Before you start creating a gazebo from willow vines, you need to select appropriate place, it should be clearly visible from all sides and not get lost in the thickets of trees.
Scheme of a gazebo made of willow vine: a - general form, b - frame (the dotted line shows the contours of the gazebo).
A do-it-yourself gazebo is not only a place to relax, but also an element landscape design, which will transform any area.
A do-it-yourself gazebo can be either small, for 2 people to relax, or quite an impressive structure, in which not only family members, but also guests who come for a light can gather.
With such wickerwork you can decorate not only your summer cottage, but also weave furniture into the gazebo itself. These products are aesthetically pleasing, environmentally friendly, and with proper care will last a long time.
Construction of a gazebo
Vine weaving pattern: 1 – simple weaving, 2 – layered weaving, 3 – “rope” weaving, 4 – “rope” braiding pattern into two rods, 5 – “rope” braiding pattern into three rods, 6 – “rope” braiding pattern in four rods.
When starting to create a gazebo with your own hands, you need to drive in stakes of the height that the gazebo will be. The stakes should be approximately the same diameter. They must be driven in at a distance of no more than 0.5 m.
When using wooden stakes, a trench is dug and filled with sand and gravel. The ditch must be made with a slight slope, since it serves as drainage and must drain groundwater.
If you decide to use metal rods or plastic pipes, they have to be painted the same color as the vine itself. Otherwise appearance such a gazebo will be ruined. A hollow pipes must be closed with decorative plugs.
Lay the floor, which can be made of any material, from asphalt to rolls lawn grass. Also used as flooring wooden joists, paving slabs or leave the earthen floor, covering it with fragrant hay.
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Types and methods of weaving
The weaving methods themselves are not particularly difficult; even those who have never done wicker weaving before can cope with this process.
The trunks of young willows must be cut off immediately before work, otherwise they will lose the necessary flexibility.
You can take care in advance of preparing the material for the gazebo with your own hands; it is best to do this in autumn period, when there is no foliage, because the thickness and quality of the trunk are clearly visible. It is worth taking one-year-old young shoots, in this case it will be much easier to weave.
Before weaving begins, the willow rods are soaked; this will give them greater elasticity, allowing them to be tightly fastened and woven together. Some craftsmen arrange the rods a real bathhouse, in this case, the vine becomes more pliable, which makes the weaving itself easier, and when it dries, all its properties return.
The willow vine is placed tightly on stakes in rows. If the structure is larger than the length of the rods, then 2 pegs are driven in, the distance between which should not be more than 5-10 cm. The tips of the rods are bent into these adjacent pegs for reliable fixation, and the weaving continues. Double posts are used near the entrance and windows.
There is no need to fasten anything with nails, weaving happens in the usual way: One rod is woven through each post, and the rows are placed on top of each other in a checkerboard pattern. The upper rows can be fastened with twine or hemp rope, which will make the product even more decorative.
This kind of weaving, like a “rope”, is even more decorative and much stronger, unlike the usual one, in one rod. To do this, the ends of identical rods are fastened with wire, hooked to the first post with a clamp and twisted together near each subsequent post.
Weaving with flexible rods can be done not only near vertical racks, but also to braid any other contour. In the spaces between the posts, several flexible rods are attached, the ends of which are connected at the top in the form of an arch and then braided.
It will be more convenient if you do it yourself in parts and then combine them.
This DIY gazebo does not require additional decor. After all, weaving is the very original decoration, the whole question lies in the accuracy of its implementation.
Gazebos for summer cottages can be very different: large and small, open and closed, made of wood and brick. But in any case, they are a great place to relax on summer evenings. In the gazebo you can enjoy the silence and singing of birds, the murmur of water, if there is a body of water nearby. These designs can accept the most unusual shapes. Today, “living” gazebos made of green spaces and natural vines are popular. It's time to build a gazebo with your own hands. The process of constructing structures from vines and plants requires certain skills, but this work is very exciting and interesting, and the result can impress anyone.
Light and open wicker gazebos protect from rain and sun, but do not interfere with enjoying the sounds of nature and the aromas of flowers.
Wicker gazebo: step-by-step instructions
A dacha is a place where you can realize any ideas. Gazebos made of willow twigs are popular today. What is unusual about this design? On the sides it is planted with dense bushes or climbing plants, as a result an unusual green structure is created.
