How to Build a Wooden Pergola
Wooden pergolas are beautiful additions to the garden or backyard. Pergola designs can vary greatly and be very complex. Pergolas may be incorporated into a deck design as shading or used as shading for walkways and patios, and often have vines trained on them. Some pergola designs include elaborate woodwork and interesting shapes. Basic, free-standing pergola designs are the easiest for beginning pergola builders. According to the experts at PopularMechanics.com, an 8-foot-square pergola is a convenient size and makes for a simple DIY project. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Post-hole digger
- Gravel or crushed rock
- 4 cedar posts, 10-foot, 4x4
- Level
- Scrap lumber
- Fast-setting cement
- Bucket
- Water
- Circular saw
- Safety goggles
- 14 cedar boards, 10-foot, 4x6
- Clamps
- Drill
- Drill bits
- 16 Screws
- 8 Carriage bolts, 10 x 3/8 inch
- 16 Washers
- 8 Nuts
- Wrench
- 20 Hurricane clips
- Hammer
- 80 hot-dipped galvanized bracket nails
Instructions
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1
Plan your pergola. Decide where to build the pergola and make note of any potential obstacles to your project. Make a sketch of your plan that includes measurements.
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2
Mark where the four corners of the pergola will go. The area should be 8 square feet. Measure the distance diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner. Repeat with the other two corners. If the length of the two diagonals is equal, then the corners are properly situated.
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3
Dig post holes in the four corners with a post-hole digger. Ron Hazelton's House Calls website recommends adding several inches of gravel or crushed rock to the bottom of the post hole to provide adequate drainage.
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4
Place a 4x4 post in one of the holes. Level the post and make sure it is plumb. Attach temporary scrap lumber braces to the post to hold it in position. Add fast-setting concrete and about a gallon of water to the hole around the post. Repeat this process for all four holes.
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5
Cut four support beams to the desired length from 2-by-6 cedar boards. Clamp a support beam to the outside of two posts. Make sure the support beam is level and attach the beam to the post with two 3-inch screws. Attach another support beam, in the same way, on the opposite side of the same two posts. Make sure the second beam is level with the first.
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6
Drill two holes through each set of beams and posts. Insert carriage bolts in each hole and secure the bolts with the washers and nuts using a wrench. Repeat this process for the last two posts. The four support beams should be parallel to each other.
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7
Measure and mark where the rafters will be attached to the support beams. The remaining 2-by-6 boards will serve as rafters. Lift the rafters into place and attach them to the support beams with hurricane clips. According to Ron Hazelton's House Calls website, the hurricane clips should be attached to the beam using hot-dipped galvanized bracket nails.
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Tips & Warnings
You can substitute pressure-treated wood or other hard woods for the cedar.
If desired, you may paint or stain and seal your pergola.
Before you build your pergola, find out if you need a permit and if there are any local codes that you must follow.
References
- Photo Credit pergola image by titi78430 from Fotolia.com
