The Pergola Project - Day One: Getting Started

Like any carefully considered project, the building of my pergola began several days before the first board was cut. Like all projects, it started with a problem that needed to be solved. In our case it was how to direct guests from their cars around the corner of our house to our front door, rather than to our more visible back door and messy mudroom. We had wrestled with this for some time, but about a month ago it hit me: build a pergola that would extend from our front door to the driveway, providing a visual and inviting entry into our house.

Next I began doing my research, combing books and websites for pictures and instructions on how to plan, design and build a pergola. I took measurements of key elements on the west side of our 1970s stone and cedar ranch house and, using drafting paper, ruler and a pencil, began putting my plan on paper.

With rough sketch in hand, I presented my proposal to my wife, who studied it carefully, asked a few questions, made a few suggestions and gave me the green light. Pumped with enthusiasm, I began making a materials list, starting with the wood. Since our pergola was to remain unpainted, I knew from experience I had two available and suitable woods to choose from: cypress and cedar. I spoke with the staff at three traditional lumberyards (no Home Depot or Lowes would stock the dimensions or quality of wood I needed) and they were in agreement: rough-sawn Western cedar. Attractive, weather-resistant, lightweight and easy to work with, it also matched the cedar siding on our house.

Over the course of three more weeks I made a more detailed drawing, finalized my materials list, got three quotes on cedar, selected one and arranged delivery. With the 2"x8" joists and 6"x6" posts neatly stacked according to length in my driveway, I was ready to begin construction.

My first step was to attach the header boards to the house. In most cases this is simply a matter of using long lag screws to bolt the horizontal 2"x8" headers to the vertical wall studs behind the siding. Part of our house, however, has a rock façade, making that approach impossible. Typically I would have used a mason's bit to drill several holes in the rocks or mortar, then buy special expanding bolts to secure the headers to the rock wall. Fortunately, when the original masons were laying up the rock, they had inserted long iron plates into the wet mortar to support a section of outdoor deck. The deck was never built, but the iron plates remained, providing me with the perfect level ledge on which I could secure the headers (see photo and use your cursor to magnify it).

With the headers mounted on the wall, I turned my attention to the location of the 6"x6" support posts. Since my pergola is being built over an existing concrete patio and flagstone walkway, I had a solid foundation for my posts. If not, I would have had to dig holes well below the frost line in our area, then fill it with wet concrete and rebar to create a non-movable footing for each post.

Even so, I did not want my cedar posts to rest directly on the concrete, for they would absorb water through the end grain (called 'wicking up') and would eventually rot. The hardware store only had unattractive metal post supports that would secure each post to the concrete while holding it an inch off the surface. I needed 13 and they were $21@ ($273 total). Ouch! I went home convinced I could make my own.

I made my first one from pressure-treated pine, which might have worked, but then recalled some ipe I had saved from an earlier deck project. Ipe is related to mahogany and is called 'ironwood,' because it is so dense it actually sinks in water. It is the most water- and rot-resistant wood I know, so I made a test bracket out of 6" long pieces (see photos at Beginner's Guide) that I could bolt to the concrete and then screw the cedar posts on top of later. My ipe brackets will do the same thing the $21 metal brackets would have done, but look better and cost a lot less. (Since you probably are not the pack rat I am, you can buy ipe boards at lumberyards that stock decking materials.)

So, with my first section of headers attached to the house and my post brackets bolted to the concrete patio, I am ready to start putting up posts and cutting joists and rafter tails.

Check back here tomorrow for Day 2 of our Pergola Project.

Thanks!

- Bruce Johnson

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 to situation, first consult with government officials and qualified individuals regarding your particular circumstances.