HomeGardenStructuresHowtoBuildaPergola

How to Build a Pergola

Get more shade with this low-maintenance retreat.
Buildavinecoveredpergolainyourbackyardtoshadea
stonepatioorwooddeckusingwoodbeamsandlatticeset
onprecast,classicalstylecolumns.Thedappledsunlight
createdbytheoverheadlatticeworkcreatesacool,relaxing
environmentperfectforbackyardentertaininglikestanding
intheshadeofatreeonahotsummerday.

BytheDIYexpertsofTheFamilyHandymanMagazine

TIME

Multiday

COMPLEXITY

Complex

COST

Over$500

Getting started
 A beautiful addition to your yard
Buildingthepergolaoveranexistingpatio(insteadofbuildinga
newone)savesyoualotoftime,moneyandwork.

Heresasummerprojectdesignedtokeepyoucooleroneventhehottestofdays.Theclassicalcolumnssupportanoverhead
woodenlatticethatworkslikeabigshadetree,lettingonlyaportionofthesunsradianceshinethrough.

Whatlookslikethetoughestpartofthisprojectisactuallytheeasiestthegraceful,solidlookingcolumns.Theyrenotwoodat
allbutahollowcorecompositematerialwithamazingstructuralstrengthanddurability.Wevedesignedtheprojectsoyou
simplyslipthesecolumnsovertreated44postsembeddedinconcrete.Whenscrewedtothewoodenposts,thesecolumns
provideastable,solidbasefortheoverheadlatticeframework.

Thesepaintableprecastcolumnsareavailablebyspecialorderathomecenters.Theycomeinawidevarietyofdiametersand
heightsandarchitecturalstyles.

Pressuretreateddimensional2x8sand2x10smakeupthemajorityoftheupperframework,andthedecorativeendpiecesare
cutwithajigsawfromourpattern.Thewholeprojectcanbebuiltinacoupleofweekends,withanotherweekendforstaining
andpainting.

Webuiltourpergolaoveranexistingstonepatiothatsavedalotofpatiowork.Ifyoureplanningtoinstallapatioaspartof
youroverallproject,youllneedtoallowextratime.

Choosing the Right Location

Becausethisprojectismadetostandindependentofthehouse,youcaneitherlocateitrightnearyourhouseaswedidor
letitstandaloneinthegarden.Youcanalsoconsiderusingwoodchipsorgravelasafloororevenpouraconcreteslab
underneath.Bykeepingitunattached(about4in.fromtheeaves),youdonthavetodealwithmovingexistingguttersor
matchingeaves.Youalsodonthavetomesswithfrostfootings(incolderclimates).However,ifyouhaveclaysoil,itsbest
todigtofrostdepth(ifgreaterthan24in.)foryourfootingstopreventfrostheave.

Ourexistingpatiowasbuiltoverasandandcompactedgravelbase,soweremovedonlythestonesnecessarytodigthe
12in.diameterholestosecuretheposts.Youllmostlikelyhaveadifferentsituation.

Ifyoullbeaddingapatiolater,besuretopourallthefootingsatthefinishedpatioheight.Keepinmindanyslopeyoull
includeinthepatio.Mostpatiosslopeabout1/8in.perfoottodrain.

Plan the post location to clear the eaves

Plan the post location to clear the eaves
Photo 1: Measure your sof ts to determine the pergola
column centers
Measuretheprojectionofyoursoffitsandadd7in.toaccurately
positionthecolumncentersnearbutnottooclosetothehouse.
Driveremotestakesanequaldistancefromthehouse,attachinga
stringtohelpmarkandaligntheouterpostlocations.

Ifyouplantobuildyourpergolaclosetothehouse,firstmeasuretheprojectionofyoureavesasshownin(Photo1).Keepthe
centerofthepostsnearestthehouseatleast7in.fartherfromthehousethanthismeasurement.

Tokeepthepostsinalignment,stakeyourpostlocationsusingremotestakeswithastring.Withthestakesdrivenbeyondthe
workarea(Photo2),youllbeabletoundothestringwhileyoudigandthenreattachitlatertocheckforalignment.Tocheckfor
lefttorightplacementparalleltothehouse,justmeasurethedistancefromoneoftheremotestakesandwritethis
measurementonanotepad.Tomakesurethelayoutissquare,adjustthediagonalmeasurementsofthepostholessotheyre
equal.

Asyoudigyourholes,putthesoilinawheelbarrowandfindaplacetorelocateitawayfromyoursite.Saveanygravelorsand
toreinstallpavers.Note:Youmayneedtomoveapostslightly.Weshiftedonepostnearthehousetocreateanentryalongthe
steps.

