Instructions for making a grape arch with your own hands

The grape branch occupies a special place among forged products. First of all, it's very beautiful. From the point of view of interior design, this is the most universal element: grapes can decorate mirrors, gates, furniture - anything. Secondly, the technology for making grapevines also differs from other techniques. Forging a vine with your own hands is an interesting and uncomplicated task.

Metal plants are distinguished by their harmony, they will never go out of fashion, they are classics. This is an integral part of modern decoration of forged products. All elements that are made to imitate plant patterns have high artistic value. In forging, to imitate grape shoots, a special texture is created that replicates tree bark.

The most suitable fruit grape varieties

It is worth paying special attention to the selection of grapes for the arch, since they require not only berries, but also shade. Basic requirements for arch grapes: resistance to various diseases and pests, not needing shelter for the winter and being vigorous. The following varieties meet these requirements and are very suitable: Light and Original.

Grape varieties that can be used for arches, arbors, high wall trellises, etc.

A vine formed by an arch not only decorates the garden or covers up unsightly details, but also produces good harvests.

Metal elements of interesting texture: grapes and leaves

Elements of climbing metal grapes are considered indispensable attributes in classic interiors . These products with decorative texture not only imitate floral patterns, but also have artistic value . To fully imitate living shoots, after forging, the vine is twisted into various bends from rings.

Then the drawings with a variety of leaves and berries come to life before our eyes. To create a unified composition on various products, craftsmen use not only the vine, but also separately berries, clusters and leaves .

Types of trellises with photos

There are three main types of decorative supports for tall grapes: arch, gazebo and pergola.

Canopy

The arch perfectly holds the vine, and also decorates the site and in hot weather creates a shadow in which it is so pleasant to hide from the scorching rays of the sun.

Arched structures come in 2 types:

Semi-arch type canopy

1. Semi-arched canopy. Most often, this option is used in areas where there is not much space. Here the plantings are combined with a recreation area, and the canopy provides protection from the sun. Grape bushes are planted in one row.
2. Arched option. This type of arch is suitable for spacious areas with sufficient free space. In this case, the grape bushes are planted in two rows.

Alcove

A gazebo fits best in a small area. With its help, a vineyard and a cozy place to relax are connected in a small area. Often gazebos are placed in an open, well-lit place, which is perfect for growing heat-loving grapes.

Advice. For the gazebo, you can grow varieties with different ripening periods. This will allow you to harvest grapes throughout the season.

Pergola

A pergola is a structure of arches that are connected to each other by a lattice ceiling.

Pergolas fit perfectly into landscape design and do not take up much space. Most often they are installed above a bench, thus creating a cozy corner in the shade. All these trellises provide good lighting for the grape bushes, thanks to which they produce a bountiful harvest.

What products are decorated with metal vines

The versatility of forged vines and the variety of sizes ensures a harmonious design for many products. Natural elements perfectly complement both stylistic objects, such as flower stands, and neutral-shaped structures: fences, balcony and staircase railings.

In addition, the vine is suitable for decoration:

• gates and gates;

• awnings and canopies;

• railings and fences (here you can see how railings are made with vines);

• furniture for the garden: benches, benches and for the interior: tables, chairs;

Wrought iron bench with grapevine. Photo KovArt

• doors and window bars.

Doors with vines. Photo Alois

There are many options. Other organic combinations that capture the imagination and attract attention are presented in the “Photos of forging with vines” section.

How to do it yourself?

Metal structures are the strongest and most durable. They are resistant to negative factors and are resistant to wind and mechanical damage. To work with metal, you need a welding machine and the ability to use it.

Arch structure

Manufacturing instructions:

1. Make a drawing or choose a ready-made one. The drawing will simplify the work and help avoid mistakes.
2. Select materials: metal rods, pipes, wire threads.
3. Treat materials with anti-corrosion and moisture-resistant impregnations.
4. Prepare grooves:
   Dig holes 60 cm in diameter and 80 cm in depth.
5. Pour sand about 20 cm thick into the bottom of the holes.
6. Prepare holes for the posts, in the form of an inverted trapezoid.
7. The distance between the recesses should be in the range of 40-50 cm.
8. Install support pillars or pipes in the hole, cover with small stones or crushed stone, and fill with cement. The supports must be well fixed based on the weight of each element. To maximize the adhesion of supports and soil, it is recommended to use thrust bearings.
9. While the base dries, you need to weld or twist the upper part of the arch. It is made from a profile pipe, rods or fittings.
10. After 3-4 days, when the cement has hardened, a horizontal beam is attached to each support. It must be fixed by welding.
11. Next, the upper curved part of the arch and the wire threads along which the grapes will cling are fixed.

Advice! In order for the arch to serve for a long time, it must be periodically cleaned of dirt and dust, treated with an antiseptic and paint.

Artistic and cold forging

There are two ways to make a vine ornament: hot or cold forging.

Hot forging is manual and painstaking work. It makes the products exclusive and unique. When working manually, it is necessary to use various tools and devices.

