Day 5: Tackling The Final Phase

In baseball, they would call it a rain delay.

We awoke to something we didn't really want, but always need: water. After having experienced a real Southern drought five years ago, I am not about to complain about a gentle summer shower. Jon and I put in some time working on the Arts & Crafts Conference until the clouds broke apart, the rains blew east and we could safely start dragging out power saws and extension cords.

I knew that Phase Three - the last 19 feet of our 75-foot long by 11-foot wide pergola would go the slowest, simply because we were now working off extension ladders rather than step ladders. This middle portion had to be higher than the north and south sections to accommodate the five steps leading up to the small flagstone porch in front of the mahogany front door, which we are simultaneously refinishing in my workshop.

Our greatest challenge today was wrestling a 14-foot long 6"x6" cedar post into position, then anchoring it temporarily until we could first clamp it, then lag bolt it to one of the crossbeams. Having three or four lightweight bar clamps available are essential to building a pergola. They will secure two heavy boards together while you use both hands to drill a quarter inch diameter pilot hole for each 4-inch galvanized lag bolt, that you then screw into the wood using a socket set - all the while re-checking with your level to make sure everything is straight and, well, level.

The final phase also means the Time of Truth: "Did I order enough lumber?" A materials list for a pergola is not that difficult: 6"x6" posts and 2"x8" headers, crossbeams and joists. Without getting my now water-logged drawing out, I would guess I ordered about 90 pieces of lumber - and came up two short. One made up for a mistake I had made reading my tape measure; the other was for a joist I had forgotten to count. So, Jon made a trip back to the lumberyard for two more 12-foot joists.

That cost us an hour of work, but we weren't intending on finishing today anyway. This was always going to be a one week project and rushing to finish it in five days would only mean making more mistakes and someone possibly getting hurt. Tomorrow we will cut, notch and install the final eight joists, then will trim and bevel the tops of our posts before cleaning up our mess.

Check in tomorrow to see how it finally looks!

Thanks!

- Bruce

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.

You can read my previous entries this week by clicking on "Archives" below!