Construct a DIY Pergola on a Concrete Patio

An enormous lovely pergola will fully remodel your patio and outside area. See learn how to construct a pergola from stable wooden over an present concrete patio.

Want so as to add a patio to your DIY pergola? Discover ways to prep and pour your individual concrete patio right here. Plus, see 3 completely different pergola designs: conventional deck pergola, trendy deck pergola, and round pergola for swings.

At the moment I’m going to point out you learn how to construct a timber pergola over an present concrete patio. I constructed this for a consumer that needed to enhance their yard patio to have a nicer area for household gatherings.

Get the total woodworking plans to construct this pergola right here within the store, and watch the video of the construct right here on our YouTube channel.

Giant DIY Pergola Design

This consumer needed a big pergola design much like what a member of the family had, so I took some measurements and adjusted the type to suit the scale of their patio.

The completed pergola measures 20’ W x 13’-2” D x 11’ H. As designed, this offers over 200 sq. toes of protection, together with over 9 toes of head area (to the rafters).

This DIY pergola plan options sturdy 8×8 posts and thick stacked beams and rafters for a very spectacular and durable pergola body. We additionally added a prime layer of shade runners which filter the daylight very nice to supply shade beneath the pergola.

Because of their home format, I needed to transfer one of many posts to not block the laundry window. The plans within the store are symmetrical as proven and, as all the time, the premium plans embody all of the detailed dimensions and diagrams to make your venture successful!

Earlier than you start constructing, you’ll want to verify your native planning and zoning ordinances or the native council. As a result of this was larger than 200 sq. toes, I wanted to submit development drawings to town to get it authorized and get a constructing allow. A few week later after approval, I used to be capable of begin development. Approval instances could differ.

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DIY Pergola Supplies

Tough sawn timber is a superb choice for a big outside construction like this pergola. However what’s tough sawn timber?

Tough sawn timber is lumber that hasn’t been completed and handled. This provides you the liberty to complete and deal with the lumber the way you need, and it provides an ideal rustic contact to an outside venture like this.

Your native lumberyard is a superb place to start out and so they can level you in the suitable course in the event that they don’t inventory tough sawn boards within the sizes you want.

Similar to with common lumber, you’ll buy based mostly on the nominal measurement of the timber (similar to 8×8) however the completed dimensions can be barely completely different. With conventional sawn lumber, an 8×8 has been completed to 7 1/2″ sq.. A tough minimize 8×8 submit, nonetheless, can be minimize at 8″ and never planed to the smaller completed dimensions.

Lumber Wanted

• Posts: (8) 8X8-12′ Tough Minimize Cedar
• Brief beams: (2) 4X10-16′ Tough Minimize Douglas Fir
• Lengthy beams + diagonal braces: (4) 4X10-20′ Tough Minimize Douglas Fir
• Rafters and base trim: (21) 2X8-16′ Tough Minimize Douglas Fir
• Shade runners: (28) 2X4-12′ Tough Minimize Douglas Fir
• Short-term braces: (16) 2X4-10’

Footings 

• (20) 80 lb baggage of Sakrete Grey Concrete Combine
• (3) 10’ #4 Rebar (there can be further)

{Hardware} and Fasteners

• (8) Simpson Strong-Tie CPTZ ZMAX Galvanized Hid Publish Base for 8×8 Nominal Lumber
• (16) Titan HD ½” x 6 in. Mechanically Galvanized Heavy-Responsibility Screw (For submit base)
• (1) Field 5” SDWS Timber Screw – (Qty 50) (For tops of posts)
• (3) Containers TimberLOK 10 in. Structural Wooden Screw (12 Pack)
• (1) Field 3 ½” Deck Screws (For beams, rafters, shade runners and base trim)

Extra Provides Wanted

• Rent or hire a Concrete Coring Rig  (it was about $100 per gap to rent it out)
• DAP Wood Glue (glue any cracked wooden)
• DAP Wood Patch (Caulk any cracks earlier than staining)
• (12) Gallons of Wooden Stain – I used Woodscapes by Sherwin Williams within the coloration Spicewood 
• (1) Simpson Sturdy-Tie SET-3G 22 oz. Excessive-Energy Epoxy Adhesive with Nozzle and Extension
• DIA Drop-In Internally Threaded Anchor for 1/2-in. Rod (20-Pack)
• ½” x 2 ½” Bolt
• ½” x 3 ½” Bolt
• ½” Washer

Instruments Wanted

Value Abstract

The supplies and provides for this massive lovely pergola price round $6700.

