How to Make a Shade Structure

A shade structure can be used to provide a shaded, covered area in your garden. With a trip to your local "Do It Yourself" store, and some moderate "DIY" skills you will be able to construct a basic but functional shade structure to fit the desired size of your shaded area.

10 feet black shade cloth
4 timber posts (2m)
2, 10-foot lengths of a 2-foot-by-4-foot board
Nails
Wire
Fastenings
Spade
Saw
Measuring tape

Instructions

- 1
  Measure your shade structure area and plan your foundation. Your shade structure will have four posts, so choose an area where each of the four corners can be dug-in and secured.
- 2
  Dig a hole at each of the four corners 10 to 12 inches deep and position each of the posts vertically. Fill in the hole around the post with the dug-up ground and compress the soil to give the structure strength.
- 3
  Attach 3-foot-lengths of timber, connecting each of the four posts to form a square boundary around your shaded area.
- 4
  Cut 3-foot lengths of timber for the trusses. These will run across the shortest span of your shaded area at even centers, crossing the width of your frame.
- 5
  Nail the trusses to the frame at no more than 2-foot centers for the length of the shade structure.
- 6
  Stretch the shade cloth across the top of the shade structure and nail to the outside of the trusses at 4-inch intervals.

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