Right I've finally convinced the isses to let me have a crack at a proper woodworking project. She is keen for something like this:
http://www.wyevale.co.uk/Rowlinson-Dart ... lt,pd.html
to go in the garden. Can't find anything I really like though, this is the best of the bunch commercially available that I've found but its too small and frankly seems a bit flimsy. Not helped by the fact that the legs terminate at the ground so its bolt on supports rather than the ability to bury a decent length of the posts to help stability.
I've also seen this:
http://www.allthingscedar.com/pergola-swing-set.htm
Which isn't the right sort of aesthetic (and still too narrow) but at least looks like its got some decent bracing and the the three sided design ought to make it a bit more stable.
So I'm contemplating a cross between the two but would appreciate some thought on the practicalities of the design:
1. can't be too expensive and as I'm looking to bury the posts I presume this:
http://catalogue.chilterntimber.co.uk/p ... 30625.html
is the order of the day. Is pressure treated timber like this usually smooth enough to use for something like this?
2. dimensions of the wood. The first one I linked to uses 3x3 for the posts and I think thats about right aesthetically. I presume the flimsy element is down to lack of cross bracing and proper attachment to the ground etc. rather than the use of 3x3 posts? Assuming I'm aiming at the bottom structure being HxDxW of about 1850x1850x2400, with bracing as per the second pic, M&T construction, do people think 3x3 posts and say 3x2 for the other structural elements (i.e. a cross brace along the bottom and two vertical braces either side of the lattice) is sturdy enough?
3. cross bracing, the corner braces seem to be backward in the second one. I like that aesthetically but is it still as strong? Size wise for this presumably 1x6 or similar to cut the shapes out of as I like the curve?
4. depth to bury. Stock wood is going to be 2.4m/3.0m Assuming I'm looking at 1.85m above ground is 550mm likely to be enough buried? Intention would be to postcrete them in.
Thats it for now, roof is to be worried about later (to an extent) as I'm keen to get some wood in and make a start before the May bank holiday.
http://www.wyevale.co.uk/Rowlinson-Dart ... lt,pd.html
to go in the garden. Can't find anything I really like though, this is the best of the bunch commercially available that I've found but its too small and frankly seems a bit flimsy. Not helped by the fact that the legs terminate at the ground so its bolt on supports rather than the ability to bury a decent length of the posts to help stability.
I've also seen this:
http://www.allthingscedar.com/pergola-swing-set.htm
Which isn't the right sort of aesthetic (and still too narrow) but at least looks like its got some decent bracing and the the three sided design ought to make it a bit more stable.
So I'm contemplating a cross between the two but would appreciate some thought on the practicalities of the design:
1. can't be too expensive and as I'm looking to bury the posts I presume this:
http://catalogue.chilterntimber.co.uk/p ... 30625.html
is the order of the day. Is pressure treated timber like this usually smooth enough to use for something like this?
2. dimensions of the wood. The first one I linked to uses 3x3 for the posts and I think thats about right aesthetically. I presume the flimsy element is down to lack of cross bracing and proper attachment to the ground etc. rather than the use of 3x3 posts? Assuming I'm aiming at the bottom structure being HxDxW of about 1850x1850x2400, with bracing as per the second pic, M&T construction, do people think 3x3 posts and say 3x2 for the other structural elements (i.e. a cross brace along the bottom and two vertical braces either side of the lattice) is sturdy enough?
3. cross bracing, the corner braces seem to be backward in the second one. I like that aesthetically but is it still as strong? Size wise for this presumably 1x6 or similar to cut the shapes out of as I like the curve?
4. depth to bury. Stock wood is going to be 2.4m/3.0m Assuming I'm looking at 1.85m above ground is 550mm likely to be enough buried? Intention would be to postcrete them in.
Thats it for now, roof is to be worried about later (to an extent) as I'm keen to get some wood in and make a start before the May bank holiday.