But products made by cold forging are more related to stamping. They are not so bright and are not able to convey all the naturalness of vegetation.

Possible errors during construction

When building an arch for grapes, gardeners often make mistakes that greatly affect the quality of operation and service life of the structure.

Possible mistakes:

• Work without a drawing. If you assemble an arch without a drawing, “by eye,” the result can be very disappointing. To get a beautiful and functional design, it is recommended to choose a suitable drawing or make it yourself.
• Insufficient depth of holes. The metal structure obtained at the end of the work is quite heavy. Therefore, if the depth of the grooves is not sufficient, the arch may tilt or completely fall.
• Use of raw material. If you do not treat the arch parts with an anti-corrosion coating and paint them, then its service life will be significantly reduced, and rust will look unattractive and ruin the whole appearance.
• Work alone. Due to its heavy weight, it is difficult to assemble such a structure alone. Therefore, at least two people are required to make it.

Arch for grapes

Forging vines is a necessary skill for any modern blacksmith.

Today, artistic forging is experiencing a second life, because fashion requires a large number of different products that are made both manually and using various high-tech stamping machines. The basis for many ornaments is the vine; its production is a fairly simple process, but it requires compliance with several nuances.

Almost all blacksmith's products can be decorated with vines: it will decorate forged fences, as well as twisted window grilles, massive balcony railings, and metal stairs. It will give the forged products a rather elegant look. After all, the vine contrasts favorably with geometric shapes.

Today it is so popular that its forging has become a separate branch of blacksmithing, and therefore it has unique methods and solutions.

Thanks to this, the product turns out simply magnificent - it is able to imitate a real grapevine, even reproducing its color.

And a skilled blacksmith will be able to recreate the weaving of the vine, making it look as if it were a real plant climbing along the fence.

How to make your own grapevine forging

To forge a vine, a metal rod of the required diameter is taken, twenty centimeters are marked on its surface, which will subsequently be pulled back. First, the part of the rod on which the mark is applied is heated in the oven. Then it is slightly bent on the blacksmith's horn, and a regular hammer is used.

Next, the end of the workpiece is heated, and the workpiece is tapped on the anvil horn using a slightly larger blade. It is necessary to sharpen the end of the rod slightly, and give the remaining twenty centimeters a slightly rounded shape. Next, the product is put back into the oven.

After the workpiece is hot, you should pay attention to its tip. Using a small hammer you need to finally sharpen it. The movements should be frequent, but there is no need to put force into them. After the tip is ready, take a slightly larger hammer and use it to tap the entire surface of the workpiece.

The task is to shrink the product with blows. If it has already cooled down, it must be placed in the oven again, and then, as before, the workpiece shrinks.

Then, after shrinking, the rod is placed on the anvil, and a special angle is adjusted under it, and a hammer is also taken.

How to care for a plant on a structure?

In order for the arch to be attractive and thick, it is important to provide proper care for grapes grown on the arch:

• Perform annual pruning of the vine, during which old, broken and diseased branches are removed.
• In autumn, remove fallen leaves.
• Tie up young shoots and shoots so that they grow in the right direction.
• Treat grape bushes against diseases and pests.
• Form the number of bunches to reduce the load on the vine.

Reference! It is worth considering that grapes are a light-loving crop, so you need to choose a place where the sun's rays fall throughout the day.

The design of an arch for grapes must be approached responsibly. The decorative appearance of the arch and how long it will serve you depend on the availability of the drawing, the choice of material and its processing. Choose disease-resistant, cover-free grape varieties. Not only the appearance, but also the volume and quality of the berries depends on the care of the vine.

Styles: modern, baroque

Forged vine decor has found wide application in the Art Nouveau and Baroque . The first direction is characterized by rounded lines and floral patterns .

Forged stair railings with grapes, vines, leaves and shoots in Art Nouveau style. Photo Iron Age

The Art Nouveau vine is a fundamental motif. This combination looks very attractive. Also, the fancy grape lines of the vine fit perfectly into the Baroque, Classicism, Rococo styles and bring them closer to nature. We wrote more about forging styles in modern products in another article.

Reference. Photos of forged grapevines decorating various products and designs are presented in a separate section of our gallery. Below, for clarity, we present a video with a slideshow of pictures from there.

Forged grapes

Grapes are recognized throughout the world as a symbol of cordiality, love of life and joy. This is one of the most popular elements of artistic forging, on the basis of which plant patterns are created. Its use in the interior allows you to fill the house with airiness and lightness. Grape bunches are actively used in landscape architecture; gazebos, railings, and inlaid pillars are decorated with their help.

Modern working methods have moved far away from the decorative forging technologies used 10-15 years ago, when berries were imitated with steel bearings. The forged grapes of our days have moved away from the ball shape, their size varies. Thanks to this, metal products really resemble the real thing. An experienced master is able to reproduce various varieties of grapes - lady fingers, sultanas, large-fruited berries, and so on.