Do you want to beautify the entrance to your garden or have a stable foundation for different plants? Quite frankly, you don’t have to look for a landscaper to do the work.
You can save some money by creating a garden arch arbor out of PVC material and by use of handy tools if you know how to make a garden arch with PVC pipe.
More often than not, a garden arch has other uses such, as providing support for climbing plants and demarcating your garden.
If you are wondering about making a PVC arch, the process is not as complicated as most people think. In our discussion, we shall explore how to make a garden with PVC pipe. Let’s get started.
10 Steps To Make A PVC Arch For Your Garden
Let’s see the quality of the material you will be needing first.
A garden arch is a simple structure that beautifies your garden. When installing one, it’s essential to think about the material.
We suggest something not too heavy but solid, to hold the plants without wobbling.
Secondly, consider a durable PVC frame for garden that can hold up in windy condition. Also, pick an item that you can reuse for many years.
You may also want to consider the ease of transfer when changing different plants. Your budget is another consideration, and for this reason, the PVC pipe is a clear winner.
Once everything is at your reach, follow these steps:
- Getting Ready
As you may already know, a PVC pipe ranks highly, however, there are other things that you will need for the project.
It’s a simple task which you can do on your own without the need for an extra hand.
If you want to know about making a PVC arch, you need to gather the materials so that you don’t have to make a return trip to the store. Here is what you will need for the project.
- PVC pipe and 1 cross, 2 elbows, 3 Tees PVC joints
- Rubber mallet for securing the pipe
- Tape measure for measuring the ground
- Trowel for digging the holes
- Miter Box to cut straight lines on pipe
- Sharpie marker
- Hacksaw or a reciprocating saw
- Cut the PVC pipes
Secure the PVC pipes to a flat surface using a bar clamp. You can use a table surface and hold the pipe using a clamp.
Using a tape measure, estimate the length of the pipes for creating the poles and archway. You can use the sharpie marker to show the marks.
Next, cut the PVC pipes to desired sizes using a reciprocating saw or a hacksaw. After you’ve cut the pipes, the next step is to lay them on the ground.
You can leave some little space between them.
- Mark the location
After cutting the PVC pipes, the next step is to mark your garden where you want to install the arc. After identifying your location, measure the width on the ground where the holes will be.
- Dig the garden arch holes
Using the trowel, did two holes at least 5ft apart where you will fix the garden arch. If the garden arch is large, then you can have more space in between.
- Put the pipes inside the holes
With the holes ready, put two pipes on the holes. You can start with the first pipe before proceeding to the next pipe.
For stability, we recommend using a rubber mallet to secure them on the ground. The advantage of a rubber mallet is that it provides a soft impact and doesn’t damage the PVC pipes.
Ideally, we recommend strong pipes; therefore, you can get at least 6-inch pipes. You can choose a suitable depth depending on how large you want the arch to be.
We highly recommend a 2-3 inch depth for a normal garden arch, especially if you want the PVC pipes to be more buried in the ground.
- Use connectors to fix the other pipes.
When you purchase the PVC pipe, you will find other items in the package. These include pipe fittings or pipe connectors, which are useful in attaching other pipes.
Now that you have two pipes firmly on the ground, the next step is to connect the other pipes.
The advantage of PVC is that it’s flexible and hence you can attach the pipes using connectors. You can fix as many pipes as you want until you achieve your preferred height.
- Top-off the garden archway
Once you get the height that you need, the next step is to fix a tee pipe fitting at the ends of the pipelines. Some people prefer a horizontal, perpendicular, or bending archway.
You can choose your preferred pattern by linking the pipes to the elbow fixtures. The most popular trend is the letter H or wedding shape. Watch this video if you need to see how to bend it.
- Create different arches
After you’re through making the first garden arch, you can create others to form an entrance of some kind. You’ll follow the same procedure as the first one.
- Decorate your garden arch
Now that your archway is ready, the next step is to consider how you want to decorate the garden arch. There are many options out there, and whatever you choose will depend on your preference.
Here, there’s no right or wrong method, simply allow your creativity to take shape by decorating with flowers and other accessories. If there are many arches, then adorn each to create a beautiful pathway.
- Finishing up
Now that we know how to make an arch with PVC pipe, the final step is to make it stable.
If you live in a windy area, it can frustrate trying to keep the arch upright as it may wobble from time to mine. Luckily, there are some homemade solutions to this problem.
A long pole requires reinforcement, not unless it’s a heavy-duty PVC pipe. For a garden arch, you don’t need a very thick PCV pipe.
The reason for this is that you may need to stiffen it with cement, which is unnecessary at this point.
The first option is to strengthen the arch to provide stable support. You can use sandbags to prevent it from swaying or wind blowing it.
However, when you’re done with the planting season, you can detach the reinforcements.
Vertical strings are useful in providing more space for plants to attach. If you want more plants, then increase the strings.
Why A PVC Pipe Is The Best Option?
Obviously, a garden arch is a trendy accessory at the entrance of your farm. Garden arches are made of different materials such as wood, metal, or PVC. A PVC pipe is the best material because of various reasons below.
Although iron is strong, it’s expensive and prone to rust. Just like wood, it requires a high level of maintenance. Wood is bulky and, pests can easily attack it. It can also rot due to rainwater infiltration.
The downside of both iron and wood are very rigid and cannot easily bend. Also, you will need complicated equipment to cut and attach the parts.
The advantage of PVC is that it’s durable and strong. Therefore, you’ll have a guarantee of durability and long-lasting use.
A PVC pipe is lightweight and portable. For this reason, transporting the pipes is easy and is the best option for DIY garden tasks.
Another positive aspect of PVC pipes is that they are cheap and cost less than the metal or wooden options.
They are easy to work around with, and generally, it’s not complicated to make a garden arch from PVC.
Conclusion
A garden arch is an elegant addition to your garden and beautifies your farm at the pinnacle of planting season. From the discussion, a garden arch is a simple process you can do yourself without calling a professional.
With just a set of handy tools, you can know how to make a garden arch with PVC pipe and decorate it to suit your preference.
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