1) I started by fixing 3 lenghs of batton together i found in the garage dead center and spread them out evenly to form a 6 pointed base frame I measured this to be about 8inches shorter than i wanted it as the plan was to fix the posts at each end of the frame so would give me the 6 main poles evenly spaced out in an hexigon as follows:
2) Now how can I aford wood....the answer is I cant.
So Im a member of freecycle a web site that you can ask for or reply to offerd adds for people in the local area with stuff to give away rather than frow it out. So i placed a want add and replied to some offer adds I managed to get a lot of old roof beams from one person so set about building the 6 main poles and base frame like this....
3) Now I creocoted it for weather protection..
4) I then mixewd up some cement also had in the garage and using some cardbord to make a sort of ruff mold around each main pole filled with cement to make it nice and sturdy to stop it from moving...
5) I them got a fe old wooden pallets from up a local building estate who said i can help my self when i want and used some of the wooden slats to cut and build a frame around the top of the poles and also creocoted them. Also with some 4x4 i also got from the same place as the pallets I made a frame for a step and coated that too
6) from free cycle i got given some 2x4 beams but wasnt sure how i could use these luckily i managed to find some one with a buzz saw who came round and kindly helped me cut them down dead center into 2x2 then i could use these to build a roof frame as follows i cut out a hexigon apex for the top center too.
7) I creocoted the frame and using some of the left over pond liner i had i coverd the roof frame and stapled it down to help with keeping it dry under there
I wasnt happy with looking up at the center looked messy so I cut a large circle out and screwed it in place inside in the top center this also helped to hold all the beams in place and just looks tidy.
9) My luck was in some one on free cycle got in touch and said they had a yard full of fence slats beams and planks as they have a friend who works in the timber line and drops all there scraps and old fencing off to them as they chop it up for there wood burning heater so could have as much as i liked yay so I got a load of old fence slats and a lot of planks.
I used the roofing slats to cover the sides of the roof...
10) now for some sides using the planks for the sides and some battoning i made buy using a small buzz saw i made 3 soild sides for the 3 back sections...
11) Now buzz saw and made a heck of a lot more battoning i made 3 trellis to fit in the back 3 sections this is why i had to buy them 3 packs of nails i mentioned at the beggining
12) now the front to sides i wanted to have gaps between so I used some more planks and batton as i did with the back 3 sides but put them together with a space between the planks. Also on top of the sides I cut a hand rail to fit over the sides too.
13) Now i ran out of creocote so had to buy another tub so I could creocote all the sides the trellis and the roof..
Thats as far as i have got so far but now that it is all creocoted ive finaly planted out my colocasia either side of it now. It still needs a floor and some reed screening to cover the roof for that straw tiki hut effect but for a cost of £13 so far, Im very happy with it and although i cant aford much its slowly all comming together. I can see me having to payout for a dec floor at some pint in the future and the screening but its somthing that will have to just wait for the mo.
I also plan on getting some clear plastic that can be fixed up on the sides in winter so I can use it as a cold store to house the agave etc in over winter and keeping them dry. Ive also got to make some wooden seating and mabe a tiny table but will see and just a case of decor such as lanterns, hanging plants etc. I will update as and when more is done or added.
Hope you all enjoyed looking though my tiki hut project.
happy gardening
Regards
Steve