• $5000 for the lumber
• $800 for the {hardware} and concrete
• $900 for the stain

This isn’t the least costly pergola choice, however you may’t beat the big custom-fit measurement and the truth that it’s stable wooden. (Most pre-made pergola kits are a max of 8 toes tall and use hole posts to avoid wasting on timber prices and delivery weight.)

Step-by-Step: Construct A Pergola

Watch the step-by-step video, get the detailed woodworking plans right here, and browse the directions beneath to discover ways to construct a stable wooden DI pergola over a concrete patio.

Step 1: Lay Out and Pour Footings

I used to be constructing the pergola over an present patio, however the house owners could exchange the patio in a couple of years, so somewhat than securing the pergola to the present patio, we minimize out holes within the patio and poured new footings. (It is a good thought for a venture this massive, anyway.)

BEFORE YOU DIG: Name 811 to have the utilities marked. Don’t dig till you understand the place the traces are!

Mark Footing Places

Comply with the diagram within the woodworking plans to mark the middle factors of the footings.

I began by laying out the middle factors of the pergola posts utilizing the again nook of the home as a reference line to maintain all the things sq. and plumb.

Tip: Use the 3-4-5 rule to ensure the nook submit heart factors are in the suitable spot. Use your tape measure to measure out on 3 toes from the nook a technique and 4 toes from the nook the opposite manner, and, if it’s sq., while you measure the 2 markings at a diagonal the space can be 5 toes. (Keep in mind the Pythagorean theorem? 🤓)

Minimize Concrete Slab (If Wanted)

If wanted, minimize the concrete slab to make manner for the brand new footings.

I employed this out — the speed in my space for labor and hiring the concrete core drill was $100 per gap. Because of my buddy Sam (sure, the identical man who allow us to present you all about in-ground trampoline installs) we had been completed fairly fast and the cuts the place good an clear

As soon as the concrete is minimize, you’ll need to filter the cores. I used a hammer drill to interrupt it up into a couple of items to assist with elimination.

Dig Publish Holes & Prep

Dig out the submit holes. I used to be planning to hire an auger however fortunately the soil was delicate sufficient that it was simple to dig every gap by hand in about half-hour with a submit gap digger and a shovel.

Dig to the proper width and depth – 8″-9″ vast by 30″ deep for the frost line my space (which was truly 34″ to account for the prevailing patio).

The native codes additionally required there to be at the least one #4 rebar 28” size to be centered within the footing 3” above the bottom. So we wanted to droop the rebar within the heart of the footing like this to satisfy that requirement.

Cross Inspection (If Wanted)

If wanted, have the inspector approve the footing format and holes. I needed to clear some underground particles that was blocking the outlet and have the inspector come again.

Pour Footings

Every gap required about 2.5 of the 80lb concrete baggage and about half-hour to pour. It is a nice time to seize a buddy or rent assist!

Be sure you stage the highest and convey the “cream” to the highest with a trowel. Let the concrete set and remedy a couple of days.

Concrete “cream” is prime layer of concrete that’s major smoother cement with no gravel combination seen. Bringing it to the highest provides you a very nice trying end and helps the floor power.

Step 2: Put together and Stain Lumber

Whereas the concrete footings are curing, it’s a very good time to prep and stain the lumber, starting with the posts.

Stain All Elements

I stained all of the timbers with two coats of exterior wooden stain. I selected Woodscapes by Sherwin-Williams in a darkish brown coloration known as Spicewood.

Earlier than staining, be sure the wooden is dry and mud free. Patch any chipped wooden with wooden glue, and sweep the wooden effectively earlier than staining – use a thick 3/4″nap “shaggy” curler.