One of the features that should be noted is that such a gazebo is built without nails, only by weaving.
Modern fastening materials may only be needed for finishing stage when it fits roof covering from polycarbonate sheet. But if the gazebo is planned in the form of a tent, then such a covering is no longer required; the ends of the supports are simply connected at the top, forming a beautiful tent.
If we build a gazebo at the dacha ourselves, then the work algorithm will be as follows:
- preparing material for work;
- arrangement of a construction site;
- installation of supports and rods for wicker walls;
- design of door and window bays;
- construction of a roof for a gazebo.
To build a gazebo, you need to prepare the following materials and tools:
Weaving a gazebo is not difficult. The entire process should not take more than a week.
- willow twigs;
- metal profile pipes or bars;
- roulette;
- copper or aluminum wire;
- pruner;
- shovel;
- hammer;
- axe;
- garden shears and knife;
- polycarbonate for roofing;
- concrete for pouring the platform and supports.
The construction of a gazebo begins with preparing the willow twigs for work. You need to take fresh branches, although twigs of young aspen, hazel or vine are suitable for the work. The material must be sufficiently flexible and durable, bend well when weaving, but maintain integrity. The material should be harvested in the spring, cutting off even shoots at the age of 1 year. It is these rods that are most convenient to work with, as they bend well, but do not crack. You should not take older shoots for work: they are not so reliable. The thickness of each rod should be 2-3 cm; it is more convenient to work with them. You can also buy ready-made vines on the market, which can be immediately used for weaving. Before starting construction of the gazebo, it is only necessary to steam the rods in a steam bath or sauna. Next, you need to remove the bark from the branches using a special pinch. The bark can later be used to fasten individual sections.
To make a gazebo with your own hands, you need to process the entire mass of rods. This work is long-term, it requires a lot of patience, so you can involve your loved ones in it. You will need a lot of rods for the job. When purchasing them on the market, it is better to check with the seller the approximate consumption. To calculate the consumption yourself, you need to weave a strong sample, and then measure how many rows go per 10 cm. Next, you need to find out the approximate area of the entire woven fabric and calculate the total number of rows. This figure will be approximate, it is best to add 10% to it.
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Preparing the site for work
Rope weaving pattern.
You need to start building a gazebo with your own hands on a selected and prepared site. To do this, the soil is cleared, leveled, its surface can be covered with a small layer of sand and gravel, laid concrete tiles or install a wooden platform. It all depends on the size and layout of the future wicker gazebo. The simplest and the best option for a structure made of willow twigs, ordinary compacted soil is used. It will fit perfectly into a gazebo, and preparation will take a minimum of time.
After the site is ready, it is necessary to dig holes around the perimeter for future support pillars. You can build a gazebo using ordinary wooden or metal poles. It is enough to place one support in the corners of the structure, double supports for the doorway. The depth of the holes should be about 50 cm. Between support pillars in increments of 40-50 cm, it is necessary to strengthen the thinner rods around which the weaving will be done.
To make a wicker gazebo with your own hands, you need to prepare solid foundation For future design. To do this, 4 supports must be strengthened in the prepared pits. For this, wooden pegs and bars are used, or you can take a metal profile pipe. At the entrance it is necessary to install additional double racks with a distance between them of no more than 15 cm. The opening itself should be about 1 m, this is quite enough. The supports can be concreted to provide the necessary stability for the wicker structure.
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Weaving rules
To make a gazebo with your own hands, you can use several weaving methods:
- using a single rod when the supports are braided sequentially from bottom to top;
- layer weaving;
- square weaving, creating a beautiful pattern of squares intertwining 4 adjacent support rods in a checkerboard pattern;
- “rope” weaving in the form of a durable rope.
The weaving of the walls of the gazebo can be alternated with each other, creating attractive and intricate patterns. It all depends entirely on the imagination and layout of the future structure. This stage is the most difficult in the whole work, so it is recommended to first braid the individual sections, and only after that connect them into one. For such a bundle, you can take copper or aluminum wire, canvas rope, whole strips of bark that remain from cleaning the branches.
We build a gazebo with our own hands using the following weaving techniques:
Simple weaving. You need to take 1 rod and pass it through the racks in order. Take the second rod and layer it on top of the first one in a checkerboard pattern. As a result, it turns out that each support is braided on both sides, creating a very beautiful row. This weaving method is considered the simplest; it requires a small amount of willow twigs. The stability and strength of such a wall will not be as ideal as we would like.
