Pergola Project

Steliz · 14 Nov 2020

My big summer project this year was to build a Pergola next to my house. I had the area concreted over last October to make an area where we can sit out and enjoy the view and get a bit of shade in summer (be aware, this post will contain gratuitous pictures of the lovely view from my house). I haven't taken pictures of every step but here is the general build.

So, I bought a pile of wood.

Then I started processing it, cutting it to length and planing, routing a mitre on the edges and sanding it.

I cut the braces all at once from a 6m length of 150mm x 150mm.

I managed to arrange my workshop so that I could run the 2.5m posts over my planer.

Then they were stained.

All the other components were cut to size and stained.

All that processing took quite a long time as the wood was rough sawn to begin with and, because of the lengths involved, I was restricted to working outside mostly. There were also a lot of summer storms which meant delays while waiting for the wood to dry out.

So, on with the build. I started by fixing a supporting piece to the garage wall which I notched to accept the side beams. I then fitted the metal 'feet' and put the posts in place and braced everything together.

I had a little help from a friend who helped me get all the cross beams up and fixed in place.

It was at this point that I realised my first error. I had orientated the metal feet in a way that I thought would provide the most resistance to the wind (probably unnecessary considering the size of it) but I hadn't accounted for fixing the lower rail to the post which I now couldn't. It was too late to change so I just plowed on regardless.

I had previously made some decorative frames for the house balcony rail and I decided to use the same design to compliment it.

Joined with half laps and third laps (no idea what the correct name is).

Steliz · 14 Nov 2020

And ready for a coat of lacquer.

I installed the front panels and rails which was made easier by the fact that I could fix the bottom rail to the post.

I then installed the rest but, although I got a tight fit between the posts, the top rail is the only part that is fixed to anything.

To fill in the gaps and provide more strength I made up some more panels starting with the usual wood processing.

48 identical pieces.

All the half laps cut.

It was right after taking this picture that I noticed that the half lap in the middle was off centre. It wasn't meant to be. I had measured it wrong and transferred the error to every piece. I stood in my workshop with my head in my hands and thinking that I was going to have to do it all again and at that moment my wife walked in. I told her what had happened and she looked me right in the eyes and gave me these words of sympathy - "You're not buying any more wood!"

As luck would have it, because I had made an identical mistake on all of the pieces they still fit together! Yay! So I got them all glued up, stained and fitted.

And here is the finished result.