It took a couple of gallon and a half for the 7 posts with two coats every and about 6 hours of portray rolling and brushing. Plus extra time later for the beams and different components! I minimize the items as I constructed, so I stained them as wanted within the course of.

The stain dried actually quick within the solar on sawhorses. Make certain your noticed horses are actually sturdy to carry the load of the posts.

Prep Posts

In an effort to match the hid submit bracket bases, every 8×8 submit must have a vertical slot minimize within the backside (for the fin) and three holes (for the steel pin dowels) drilled by the perimeters. Examine the producer specs to your particular brackets.

I minimize the slot for the fin, then marked the holes for the pin dowels and set the posts within the brackets to double verify and effective tune the situation of the holes earlier than drilling.

Step 3: Set up Publish Anchors

After the concrete footing has cured a couple of days, you may set up the submit anchor base brackets.

Mark Bracket Places and Drill Holes

To put in these base submit brackets, I discovered it’s finest to first mark out the place the brackets can be anchored down, and have them leveled and prepared. I oriented all of them the identical course with the fin perpendicular to the home. This was going to make it simpler to stage the submit in a single course.

I waited a couple of days for the footings to remedy, then I drilled with a hammer drill (2) ½” holes at 6” deep on prime of every footing. Then I cleaned out the outlet with a wire pipe cleaner I connected to my drill and an air compressor. You need to clear it out the outlet as finest as you may earlier than the following step.

Connect Brackets with Epoxy and Bolts

Subsequent I crammed the outlet midway with a two half epoxy. When you open the epoxy and it will get combined you might want to use it rapidly. How do I do know? Effectively, I wasn’t fairly prepared and didn’t have a robust sufficient drill for the bolts so I wasted an entire tube of epoxy and an hour attempting to borrow the suitable instruments.

Upon getting the epoxy within the holes, connect the 6” bolts and ensure the bracket is stage. There was one gap on the bracket I needed to make wider to ensure that the bracket to take a seat sq. with the home. It was good to have just a little little bit of wiggle room in case your holes are usually not drilled within the good spot.

Step 4: Set up Posts

Putting in the pergola posts is a giant job, so it helps to have a helper or two round. Be sure you use the 2x4s as bracing to maintain the posts safe and maintain you (and your helpers) secure.

Drill Publish Attachment Holes

In an effort to be sure the posts had been stage with the varied slopes of the patio, I waited to drill the horizontal holes for the pin dowels till I might place the posts on the brackets. This allowed me to set the submit stage and effective tune the outlet places.

I used a protracted ⅝”spade bit to drill out the holes and solely drilled by 75% of the wooden base to set the pins in.

Connect Posts to Brackets

There are three pins to anchor the submit to the bottom and the footing.

After the pins are set use plastic shims to do the ultimate leveling of the submit.

Minimize Posts to Stage

Measure one submit’s size, then fastidiously minimize off the additional with a chainsaw.

From the primary submit, then use a string and bubble stage to mark the remainder of the posts stage and trim them to size.

Observe that for this design, the 4 nook posts are shorter (to carry the shorter facet beams) and the 4 heart posts are taller (to carry the longer beams).

Notch Posts for Beams

Within the prime of every submit, use the chainsaw to chop out a 5 inch deep notch a bit wider than the beam. Stain all of the notches earlier than putting in the beams.

Step 5: Set up Beams

Minimize the Beam Ends

I minimize the ends of the beams with a easy 45 diploma minimize half manner down the top of the beam. When you favor a distinct type, you might around the ends like on our garden arbor wedding arch or minimize a curve like the gothic arch arbor. (On the two″ rafters, you should use a jigsaw, however to around the 4″ beams you’ll want to make use of a band noticed or a chainsaw.)

Stain after reducing the beam ends.

Place and Connect The Beams

After the stain has dried, place the beams on prime of the posts. Set up the two shorter facet beams, then the lengthy beams on prime of these.

As soon as the beams are sq. to the submit, connect the beams with two 5” timber screws on each side of every submit.

