How to Build a Branch Arbor

Cut four thick green limbs off a tree for your arbor's posts, using a saw. The limbs should be about 7 feet long, depending on the arbor's height. Always cut the limbs so that they are 1 foot longer than your planned height. The limbs should also be as straight as possible. Remove the twigs and leaves and branches from the limb with your saw. Lay the four limbs next to each other and cut them all the same length.

Cut the thickest end of each limb with a hatchet or knife to make it into a sharp point. This will help when you insert the arbor into the ground later.

Measure the dimensions of your arbor with a tape measure and mark them with stakes or other items, such as rocks. At these points, use your mallet to hammer a length of rebar into the ground. The rebar will create a "starter hole" you can use to insert and drop the posts into.

Cut straight green branches off your tree, using a saw. The branches must be approximately 2 feet long (if you are making a 2-by-5-foot arbor), and you'll need 24 to 36 of them. They will be placed in a ladder-like fashion up the height of the arbor along the sides. They must be placed every 4 to 6 inches up the side of the arbor, and there are two sides to the arbor. The branches don't have to be any thicker than an inch, but make sure that they are not too brittle that they will break under pressure.

Drill holes through the limbs every 4 to 6 inches (depending on how far apart you want the ladder effect in your arbor sides). Line the limbs up together so that you can tell if you are drilling level and even holes. Do this for both sets of limbs.

Thread the branches through the holes in the two limbs. You should have about 2 to 4 inches of overhang on each branch--the branch should stick out through the limb so that 2 to 4 inches are exposed on the outside of the arbor. Once they are in place, use your rope/string to tie them securely in their positions. Use a figure-8 stringing technique to wrap the string around the branch, then the limb, then the branch. Do this for each branch, and each side of the branch. When finished, you should have a wall of the arbor looks similar to a branch ladder.

Remove the rebar from the ground and stick the sharpened ends of your posts/limbs into the ground. You may need to use a mallet at the top of the limb to pound it into place (should be at least 1 foot deep into the ground). Do this for all four limbs, and both sides of the arbor.

Cut two 5- to 6-foot limbs off your tree. Trim these so that there are no branches or twigs poking off them. These will be the cross beams to the arbor, which will span the distance between the two sides of the arbor, hooking them together. Cut them to the same length.

Make a V-shaped notch at the top of the four post limbs that you have in the ground. Make sure that the V-shapes are positioned so that when a limb is placed across two opposite sides of the arbor, they will rest comfortably in place (the V-shapes should be facing each other). Once notched out, place the two fresh limbs into the notched tops of the four posts. This will create a cube-shaped structure. Once the limbs are in place, lash them onto the four posts, using your hemp string and your figure-8 configuration.

Cut more branches off the tree to fit across the top of the two roof limbs/beams. The branches should be about 2 feet long and, again, no thicker than an inch is necessary. To attach these to the roof beams, use the same techniques as steps 5 and 6. Drill holes into each limb at approximately every 4 to 6 inches. Slide the branches through them, creating a ladder effect for the roof as well, and lash them to the beams with your rope in figure-8 style. This will complete your arbor.