Rope weaving is more durable. To work, you need to immediately take 2 willow rods and secure them with wire. Such a clamp is fixed on the initial support, after which the resulting bundle is braided around each post. The resulting rows must be laid tightly, tapping with a rubber hammer. When changing rods, you must ensure that their ends are inside the structure and do not protrude outward.
When making a wicker gazebo with your own hands, you must remember that you can use any method and even combine them. Willow twigs are highly flexible; they can be given any shape and any pattern. If you pre-color them, you can create unusual and very beautiful effects. Weaving should begin from the bottom of the structure, gradually rising to the top. The weaving ends at the top, the rods are cut at an acute angle and fixed inside the weaving.
Since we wanted something original and not traditional for relaxing on the site, we decided to make a gazebo woven from willow twigs.
Our place is located on the banks of the mountain river Chernovushka, which flows through the entire village. And we decided to put our gazebo on a high bank. So that the river can be seen, the sound of rushing water can be heard, and it would be convenient to get to the gazebo from all places on the site.
We didn’t make a foundation for the gazebo, we just leveled the site. Then, when the gazebo was already woven, they made a bedding of fine gravel inside. This bedding additionally leveled the floor. And also began to perform the task of drainage.
My husband brought poles made of willow, birch, bird cherry, everything that could be found in the area suitable for the base of the walls of the future wicker gazebo. Initially, the poles were not leveled in height. We decided that when the walls were “built”, it would be clear at what level the excess would need to be cut off. Therefore, in the photographs you can see how uneven tips stick out.
Different rods were used for weaving. Mostly willow, but sometimes bird cherry was added. The rods were not sanded, since this is a long process, and from an aesthetic point of view, the gain is not big. After some time, the rods still darken and lose their appearance. If anyone wishes, after all the work is completed, the structure can be varnished. But we didn’t do that, we left it as is.
Weaving walls can go quickly if there are helpers: friends and relatives. You can divide into three teams: some prepare the twigs, others remove leaves and small shoots from them, and others weave. But my husband and I worked together, sometimes the children helped on weekends. Therefore, the process went slowly.
After the walls of the future wicker gazebo were erected, the husband laid stronger poles along the upper edge of the structure and fastened them with nails to the vertical posts.
Then a roof frame made of thick sticks was assembled on the ground. When friends arrived for the weekend, the four of them lifted him up onto the gazebo.
They wanted to make the roof out of cattails. But this year it was not possible to get out after him, and next to the right amount it doesn't grow.
And we just read about the technology for making roofs from latex cement. We liked this idea. We began to think about how we could implement and test it. According to latex-cement roof technology, the frame must be covered plaster mesh made of galvanized metal or synthetic mesh (for example, mosquito net).
We decided to try from nonwoven fabric. We covered the roof with agrofibre, and we had No. 60, but as practice has shown, it is dense and the latex-cement mixture does not stick well and is saturated in it. It’s better to take looser and looser material, for example No. 42. And it’s even better to use mesh vegetable bags.
The agrofibre was fastened to the frame with a construction stapler.
First they coated the roof liquid solution(cement + latex glue “Supermastic” in a ratio of 10:1). When the roof was dry, the second layer was applied in a splash pattern. So better mixture attached. Then the third layer was brushed over again. All work on the roof was done from a ladder, the brush was tied to a long stick so that the top could be reached.
It is important to keep the roof damp until the cement sets. Therefore, we tried to do all the work in the evening.
They brought light into the gazebo. Inside, right under the dome, they placed an old lantern with a light bulb (they found it thrown away on the road and restored it).
We can say that our experiment was a success. The gazebo turned out to be original and non-standard. To the side, where the river is, they cut out a window. Or rather, it was woven during the process of making the walls.
It's good to relax in the gazebo summer heat, and also sit in a cozy company with friends. Everyone notes the unusual positive energy this place. After all, almost everything is made from natural materials and with your own hands.
In the evening, when it becomes completely dark outside, the wicker gazebo is especially cozy, soft light from under the roof spills around. The river gurgles quietly, the birds sing. Well, sometimes there are songs with a guitar.
Try something like this. It is not difficult. All you need here is a lot of creativity and available material in the form of willow vines or bird cherry.