Step 6: Set up Diagonal Helps

Earlier than putting in the rafters, you might want to prep and set up the diagonal assist brackets.

Minimize the Helps

Minimize 8 diagonal helps from the 4×10 timber and stain them. The printable woodworking plan consists of the precise dimensions.

Set up the Brackets

Clamp a block of wooden on the backside of the bracket to the submit to carry the bracket whereas screwing it in place. You could possibly connect the bracket a number of methods. I pre drilled a 1⁄2” vast countersunk gap, then drilled in two 10” lengthy lag screws on prime and two on the underside. Drilling them in at a slight angle into the highest beam or submit helps them match securely.

Step 7: Set up Rafters (Crossbeams)

As soon as the helps are put in, the construction can be rather more steady to put in the rafters on prime of the beams. I’ll name them rafters right here however they’re usually known as crossbeams as effectively.

You possibly can take away a number of the 2×4 braces to present room for the ladder you’ll want to put in the rafters. (Be sure you patch any holes left from bracing.)

Minimize Rafter Ends

For the rafters, I minimize the ends precisely just like the beams with a easy diagonal minimize at every finish. (Once more, you are able to do a decorative rounded end like this or minimize a classic curve like this as a substitute.) Stain earlier than putting in.

Decide Rafter Placement

Offset the primary rafter 3 ½” from the top of the beam on either side of the pergola, then measure to the middle of the pergola and divide up the area equally. Mine are about 9  ⅝” aside.

Connect Rafters

Connect every rafter to the highest of the beam with 3 ½” deck screws at an angle into the beam.

Tip: Arrange a string alongside the entrance of the pergola for every finish of the rafters to have a reference line to maintain them straight.

Step 8: Set up Shade Runners (Purlins)

You possibly can depart the pergola with simply the rafters should you favor. I just like the added shade and stability from the additional layer of shade runners (additionally known as purlins). Some individuals like so as to add a trellis to 1 facet and use the runners as an extension trellis for the climbing crops or vines, too.

Decide Runner Placement

Just like the method of the rafters, connect one runner on the entrance and one on the again, then calculate the space between boards to maintain them evenly spaced.

The size of my runners put the ends of the primary board on prime of the middle of a rafter, so I didn’t have to chop the primary half of the runners to size. This additionally hid the seams of the shade runners above, which was good!

Connect the Runners

Use deck screws to connect the runners to the rafters. Connect the primary set, then connect the second set (to span the total size of the pergola) and minimize them to size.

Don’t overlook to stain the newly minimize runner ends!

Step 9: Wrap Posts with Base Trim

I just like the traditional look of a straight submit, however the slits and holes from the bracket attachment would have taken quite a lot of work to make it look seamless. So, I made a decision to trim the bottom of the submit utilizing the additional rafter scraps.

Set up (Removeable) Trim

Simply in case the submit bracket or the submit wants consideration sooner or later, I needed to make the trim simple to take away.

Connect 3 of the mitered items collectively and slide them over the bottom of the posts. Slide within the final mitered piece and fasten it to the submit and the opposite items of trim. Caulk the perimeters and stain over the caulk.

Step 10: End Work

This final step is what makes the distinction between “I did it myself…” and “You probably did THAT your self?!” The small print make a distinction!

Take away any remaining bracing, then patch any holes. Caulk any cracks on the posts (or seen cracks elsewhere). Contact up the stain the place you’ve caulked or wherever else it wants it.

Including Lights & Irrigated Planters to the DIY Pergola

I completed up this job by including string lights and self-watering planters which can be a part of the drip watering system connected to the adjoining drip sprinkler system.

The landscaper was capable of get a humorous pipe in place within the gap subsequent to the grass, so I might tie into the drip irrigation that was going to water hanging backets and pots across the pergola.  That was nice timing to get that in.  Now they don’t need to have a hose over the patio to water the crops. (See what I mean in the video here.)

The lights are connected on to the pergola rafters with screws by the little mounting holes on the sunshine string. This required 2x 50-foot (?) strands of lights to make 5 rows of sunshine.

