do with that whole area between the garage and library where the heat pumps are. Only we'll not use what you used to hide your pool pumps. We're going to build a pergola like you did at the side of the little house. Ours will have two sides with latice with a walkway opening. So you still inspired use.
Our garage is at a right angle to the library. Well here's a picture so you get what I mean.
{{!gwi}}
Picture from last fall before our grass really took off. Looks so much better now.
catkin
14 years ago
It looks great!
Did you make the cross hatch lattice or were you able to purchase it? Thanks for sharing!
User
Original Author
14 years ago
just: will the lattice be on the sides where the heat pumps are to block the view and then open to the yard? Not sure how it will be but GLAD I AM that it was a help to you. That is what I love best about this forum...thinking outside the box. Post pics as it gets made...we love pics !

cat THANK YOU !!! ...you can't buy the nice 4" square lattice as far as I know. Our carpenter took a good piece of treated wood ( he goes through the pile till he finds what he likes) and then he cuts ALL those strips...better him than me LOL. He then uses the nail gun w/ teeny tiny nails to attach them to the frame and then each other. There are a LOT of nails. It is never going to rot that is for sure. If you want any more details I will be glad to get them. He is making a lot more lattice for me...4...6ftx4ft panels that we are placing in other areas as well as a piece for the side of the carport pergola so the plants can climb...lots more to be done. c
patricianat
14 years ago
Now, Caroline, it is time for us to do a rain dance.... can we do it by your pool ;-)
susan209
14 years ago
That was a ton of work but it has to be so satisfying to see the end is near. I think once your plants are in and you finish all that you want to paint, it is going to be fabulous! I just love that secret garden, it is just as sweet as can be. What a lovely place to look at and enjoy. Keep us posted when you are done.
cooperbailey
14 years ago
After they are painted they will look like they were there simply foreva! so wonderful

re the square lattice I just got have a Sunset book Arbors and Trellis that gives instructions on building them. Has pergolas as well.
With Trailrunners inspiration and book in hand who knows???
User
Original Author
14 years ago
Oh Patricia...you come on over girl...we can sit by the pool or better yet on the front porch and watch the earth soak up the welcome rain. But first it has to start...sigh

susan :thank you for a resounding positive response !! You and all the others here obviously share a vision too which makes this so much fun. I hope that the area behind the studio becomes a charming spot. It has several years of composted grass clippings and WORMS are thick back there so hopefully the plants will love it.

Sue :please do post the pics of your project too. It is such a help to see what others are doing. Has saved hours of research by just asking on this forum about many topics. I am looking at Vielchenblau as the climber on at least one side of the carport pergola to keep the "purple" theme going. Cl Pinkie on the other side . What do you think? c
saltnpeppa
14 years ago
Girl......I don't think you EVEr stop!! Beautifully done as always:) ALl of your additions look wonderful to your beautiful house & property. Add that to the fact that your flowers look like they are thriving in this recent heat we are having in the South - makes me even more jealous:) especially when I think I recently killed mint - yeah, that stuff that will take over & your supposed to not be able to kill!! I got the evil eye from DH for that one:) No mint juleps at this house:(

Smiles:)
User
14 years ago
We don't have all the details done yet. Need to do better measuring than my hubby using his feet as a ruler. This project will most likely wait awhile since it will entail moving some plantings around. My guess is it will have some lattice on two sides with an opening on one of the those sides in hopes of making it look more like a sitting area than hiding the heat pumps. I wish they could have been in the back yard. They are both so big!
You are so right though. This foram is an awesome place to get inspired.
lacombe
14 years ago
Hi C everything looks fantastic, I love the arbor, I just love painting projects, I'll be right down to help, put the kettle on. Have a good weekend.

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