Figure A: Pergola Details

Usethisillustrationwhenbuildingthepergola.Itprovidessomedimensionsandshowshoweachpartislabeled.

Note:Toprintoutthisillustration,gotoAdditionalInformationattheendofthisstory.

Have your concrete delivered

 Photo 2: Set the posts in concrete
Digthepostholesaminimumof2ft.deepand12in.indiameter.
Dig24in.tubesintotheholes,addyour60in.postsandpour
concretearoundthem.Plumbyourpostsandalignthemwithyour
outerstringline.Allowtheconcretetohardenforacoupleofdays,
thentrimthepoststo32in.

Beforeyoudiganyholes,callyourlocalutilitiesor411tomarkanyburiedcableorgaslines.Onceyouresurethereareno
buriedutilitiesinthearea,digyourholeswithahandheldpostholediggerorrentapowerauger.Youllalsoneedashovelto
widenthehole.Diguntilitsatleast24in.deep.

Reconnectyourlayoutstringtomakesuretheholesarealigned.Cutyourformingtubes(Photo2)andinsertthemintothe
holes.Levelthetopsoftheformingtubesuntiltheyreflushwiththepatiosurface.Ifyoumixtheconcreteonsite,youllneed
aboutfivebagsofQuikreteorSakreteconcretemixperhole,foratotalof30bags.(Thatsenoughtohaveyourhomecenteror
lumberyarddeliverittothesite.Ifyoucallforareadymixeddelivery,askfor1/2cubicyard.)

Asyousetyourposts,repositionyourstringlineabout13/4in.toallowforthepostthicknessandthenalignthepostswithyour
stringline(Photo2)asyoupourintheconcrete.

Note:Ifyouhaveapostthats1/2in.outofwhack,dontsweatit.Youllbeabletoalignthetopsofthecolumnslaterwhenyou
installtheoverheadbeam.Oncethepostsareembeddedinconcrete,lettheconcretehardenforaminimumoftwodays.

Cut the columns to length and fasten them to the posts

 Photo 3: Set the columns upside down on the posts
Liftthecolumns(upsidedown)overthe44poststomarkthe
bottomsfortrimming.Attachastorypoletothehousetoestablish
areferencepoint.

Wewantedtheroofofthepergolatoalignwiththefasciaofthehouseforacustom,fluidlook.Tokeeptheroofofthepergola
evenandlevelacrossthewholetopside,youllneedtocuteachpostexactly.Justclampornailaboardtemporarilytothefascia
asshownin(Photo4).Measuredown101/2in.fromthetopofyourfasciaboardforthecutoffheightofyourcolumns(95in.for
ours).

Tomakesurewecutthebottomonly(wedidntwanttohavetowaitanothertwoweeksforanewcolumn),weflippedthe
columnsendforend,slippedthemoverthepostsandmarkedthebottomsofeachcolumnandnumberedthemaswell.

Note:Tomakecuttingthecolumnseasier,laythemonsandbagsormulchbagstokeepthemfromrollingorvibratingasyou
cut.Transferyourlengthmarkcompletelyaroundthecolumnbasewithacombinationsquarethatssetfromthebottomofthe
post.

Ifoundthejigsawalotsafer,quieterandlessdustythanacircularsaw.Thiscompositepolymerisonlyabout1/2in.thickbut
prettyhard,soexpecttoeatupanewbladeoneachcolumn.

Onceyouvecuteachcolumn,fattenthepostswith1x4sasshownin(Photo7).Predrilleachcolumnwithacombinationpilot
andcountersinkbit(threeholes6in.fromthebottomandanotherthree30in.fromthebottom).Alsodrillfourevenlyspaced
holes11/4in.fromthetopofeachcolumntosecuretheplugs(Photo6).Nowslipeachcolumnoveritspost.Strapalevelnear
thebaseofeachcolumn(thecolumnbeginstotaperslightlyafter32in.fromthebottom)andscrewintothewoodbeneath.
Tightenorloosenopposingpairstoplumbupeachcolumn.Next,slipthemoldedbaseoverthetopofthecolumnandthen
slipthecapitalonaswell.Itsbestnottofastentheseinplaceuntiltheprojectisnearlycompleted.

Fasten the beams to the top of the columns

 Photo 9: Set the beam over the columns
Slidethecolumnbasesandcapitalsoverthecolumnshafts.
Measureandcuttheouter210beamandwalkituptheladders.

Measurethelengthofthefrontandback210beams(E),makingthem3in.lessthantheoutsideofthecolumntops,andcut
themtolength.

Note:Ifyouhaveacolumnthatwontquitestraightenup,youcanhavesomeonepushitstraightupanddownandthenfasten
itinplacewiththesteelbracketsfromabove.

