How to Make Grape Arbors
By Sharon Sweeny
eHow Contributing Writer
Grapes grow on vines, so to grow them you must have a grape arbor. Since they can live for many years, the arbor should be sturdy and substantial. Here are instructions for a simple 4 foot by 8 foot grape arbor that any do-it-yourself gardener with basic carpentry skills can build. It will provide support for four grapevines, one planted at each corner.
Instructions
Stake out a rectangle measuring 4 by 8 feet. Mark with sand, string or spray Dig holes for the posts at each corner of the rectangle, using the post hole digger. Make the holes 1 foot wide and 2 feet deep. Mix the quick set concrete and pour it into the holes. Set the posts in the concrete and use a level to make them vertically straight. Let the concrete harden, according to the manufacturer's directions. Saw all four posts to same height, measuring up from the ground. Install the header boards. Cut one 4-by-6 piece of lumber in half for the short sides of the rectangle. Attach the 4-by-6 boards to tops of the posts, making a frame. Secure the headers to the top of each post at each end, using two 3-inch screws. Attach the cross rafters made from 2-by-6 boards. Cut the 2-by-6 lumber in half to make 4-foot-long boards. Attach one end of each board to one long side of the frame. When the boards are attached, the arbor will look like a ladder laying on top of four posts. Space the cross rafters 2 feet apart. Secure each cross rafter to the header with two 2-inch screws. Lay the 4-by-8 piece of lattice on top of the frame. This will be the roof of the arbor and where the grapes will climb and grow. Attach the lattice to the frame with 2-inch screws, every 8 to 10 inches. Plant one grapevine about 1 foot from the inside of each corner post. Train the vine up the post, pruning off all lateral (side) branches until the vine reaches the top, then allow it to branch out on top of the lattice.Things You'll Need:
