Framing the Arbor UP

The first step to the construction of the arbor was many hours of sketching, measuring, and planning on how to do it.

We decided on welding flanges on 4" steel beams for attachment points. 

The flanges were drilled with 9/16" holes for 1/2" galvanized carriage bolts to attach the lam beams.

Then 4" cross beams were welded to tie the two posts togethor.

Since the lam beams are arched, the flanges were tilted to fit the curve of the arch.  ( Very nice touch and planing by Derek - one of many :)

It took 2 days to dig 4 holes and chip away the concrete retaining wall base to get ready to set the poles.  Then it took all the two of us could muster to get them in the holes standing up.

We leveled them up by tipping them back and forth while dropping cobble stones along side.  When they were level and square we drilled, expoxied, and welded rebar along side the posts at the top of the holes.

That allowed us to still be able to tilt them back and forth while putting on the Lam Beams. 

Also the rebar would tie into the concrete pad that will be poured at the arbor base as a transition up the slope to the lawn.

We put electrical conduit in place to pull wires for wall sconces that will mount to the stone columns

Next step - install Lam Beams.....