Next,measureandcutthesidebeams(F1)andscrewthemtotheendsofthefrontbeams.Nowcutthecenterbeam(F2)3in.
shorterthanthesidebeamsandfastenittothepostsandthefrontandbackbeams(E)with3in.deckscrews.

Slip the at rafters onto ledgers

Photo 11: Attach ledger strips to the beams

Screwatreatedwood1271/4in.downfromthetopofeachof
the210beamsrunningoutfromthehouse.Thesewillactas
ledgersforthe28flatrafters.
Onceallthe210beamsareinplace,cutyour12ledgersandscrewthem1/2in.upfromthebottomofeachbeamF1andF2
with2in.deckscrewsevery8in.Nowmeasureeach28flatrafter(referredtoasflatbecausetheyhavenopitch)andcutit
tolength.Ideallytheseshouldallbethesamelength,butifyouhadproblemswithyourpostpositioningearlier,youmayhaveto
adjustthem.

Mark16in.centersalongthebeamsF1andF2.Resteachrafterontheledgers(Photo12)andscrewtheminplaceoneata
timefromthebacksideofeachbeam,aligningthemwithyourmarks.Wheretheraftersmeetthecenterbeam(F2),anglethe3
in.deckscrewsthroughthebeamandintotherafter(Photo13).Whenyouvefinishedtherafters,secureeachcapitaltothe
undersideofthebeamswith21/2in.deckscrews(Photo14).Predrillthecapitals.

Preassemble the rafter tails

Photo 15: Mark and cut the rafter tails

Cutthedecorativeraftertailsfromtreated210pine.Toavoid
cupping,chooseknotfreeboardsandkeepthemoutofthesun
untilyoupaintorstainthem.

Cutthedecorativeraftertails(J)usingthegridtemplateshownin(Fig.A).Forconsistency,markyourfirstoneasthepattern
andtracethispieceeachtime.Sandthegentlecurveswithabeltsanderorportabledrumsander.

Nowcutthetailtops(K)from5/4decking.Roundoverthecutendswithahandplaneorarouter(Photo17).Easetheedgesof
thetailsandthetopswith100gritsandpaperandthenapplyasolidcolorstain.Makesurethetreatedwoodpiecesaredryto
thetouchbeforeyouprestainthem.Iftheyfeelcool,letthemdryinashadyspotfortwodaysbeforeapplyingthesolidcolor
stain.Rushingtheprocesscouldcausethestaintoblisterorrolloff.

Oncethestainisdry,screwthetopstothetailswith21/2in.deckscrews(allowthetoptooverhang3/4in.)andfastenthem
overthetopsofeachflatrafterandbeamendasshownin(Photo16)and(Fig.A).

Youllneedtocutthetailtopshortontheassembliesthatprojectfromthecornersandscrewtheminplacefromthebacksideof
thefrontbeam.

The last details

 Photo18: Install PVC pieces to vent the columns
Drill3/4in.holesandinsert6in.long1/2in.PVCpieceswith90
degreefittingsattached.Theselittlepipesactasventilatorstohelp
sloughoffanyexcessmoisturethatmaygetintothecolumns.

Cutandnail(8dgalvanizedfinishnails)the14fasciastrips(M)flushtothetopofthebeamsandinbetweeneachpairoftails
(Photo20).Next,screwthelatticestripsacrosstheraftertops,lettingthemproject3in.pastthefascia.

Nowcutthesubbasepiecesfromtreated24.Screwthecornerstogetherwith3in.deckscrews.Ifyouhaventalreadydone
so,fitthepatiostonesbackagainstthefootingsandgluethesubbasetothepatiosurface.Thenscrewthemoldedbasetothe
subbaseandcaulktheseamswithacryliccaulk.

Beforeyoupaintthecolumns,mixautobodyfillerandspreaditoverthescrewholesalongthecolumn(Photo19).Letthefiller
dryandthensanditflush.Primethecolumns,andthenpaintthemwithagoodqualityexteriortrimpaint.Dontusepaintonthe
restofthepergolainsteadrollandbrushthewoodportionswithsolidcolorstain.

Required Tools for this Project

HavethenecessarytoolsforthisDIYprojectlinedupbeforeyoustartyoullsavetimeandfrustration.
4in1screwdriver
Caulkgun

Combinationsquare

Cordlessdrill

Extensioncord

Hammer

Holesawkit

Jigsaw

Level

Mitersaw

Postholedigger

Puttyknife

Router

Safetyglasses
 Spade

Speedsquare

Stepladder

Straightedge

Tapemeasure

Toolbelt

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