GARDEN PERGOLA

A timeless design that adds instant atmosphere, and shade potential, to any landscape

- ZACH BROWN

Looking for an elegant and long-lasting outdoor oasis? We've got you covered. A pergola is an outstanding addition to any yard or garden, creating a room-like space perfect for your next outdoor gathering.

A pergola's impact far outclasses its complexity. The parts are big, but not hard to build.

That doesn't mean a pergola has to be boring. We dressed ours up with decorative tails on the rafters and (of course) provide templates you can use. Corner brackets add strength, but we made them decorative elements, too, and even provide a trio of alternate designs.

Get out your tools and dig a few holes and you can bring this beauty to your backyard.

POST AND BEAM FRAME

We selected 14'-long 6×6s for our posts (A) to accommodate 42"-deep footings plus a 108" finished post height (including some excess). Don't cut the posts before installation. Start with them full length.

1 cLay out the post locations [Exploded View] and install footings appropriate for your location and building codes [Drawing 1]. We dug holes below the frost line, then added a base of crushed rock.

2 Plumb the posts in the holes, making sure the posts are square to one another and the post faces are parallel, and temporarily brace them using stakes. Backfill the holes with additional tamped crushed rock.

3 Mark the finished height on one post [Exploded View], then use a line level to transfer the cutline to the others. Cut the posts level and chamfer the ends [Drawing 2].

TIP! Senior Design Editor Kevin Boyle says, "A power hand planer makes quick work of these chamfers."