Advice on Bulding a Pergola

Pergola sounds a bit grand ... its a frame for climbing roses which needs to create a bit of a screen - need to be able to see past / through it, but need to break up the view.

There isn't width to walk "inside" the pergola.

The site is sheltered - so I'm not too concerned to have a double row (maybe I should be?)

Flower bed is about 4' - 5' wide, and 27 yards long.

I think that I should have a single row of Uprights and Cross-beams. What's a sensible maximum width between uprights?

I'm guessing uprights should be 4" x 4" and buried about 2' (with concrete), and the cross-beams should be 2" x 6"

I think they will look pretty "plain", so I thought of having some curved supports to join Uprights and Cross-beams - i.e. across their "armpits"

I also thought that attaching some narrow trellis - say about 2' wide - would soften the hard lines of the timber.

But I ain't done one of these before, so I could do with some advice please.

I'll have a hunt for some photos of what I am thinking of

All opinions and advice welcome. Thanks.

 

Something like a long covered archway?


I did something like this last year using roofing batons which I stained with preservative. I used stakes in the ground onto which I then constructed the (rather lossely titled) structure. I didn`t attach trellis panels-I worried that the weight would be too much for just stakes. But I regret that decision-it would look much nicer.

I didn`t do a particularly aesthetically pleasing job ( or I would have put up pics) and it looks like a large ramshackle birdcage. In fact the kids have taken to calling it the cage.


I am leaving it up because I intend to use it only as a temporary support through which am training hornbeams and wild roses around. The structure will rot but it should give it some time for the trees and roses to mature and harden.


Having said that, I will probably copy whatever idea you get because as I say I only did it last year.

Mine is also a small area-and this I think gives me a better idea of how large your garden actually is, because I fully intend of having a bench in mine and herbs along the floor to act as a natural carpet.

The idea eventually being of an area to sit late summer afternoons and absorb pleasing summer aromas. I look forward to your progress and have subbed the thread.


Nice idea Kristen.

 

http://www.pavingexpert.com/featur07.htm has a picture of Single and Double and suggests 6' between uprights.

Actually, that's a very useful page! I've found the PavingExpert site useful before - woudln't have thought of using it for Pergolas though!

Picture here:
http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/article.asp?article_id=60314


Looks like double-cross beams may be the answer, another project:
http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/a-tile-accented-pergola/index.html


Having fiddled with Google for a bit this site, which found the above links, looks pretty handy for anyone wanting a "project":

http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/resources/index.php?search=pergola plan&andor=and&page=1

it provides links to sites that have plans available, and seems to have a nice little description of what to find, and how to navigate the site when you get there

 

That is most definitely not what my little folly ( idiocy more like) looks like. Wouldn`t those hardwood posts be very expensive? I imagine that means you will need 6 or 7 of them.


I`ll have a gander at the site later, currently trying to decide whether or not so sow something outside at the moment.

 

Some more pictures
www.rogergladwell.co.uk/pergolas.htm




I've got a picture in a book, but can't find anything similar in Google :( Will look more later

 

Black looks good, which roses are you considering Kristen.

 

This is my garden arch Kristen I bought it from Argos early last year and when I put it up I thought I would make another one, I bought some more wood from Wickes and and put it next to one I had bought,A bit bare now but it gets covered in the spring and summer with Passion Flower and Clematis

this pic is of the bought one

this pic is the one I made next to it :thmb:

 

Kristen, I cant see any problems with your plan. Id say 8' gaps between uprights both from a structural and aesthetic basis.

Perhaps as an alternative consider getting it made up in steel by a agricultural fabricator and galvanized, cheaper than you might imagine and a longer lifespan than timber, obviusly spray with your chosen paint colur.

 

Sorry, lost my earlier reply :(

I can't find a picture illustrating what I want to do ... will have to rip the page out of my book and upload it here!!

We initially looked at some mass-produced metal frames, and whilst we rather liked them they were blinking expensive (and not "big" enough to look balanced). I'd probably best revisit that having first costed up how expensive Wood will be ...

Thanks chaps/esses

 

An agricultural or general small steel fabrication firm, is certainly worth looking into as I say.

Most likely comparable with timber and for a large feature most likely cheaper than mass produced metal plus the advantage of getting it bespoke.

 

And plus I think it would like smarter ... we've got someone locally that I respect (they have an huge RSJ tied into a knot as their gate posts ... which is pretty impressive). I'll give them a bell. Although I quite fancy a wooden (softer) structure.

 

There are quite a few places near me that offer bespoke wrought ironwork, we had a 20ft wide remote control driveway gate, two garden gates ( 6ft tall) and one smaller path gate (4ft) done, and 50ft worth of railing done and it all came to about £1500-that included the motor for the gate and the additional artistic flourishes, and it looks much less oppressive than if it were wooden.

Thought a quick compare would help. I find it very favourable compared with wood, in looks and cost.

 

I have struggled, on and off, with this. All the styles I showed earlier (above) all suffered from "too chunky".

Well, Lady Luck stepped in, bless her. I went to a house contents auction back in June (and bought a barn - which will be the subject of another post, and a "project" entry in my blog). Anyways, I fell in love with the pergola on the house. Very simple, made from 2" x 2", but double-uprights separated by a section of trellis, and then a significant horizontal trellis section above. Some fancy curvy bits (of 3-ply!!) and some mouldings finish it off rather nicely.

When I was over there taking the barn down they happened to mention they were scrapping the pergola, and ... <Drum Roll!> ... I've trogged over there this morning to start taking it down. Well, I've cut the plants down.

Hopefully you will like it too



As I saw it



View from the inside, which shows the structure more clearly



and the structure now clearly visible, having removed the plants.

 

Kristen,
Check out the thread "off to a flying start" last page. It's on the next page