The pergola lights are plugged in to a 30-foot extension wire connected to the pergola, so they only need to plug within the lights to get pleasure from them. (This strand of smart lights can be a brilliant cool improve, although!)

Listed below are another pergola lighting concepts and planter choices we like:

The house owners additionally added an outside furnishings entertaining set from Costco to make the area superb.

This DIY pergola appears to be like superb and it makes the yard appear even larger — they’re utilizing it each evening to hang around and revel in!

Customized DIY Pergola FAQs

Can a newbie construct this pergola?

Due to the additional work and precision cuts required to construct this DIY pergola, I’d suggest getting a couple of larger initiatives underneath your belt earlier than constructing — and a few expertise reducing with a chainsaw!

For a newbie DIY pergola, our modern deck pergola is a great option.

How lengthy does it take to construct a pergola myself?

I spent the higher a part of 3 weeks working most days to construct this LARGE pergola. Pouring the footings and marking the boards was essentially the most time-consuming half, however you may’t skip it!

In case you are constructing a smaller pergola, the staining received’t take as lengthy. In case you are attaching a pergola to a deck like this, the time can be much less because you don’t need to dig holes and look ahead to concrete to set. I constructed our smaller trendy deck pergola in lower than per week of labor.

How a lot does a {custom} wooden pergola price?

Constructing this LARGE 20’x13′ pergola price about $6900 in supplies and about 3x or extra of that in labor (together with the design). Native charges will differ for each supplies and labor. Do not forget that while you rent out the work, you’ll be hiring at the least a few craftsmen, and presumably a small group of laborers, for a lot of days of labor. Search for a contractor with comparable expertise who’s licensed and insured.

Is it cheaper to construct a pergola from scratch or purchase a equipment?

A pergola equipment will usually price lower than constructing a {custom} pergola from scratch — BUT you don’t get the identical high quality of lumber and also you’re restricted by the scale of the pergola kits available on the market.

Wooden pergola kits, particularly the extra inexpensive ones, are usually restricted in peak to round 8 toes. This protects cash since 8 foot posts are cheaper than 12 foot posts minimize to measurement, however you don’t get the identical head clearance and spacious feeling.

Essentially the most inexpensive pergola kits are additionally often restricted to 10-12 toes, with the 20 foot pergola kits going up in worth (and sometimes in supply charges, too).

Pergola equipment posts are additionally generally hole as a substitute of stable wooden, so that they received’t final as lengthy or be as sturdy. Usually the wooden used is a cheaper wooden or an engineered wooden somewhat than stable timber — this may be a bonus relying on what you need, although.

The beams, rafters, and helps, are additionally usually smaller than I used right here, which implies they’re lighter to ship and simpler for a DIY set up, however they don’t have the identical longevity and elegance for a big pergola constructed to scale properly.

It’s simpler and extra handy to order a pergola and have all of the provides shipped to you (and the components are often pre-finished which can prevent a ton of time!) so if you will discover a pergola equipment that matches your wants, it may be a very good choice, particularly should you’re not but assured along with your development abilities.

Wooden Pergola DIY Kits

When you’re occupied with constructing a pergola from a equipment, listed here are some highly-rated choices we like that you may purchase on-line and have shipped to your door.

Can I construct a pergola with 4×4 or 6×6 posts?

The usage of 4-inch posts is barely really useful for a really small pergola with 4-6 toes between posts. They only can’t face up to the identical weight and wind sturdiness as a 6×6 (or 8×8 like I used) pergola body. Sure, you’ll pay extra for a 6-inch submit or an 8-inch submit, however the added power is price it — and you’ll have a bigger span between posts which implies you’ll want fewer posts.

If you wish to avoid wasting cash on pergola posts, see learn how to make your individual posts from deck lumber.

Might I add shade material to the pergola to dam extra daylight?

Sure, if you wish to have deeper shade within the pergola, you might add shade material above the rafters. Heather added display screen above the lattice on prime of her pergola, which can seemingly be extra climate resistant than material.

Relying on the body of the pergola, you might additionally use this funds trick so as to add shade sails made out of painter’s drop cloths.

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