Since ancient times, humanity has been using products made from willow twigs: different types containers, decorations, furniture. Even small buildings, for example, garden gazebos.
A willow gazebo - a light, airy, spectacular design - can become a favorite place for relaxation and communication. Having the necessary knowledge, you can build it yourself.
Preparation of material.
As material for wicker weaving, you can use willow, hazel, and reed stems. Shoots of wild willow (willow) are the most recognized, durable and environmentally friendly material.
It is better not to store willow shoots for a long time, otherwise they will dry out. To braid the gazebo, you should choose long flexible rods with a diameter of 2-3 cm. To remove the bark (barking) it is used the simplest tool- pincher. You can easily do it yourself. It is essentially a peg with a slingshot-shaped gap. You can split the peg with a knife or an ax, wrapping the split along the bottom with wire so that the peg does not break into two parts during debarking. A willow rod is pulled through the gap, and the bark is easily removed from it.
Preparatory stage.
To create more solid foundation for a gazebo, instead of traditional wooden stakes, you can use supports made of profile pipe or metal fittings. They must be treated in advance with an anti-corrosion compound.
We mark the place for the future gazebo, and install stakes or metal supports along the perimeter every 40-50 cm. At a distance of 15 cm, we install two supports where our entrance will be (with the help of double posts we will secure the ends of our weaving). If the length of the rods is not enough to weave a solid wall of the gazebo, we also dig in additional supports. The holes for the supports are filled with concrete. In order to metal racks did not stand out from the natural style of our gazebo; they can be painted in the color of willow twig.
Another one is coming summer season and again the question arises of creating a shaded place for the child to relax and play. Of course you can buy and install ready-made gazebo from fabric or make a wigwam. But if the weather turns bad or you need to leave, such structures need to be hidden.
But you can do it the old fashioned way and create a gazebo from willow (vine). And bringing a little modern technologies– it can be made alive and growing. This gazebo will delight you with fresh herbs every spring.
Spring time with warm rains is the best time to create a willow tent on summer cottage. And with a little effort and a bit of imagination, you can create a truly unique creation that will be the envy of all your neighbors.
- 1 Preparatory work how to create a willow gazebo
- 1.1 Creating a frame for the gazebo
- 1.2 Planting willow branches
- 1.3 Caring for a living willow gazebo
- 1.4 This is also interesting
Preparatory work for creating a willow gazebo
Naturally, the process of creating such a pavilion is not quick, but it is not very complicated. And almost anyone can make such beauty with their own hands. You must have a lot of patience because the true beauty of a living tent will only be seen next year.
First you need to choose a place. After determining the location of the future gazebo and after choosing its shape, you need to start looking for a place where you can get willow twigs.
Then cut a sufficient number of willow (vine) branches. They should be long enough to cover the height of the structure, thick enough (approximately the thickness of a finger) and have sufficient strength. Additionally, you should only choose flexible branches that will bend and not break.
Attention!
If you do not want the willow to grow throughout the entire area, it is better to limit the place for planting twigs in the ground with a special film or plastic panels to limit the growth of willow roots.
Creating a frame for a gazebo
To grow willow, simply plant prepared branches and regularly moisten the soil.
If you want to have a gazebo this season, you can first make a frame from thick rods, connecting them horizontally with thinner ones, and directing the ends of the thick rods diagonally towards the dome, as in the proposed photo.
Thus, after the frame rods dry, you will have a fairly strong structure.
Planting willow branches
Then finished design The outer perimeter can be planted with young branches. When planting, the petioles should be buried in the soil to a depth of 30 cm.
After the plants take root and begin to grow, you will simply need to tie or weave the young shoots into the prepared frame, directing the shoots towards the dome of the tent.
If you are lucky and the branches take root in the spring, then in the summer you already have a large shaded corner to relax on hot summer days.
Caring for a living willow gazebo
As you know, willow grows very quickly, and therefore it is periodically trimmed. The gazebo will also require some maintenance. Do not allow branches to overgrow. After the branches braid the entire space of the frame. It is better to trim off excess shoots to prevent them from growing profusely.
Build the gazebo at such a height that you can reach the top point when cutting. It is best to do pruning while standing inside the tent.
During dry periods, don't forget to water your living tent - willow loves moisture. I am sure that after some time you will enjoy a pleasant stay in the living green pavilion. Which will not need to be hidden from the rain and put away for the winter.