Spa Getaway

To achieve these objectives, landscape designer Jim Link designs an encircling deck, which will include two benches, a handsome wooden storage box that doubles as extra seating, and attractive trellis screening. Two steps will provide easy access to the deck level. The planting plan will include a variety of bright blooms that integrate the spa with the rest of the backyard; vines will be used to cover the screening and add privacy. Link explains that this project is particularly challenging, requiring excellent carpentry skills and careful attention to detail. On a difficulty scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being the hardest), he rates the project a 5. He also notes that do-it-yourselfers capable of taking on an ambitious project will save a considerable amount of money: hiring a professional for this type of project will generally cost around $5,800; the do-it-yourselfer can expect to invest about $1,500 in materials and three to four weekends' worth of work.

Step One: Building the Understructure

To get the project under way, Link outlines the area with string lines. To help him move and adjust the string as needed to achieve the desired dimensions, Link first constructs simple H-frames from stakes, which he anchors in the ground at the corners of the deck and benches.

Next, he ties the lengths of string to the crosspieces of the H-frames so that he can slide the strings from front to back until the placement is exactly right. The benches are two-feet wide; the deck's width will measure 56 inches.

Once the dimensions are outlined, Link moves on to the posts, which he sets in pier blocks (concrete blocks with a wider base and a smaller top that are capable of supporting most small structures). Because the blocks must be positioned directly below the point where the strings intersect at each corner, he holds a plumb bob-- a string with a weight on one end--so that it hangs down at the intersection of the strings. He centers the blocks carefully below, repeating the process at each point where the strings cross.

Note: In frost-free climates the pier blocks can be set in place without concrete. In colder climates, however, it will be necessary to dig below the frost line and set the blocks in concrete to prevent them from being heaved out of place by frost.

Once the blocks are in place, Link sets the posts. The ground around the spa isn't exactly level, so Link uses the spa itself as a guide. He measures vertically along the side of the tub, marking the point where the surface of the deck will reach. Then he measures from this point to the ground at each corner to determine the length of each post. (Although the posts are cut to slightly different lengths to compensate for the uneven surface, they'll extend to the same height after they're anchored in place.)

Step Two: Finishing the Structure

After the beams are checked for level placement, they're nailed in place with galvanized nails. A circular saw (which generally costs about $10 a day to rent) is used to cut small wedges of wood that can be fitted between the tree branches and beams to help level them. Special cuts made in the ends of the beams allow them to fit together tightly; a speed square is used to form the angles of the ends to make this step easier.

With the beams in place, the next step is to add the floor joists. The crew cut the joists from 2" x 6" lumber with two-inch notches cut into the bottom, which enable them to be fitted firmly onto the 2" x 4" support beams. The joists are spaced about two feet apart, toe-nailed to the beams, with the final joist nailed directly to the post as well as onto the frame.

The support frame for the upper level is constructed in the same fashion as the lower level frame but on a smaller scale; a 10-foot 4" x 4" post that extends from the frame to the ground provides extra support.

Step Three: Adding the Plants

To complete this already lovely arbor, landscape designer Angela Dawne anchors metal-framed moss baskets to the front posts of the trellis, which she complements with several attractive container gardens below. (Angela points out that moss baskets should be watered frequently, as they tend to dry out quickly.) On the posterior posts she add several delicate vines, which will eventually fill in the top of the arbor, providing even more shade. Featured varieties include:

• Bougainvillea 'San Diego Red', Zones 9-11
• Wisteria floribunda, Zones 5-9 (an alternative to bougainvillea for cold climates)
• Blue potato bush (Solanum rantonnettii), Zone 11
• Hydrangea macropylla, Zones 6-9 (an alternative to blue potato bush for cold climates)

Step Four: Building Screens

Link explains that building custom panels is quite different from using generic ready-made lattice panels: it not only gives the arbor a custom appearance but also allows for wider spacing to create a more open feel. To construct the panels, Link's associate works with 10 pieces of 2" x 2" lumber at a time, holding them in place with pipe clamps (these sell for about $10 at home centers).

Next, he marks each notch, using a small length of 2" x 2" lumber, drawing the lines on the outside of the piece. For the open feel desired here, the boards are spaced about four inches apart.

Once all the 2" x 2" lumber has been marked, he cuts each individual notch (this sometimes requires several passes with the saw). Next, he presses the crosswise 2" x 2" pieces in place, using a hammer buffered by a piece of scrap wood to get a tight fit. Then it's time to put the panels in place. During this step Link points out the four-inch space between the bottom of the panels and the surface of the deck, which makes it easy to sweep the deck.

To complete the project and make the arbor seem more like a room, he cuts out an octagon-shaped window in the panel facing the view, and frames it with 2x4s.