How to Build a Driveway Arch

There are so many ways to make your friends and family feel welcome when they come to your home to visit. A simple welcome mat at the front door with a friendly greeting is enough to make most visitors feel good. If you happen to live in a home with a driveway, a driveway arch with a welcome sign is a great way to make your home feel inviting to your friends and family the moment they get to your driveway.

While the size of a driveway arch may be a bit overwhelming, building the arch is actually a very simple task. It requires very few items, simple craft skills, and a bit of hard work to get this incredible arch up. Here is all you will need and all you will need to know to build your very own welcoming driveway arch.

Items Needed To Build A Driveway Arch:
1. 5 large logs ( natural or stained )
2. 12 -16 large spikes
3. 2 small chains
4. 4 small screws
5. 1 piece of wood for the welcome sign
6. paint
7. paint brush
8. shovel
9. cement
10. bucket of water
11. stain (optional)
12. a ladder
13. a chainsaw

I happened to have nearly all of these items before starting on this project. The few items that I did not already have, I found very easily by shopping here.

Getting Started On The Arch:
The first thing you will want to do is find your logs and clean them. Be sure they are free of rot and pests. You can use any type of wood that you prefer for your arch although, the arch featured in the picture with this article is made of knotty pine. You will also have to decide on keeping your logs natural or going with a stained log. This is absolutely a matter of personal style and taste.

The size of your driveway will determine the size of the logs you will need. The sides of the arch are very simple to create. Start by cutting your two tallest logs to the same height. You will then want to cut two side logs a bit shorter, keeping them at the same height as well.

Next you will need to put your back to work a bit and use your shovel to dig holes deep and wide enough to accommodate your logs. Depth is extremely important so that your arch will be sturdy in extreme weather. Once you have the holes dug, you can mix and pour your cement right there in the holes.

Stabilizing The Driveway Arch:
Now that you have your cement ready, you will want to drive the logs deep into it. Start with your tallest logs and add the side logs as close as you can get them on either side. Use your large stakes and drive them through both logs from the outside in to make them stable. It is a good idea to use at least four steaks on each side of the arch , two at the top and two at the bottom of each set of logs.

Let the side logs set in the cement for a full day before going on further with this project. Come back the next day and be sure that the cement is set and the side logs are firmly in place with little or no give to them.

Topping The Arch:
Now is the time to get your ladder up and use your chainsaw to put a notch into the tops of your 2 tallest logs. This notch should be an appropriate size to cradle the log you will top you will use to top your driveway arch. Once everything is in place and ready, you can add your top log. It would be a very good idea to ask a friend over to help you with this part of the project.

Get your top log up and let it rest as naturally in place in the two notches you made as possible. Take a look at the picture with this article to see how I used the natural curve in my top log to give the arch a unique look. Use the rest of your large spikes and drive them into the top of this log and down into your two tallest post logs. Be sure to use as many as you need to make the top of the arch very sturdy.

Finishing Touches For The Driveway Arch:
All that is left to do now is to paint whatever you want on your small piece of wood. You may want to put your family name there or a simple welcome. This is a good place to use your own personal style and choice in the way you want to welcome friends.

Attach the sign with the two small chains and the four small screws. Be sure to check clearance height and do not let the sign hang down too low. Remember, trucks and utility workers may have to come down your driveway at different times, so be sure to leave plenty of extra clearance space. Step down from your ladder now and admire your new driveway arch.

I hope you enjoyed this craft project. This one definitely requires a bit more muscle and labor than most of my craft projects. If you had fun reading this article you might want to consider clicking here for more of my craft and hobby ideas.

Source :
http://www.homedepot.com/