Looking to build a garden arch for your front or back yard? Archways in the garden can add a charming twist to your outdoor spaces – and building one is relatively easy.

Garden arches create a lovely, picturesque look in the outdoors. They can link different sections of the landscape, highlight entranceways or act as features on their own, either covered with beautiful climbing plants or standing naked and unadorned.

Increasingly popular, garden arches are available from many garden suppliers as fully constructed objects, mainly built from timber or metal. But building your own arch can bring with it a great deal of satisfaction and pride, so why not give DIY a try?

"We would always encourage somebody to try to do it themselves," says hardware and garden supplier Tony Anderson. "Then it’s simply a matter of choosing the right materials and following the necessary steps."

If you’re building your own archway, timber is the best choice. Tony recommends treated pine or naturally resistant hardwood. The final choice of timber depends on where the arch will be placed in the garden and how it will blend with the other features in the landscape and the house itself.

Basic designs for timber and wooden garden arches are available in books, magazines and online, and some hardware and garden suppliers can provide them as well. If you don’t like the standard designs, do some research and choose elements that appeal to you and from there, create your own unique design.

To build your garden arch, begin by planting the four foundation posts in the ground. The curving section of the arch can be cut from timber sheets using a jigsaw, or constructed using a series of small straight pieces of wood joined together. "Or you could use thinsection timber and curve it and layer them together to create an arch effect," says Tony.

Attach your lattice screens in frames on either side between the posts, and do the same for the top section. Tony recommends using galvanised nails and bolts: "That way you won’t get rust stains on your timber or through the paint if you choose to paint the arch."

To build a garden arch is not particularly difficult, but it does help to seek advice before choosing your materials, especially if you are not an expert. Your local hardware or garden supplies outlet can give you plenty of advice and tips on how to create a gorgeous arch for your garden.