Building a pergola is not rocket science but requires planning and method. Anyone without any carpentry experience may be put off by the idea of building a pergola, but the savings made over ready made kits can amount to thousands. Materials and components should be chosen in advance, as well as position. A pergola has a strong visual impact over the house or garden landscape, so location is important to start with, bearing in mind underground utilities too.
Depending on your preferences, you may choose to build your pergola in the garden, over the patio or in the backyard. When the decision has been made, it is time to turn the attention to materials and tools. Vinyl, aluminum and wood are the materials of choice, but for this instance we are going to focus on wood because of its visual appeal and pliability. Cedar and red woods are favorite choice for DIY pergolas or any outdoor woodworking, as they naturally can withstand UVA and rain and outlive its constructors.
Tools should include hammer, nails, nuts, bolts, hand saw, sand paper and basic electric tool such as circular saw, angle grinder and drill (for the nuts holes). Some tools may be laying around the house, while some other may need purchase, renting or borrowing from friends. This is the easy part. Now, when it comes to actually building a pergola, you need measures and styles. If you have not a clue or carpentry experience, it is wise to adhere to a pergola plan or a design of your choice. Such plans have fool proof measures and step by step instructions to follow even for a novice.
Then the building can start: for the foundations it is best to make sure no plumbing or electric cables are buried in your chosen position. Once established that, you can dig out the foundations holes and find your height level with the aid of a transparent water filled hose to match against the desired level on the posts. The posts should be aligned with the help of nailed down lines and straightened with weighted lines. Position should be held with the aid of temporary nailed sticks until beams and joists are assembled to the posts. This is to prevent misalignments and assembly mistakes once the post foundations have been buried.
Once the main beams are bolted to the posts, the whole structure is closed like a box and stable, so it is possible to close the foundation holes now. Next, all the joists can be nailed to the structure with whatever distance span the plan provides. Stylish pergolas have a loose rail span, but in hot counties like Australia or Southern U.S.A., a tighter span for extra shade or even a roofed pergola may be chosen.
It is important to reduce construction times by efficiently using the end part of a stage to start the other. For example, while waiting for the foundation cement to set in, it is time to cut and saw the main parts to the desired measures. This way, when the foundation holes are ready, so are the parts to be assembled. Once the pergola is up and ready, it is time for the finishing touches. Sand papering and angle grinding must be performed before passing a resin based wood stain of a chosen color. This is to provide extra resistance to the sun and the rain as well as extra beauty. Two passes should do the job nicely for years to come, depending on sun exposure and latitude.
As a final touch, hanging flowers and/or climbing plants will provide extra shade and coolness to and already cozy and welcoming structure. Building a pergola the DIY way not only will it save you thousands over ready made kits, but will also give you the satisfaction that only an accomplished task can give. It will be the focal point of your family and friend relaxation and barbecues, while adding extra value to your property.
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