Day 2: Phase One Picks Up Steam

The morning started with a distant squall of low, grey clouds, but they blew to the east, allowing the sun to dry out our stack of cedar 2"x8" joists and 6"x6" cedar posts. My friend Jon, who agreed to help me this week, arrived promptly at nine and together we began screwing the upright posts to the wooden brackets I had bolted to the concrete patio the previous day (see yesterday's entry by clicking on "Archives" below). Using a sample joist temporarily attached to the header on the house, we calculated the height of the beams that span the distance between the posts by laying a level atop the joist and adjusting it until the bubble settled to the middle of the vial.

My biggest decision of the morning was whether or not to notch each of the jousts to fit around the crossbeams between the posts. The notches would take more time, but would add more strength to the structure, as they would lock the beams in place. Simply setting each joist on top of the 2"x8"crossbeams would be easier and faster, requiring only a pair of screws drilled in at an angle through the joist and into the crossbeam.

Naturally, I opted for the notches.

With 20 joists to cover the length of the 28-foot concrete patio (Phase One), that meant we had 40 precise notches to cut today. As easy as that sounds, we still had to figure out which tools to use to cut them. The saber saw began throwing blades when we made the tight turns in the 2" lumber, so we opted for an age-old method: the hammer and chisel. Two or three taps with the hammer and the wood came flying out neatly from between the two saw cuts.

By noon we had settled into a rhythm, cutting the rafter tail and two notches into the wood, then cutting it to the precise length. Before lifting each joist into place atop the headers, we used it as a template, tracing out the design on the next blank 2"x8" board. A few of our notches were a little tight and had to be pounded into place with a rubber mallet. A few others were a little loose, which means I'll go back later and fill the gaps with cedar shims.

By the end of the day, however, Phase One was complete: headers, posts, crossbeams and 20 notched joists. In essence, we had built an 11-foot by 28-foot pergola in less than two days.

But, in our case, that represented just one-third of our 75-foot pergola.

Tomorrow: Phase Two - the freestanding section.

Thanks!

- Bruce Johnson

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Note: To see additional photographs and more detailed instructions, please go to our new Beginner's Guide section under Resources in the Navigation Bar at the top. Since building regulations, requirements and structural issues vary from situation from situation, first consult with government officials and qualified individuals regarding your particular circumstances.