With the warmer weather fast approaching and our thoughts turning to get our yards cleaned up ready to spend time with our family and friends you can’t beat this project which was first published back in November 2016 by The Hearty Soul and is still a great project to do 4 years later.
A pergola is similar to a gazebo but without a roof. It’s usually a shaded walkway or sitting area made of wooden posts and a cross-section of beams. They often are covered in vines or other plants to make a ‘roof’. Here’s how you can create the backyard you’ve always dreamed of.
Where to Start
How long you need
This project can take anywhere from a weekend to two weeks depending on how many people you have, skill level, and availability.
What you need
Tools
Measuring tape
4’ level
Mason’s line
Marking paint
Speed square
Reciprocating saw
Corded drill
12” long ½” bit
Skill saw/circular saw
Drill driver
Rotary level (optional)
Auger
Post hold digger
Shovel
Materials
Seventeen 6x6x12’ pressure-treated pine beams
Ten 2x10x12’ pressure-treated pine beams (wood)
Two 2x6x12’ pressure-treated pine beams
Two corbels
Two bags of quick setting concrete per post
100-125 stone landscape blocks
Landscape adhesive
Twelve ½”x10” eye bolt with nut
5lb box of 4” exterior decking screws
Five glass bulb string lights (optional)
Cost
Total cost ranges from $2000-5000 depending on where you buy things, tool rentals, material choices, and potential labor costs. The pergola itself can cost around $1300 for all material except seating and lighting.
How to Build your Own Pergola
Preparation
Choose a large enough area (about 22-24’ in diameter) and place a stake in the center
Use a tape measure to determine fire pit and pergola radius, mark the points (*materials specified are for a 4’ fire pit radius and 12’ pergola radius)
Tie a string and hold it tight, then walk in a circle using the paint to mark the exterior circle
Find out where you want your entrance to be, then mark 12’ intersecting lines around your circle. Start at the end of the last marker working your way around the circle until you have 8 by the end
Use an auger to dig the post holes 3’ deep, remove any excess dirt left behind
Installing posts
Place a 6x6x12 wooden post in each hole with one flat face facing the center of the pergola
Use a level to level the post
Pour concrete bags around the base of the post and continue to level before the concrete sets
Make sure all posts are the same height by using a rotary laser level
Cut to the shortest post height by marking square lines on all four sides with a speed square. Use the circular saw to cut along the lines on each side, then use a reciprocating saw to cut the remaining wood
Installing the fire pit
Dig a trench around the circumference of the pit about as deep as one of your stone blocks to anchor the pit
Lay blocks tightly together
Spread landscape adhesive on top of the first row and begin laying the second row, staggering the seams
Repeat until as tall as you desire (about 4 levels is good)
Installing the top beams
Measure and mark the top of each beam according to the diagram
Cut the beams at an angle and make sure they fit tightly together
Cap the beams with a top plate to secure them. Make them meet evenly in the corners over the edge of each post
Secure the top plates with 4” deck screws and one into the beam every 10” along
Installing swings
Find the center of the pergola and measure evenly both ways depending on the length of your swing
Using the corded drill with a 12” long and ½” bit, make holes for the eye bolts. Install the eye bolts and secure the swings
Bar/storage area
Directly across from your entrance, divide the distance between the two posts into thirds and use the auger to create holes
Place two 6×6 posts cut to 5’ tall to support the bar top and stabilize with the concrete
Trim 1.5” off the front and rear-facing sides of the tops 5.5” deep
Install two 2×6 beams to fit between the two posts, resting on the bar posts. Attach with screws and attach a corbel to both bar posts beneath the beam for more support
Use two 2×10 beams for the upper and lower surfaces of the bar, level them and secure with screws
Finishing
Allow the wood to dry and acclimate, then seal with a waterproofing product
