This pergola is the heavyweight champion of my website. That still surprises me, as I thought it would not be very popular when I first conceived of the idea and built it. Mostly I just wanted to try something different, and we were kind of broke. Fast forward nearly a year, and I get a lot of questions about this thing. So I’m going to do my best to answer them.
You can find the original pergola post here, which details the building process, right down to the mathematical equation we used to determine the length of that 45 degree arm.
*I will include some affiliate links here as I do my best to point you to what I used. You can check out my policy on that here.
What are the measurements?
-The two boards braced to the house are 9 feet tall.
-The 45 degree arms measure 7 feet long, long point to long point.
-The four arms extending out from the house are 8 feet long
-The four crossbars on top are 113″ long
Now, that said, we determined those measurements based on the location of the house studs. This seems a good time to reiterate that as with any DIY project, you will need to take proper safety measures, follow best practices, and always know where your studs are. I am happy to share what we did, but the responsibility is your own. (And you will rock it, of course.)
Can I get a supply list?
Sure!
6 – 2x4x8s
6 – 2x4x10s
8 – joist hangers
2 – Simpson Strong-tie adjustable L-angles
22 – 5-6″ bolts + nuts (calculate for the depth of the 2×4, siding, plywood, and then enough extra to drive well into the stud)
How long did it take you to build?
The main structure only took a day.
What hardware/supports did you use?
Simpson strong ties join the base of the 45 degree arms to the “legs” that brace the structure to the house. We also used joist hangers for the cross arms up top.
What is that stain color?
It’s Brown Mahogany water based stain by General Finishes. Isn’t it fantastic?
Where did you get the table?
I made it using my neighbor’s old fence (he was going to take it to the dump), and the 20 year old cedar boards from our hot tub. (We replaced that hot tub wrap and shared that process here.)
You can learn more about the table here.
The cover is ugly
That’s not a question. And I agree. We put it up so that we would be able to use the pergola even when it is raining. Yes, we did use it. It rains a lot here in the Pacific Northwest. But, as you can see in this photo, we recently removed it. The algae would not come off, and that’s an ambiance killer.
I like the cover. How did you attach it?
The plastic corrugated material has specialty screws that go with it. You can find them in the aisle right next to the cover material.
My home is brick. Any suggestions?
Don’t do it.
Just kidding. You would have to drill through the brick with a concrete drill and bit, then tap in an anchor to set the bolt. You will need longer bolts and will have to find the studs.
Does building code allow this? I’m not sure my HOA will approve it.
Always a good idea to check, yep.
How much did it cost to build?
The structure cost about $100.
We added lights, drop cloth curtains, and the table set.
The entire thing cost about $200.
Where did you get the chandelier?
I made it. You can read the tutorial on Remodelaholic.
When you did have a cover on top was snow load an issue and did you consider moisture?
No, snow load was not an issue. We don’t get much snow here.
Except that this winter we did. More than we have had in 34 years. And ice. It was miserable, actually. The pergola held up just fine.
As far as moisture, we tilted the top arms down somewhere around 3-5% to make sure it drained away from the house.
There you have it! Hopefully that answers all of your questions. If I missed anything go ahead and ask in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer. Thank you so much for your questions, and for all of the very nice comments and feedback I have received. If you build one of these be sure to share a photo so I can brag you up!
Happy building!
How far apart are you 2x4s? I’m looking at doing this with some modifications to fit our needs but trying to mentally copy yours as to not recreate the wheel 😉
They are 24″ apart. Copy as you like, and share a photo when you are done!
hi it is beautiful would one of the galvanized tin covers work at the top you buy them at lowes as a cover
Sure, why not?! 🙂
how wide is yours how many feet and how far out does it extend..thanks
It is 126″ wide and the perpendicular beams are 96″ long.
I am looking forward to doing this. Thanks for all the explaining! I will definitely need all of it! Awesome job, well done. Still going there check into the table thing.
Thanks, Kimberly! Stay tuned, a new diy table maaaay just be in the works for out there. 🙂
What do you think would be the max dimensions you could do this? I’d like 20’x14’… we’d need to do maybe three supports from the house, and probably columns/supports on the outer side?
I’m not sure. This is one of those things that I can’t give any recommendations on because I’m no structural engineer and would never want to give bad – or worse, dangerous – advice. I actually spent quite a bit of time researching the angle we created, even talking to my math teacher aunt to make sure my angles and load estimates were correct. My only advice would be better safe than sorry! Supports on the front portion are a safe way to go! Good luck with your build!
STUNNING 🙂 🙂 🙂 Where did you buy your lights from? I have been searching for some for quite some time now and I haven’t had any luck 🙁
I believe the cafe lights came from Amazon. I have since added a diy chandelier as well: https://thecreatedhome.com/diy-outdoor-chandelier/
Can you attach this to siding? Thanks!
It is absolutely essential that this is attached through the siding into the home’s studs. Siding alone will not carry the weight. Also, be aware that some sidings are not recommended for this. Vinyl, for example, would compress.
I live in NC. Lots of rain. I was confused about your tilting comment for the cover. What did you angle so that the water would run off. Was considering doing 45° boards at maybe 40° for same effect. Thoughts?
The angle of the top pieces is pretty well set with the 45 degree boards. We simply set a level on the top and attached the 45 degree piece such that the top boards were tilled very slightly.
Love it! How did you attach the curtains, and do they slide?
They are attached by hooks and rings to a rod (actually, it’s just electrical conduit), and yes, they slide.
I see it calls for 22 5-6″ bolts and nuts. Do you recall what the diameter of the bolts were? I’m building it this weekend.
Apologies for the delay. I believe they were 1/4″ in diameter. I believe there is a link under materials to what I used. Best of luck!