- 1). Determine the height of the pergola design. Ten feet, the height of a basketball rim, is a comfortable height for many people. Select the wood of choice to accentuate the area, the owners taste and style, and longevity conditions.
- 2
Batterboards in place determine the perimeter of the pergolabatter boards image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
Measure a 10' X 16' area in which to build. Mark the post hole areas to be dug and extend batterboards two to three feet beyond the post holes. Use a heavy duty construction string, aka, masons string, to define the outside corners of the 4 posts to be set in place. When lines are placed atop one another, be sure they are taught, level, and not supporting the weight of the other. - 3
The auger will save time from an already laborous dayaugers, used to dig deep foundations for a building image by Stephen Gibson from Fotolia.com
Drill the Holes. Mark the locations on the batterboards where the strings align. Remove two sets so they do not tangle during digging. Using a two-person auger, drill 2 1/2 feet - in steps, so that the displaced soil does not bind the auger. The diameter of the hole should be nine inches. If an auger is not available, a post-hole digger will perform the same function. - 4). Set the posts. Once the holes are cleaned out, place two inches of gravel in the bottom to allow for drainage. Set the posts in the holes and reattach the batterboard lines.
- 5
Keep the concrete moist during constructionplasterer image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
Prepare the concrete. Quick-drying concrete is designed to set in 15-20 minutes. An assistant is a good addition to the project. Put an inch of water in the bottom of the wheebarrow and begin mixing in the dry concrete. Stir with the shovel until the mix is the consistency of a creamy peanut butter. Mix one bag at a time. - 6). Pour the concrete into hole while the assistant holding the post adjusts the post as the hole is being filled. Once the hole is filled, stab down into the concrete with the shovel to remove any air pockets and assure a good mixture. The outside corner of the posts have to be at the corners of the batterboard lines set out in the beginning. Place the post level on the post and hold for 15-20 minutes until set. This will allow the time to mix another bag of concrete while the post is settling. The concrete will harden in 24 hours.
- 1
Set the circular saw depth guide at 2 inchesscie circulaire image by photlook from Fotolia.com
The 2 pieces of 2'X6'X18' lumber will now become the joist that stretch the sixteen foot span between two posts. The ends may be left square or follow a homemade template pattern. Place the joist on edge and centered on top of the posts and assure that it is level. Run a pencil along both edges of the joist on the top of the post. These will be the bookends of the cut lines. Set the joist on the ground and with the circular or reciprocating saw, make several cuts two inches deep into the top of the post. Clean out with a chisel. This new notch is where the joist will rest. - 2
Deck screws are easier to work with than nails for this projectscrew image by Dariusz Urbanczyk from Fotolia.com
Notch the joist in the same manner as the post; two inches in depth and the width of the post. Clean the notch to a smooth edge with a jig saw, reciprocating saw, or a chisel. The joist will fit snugly into the notch on the post. Secure with a deck screw. - 3
Maintain a consistent spacing between stringerspergola in sepia image by Stephen VanHorn from Fotolia.com
Set the stringers. The stringers span across the top of the joist. Prepare two 2" spacer blocks to be used throughout the process. Starting at one end, drill a pilot hole through the 2"X2" and into the joist. Ream the top of the pilot hole in a circular manner so that the desk screw sits flush with the stringer. Once the first stringer is in place, set the spacer blocks and the next stringer in place. Continue along so that a constant spacing is maintained between stringers.
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