If the weather ever improves I will be making a start in the garden and looking at the basic infrastructure. I have in mind the construction of a pergola at the top end of the garden and wondered whether 3" or 4" square timber is best for the uprights? 4" looks like a pain to source from the local builders merchants - comes in 4.2m lengths. Thanks in advance, Matt
GM - if it doesn't cost too much, I am a great believer in building things solid. Most wood comes in pretty long lengths, but they will cut it to length for you. The worst that can happen is that they will charge you for a whole length, when you might only want a part.
GM, I agree with Peter. Go for the more solid construction but it also depends on the size of the pergola. If it is a large pergola the larger timber will look more in keeping. If it is a small pergola then it is purely a matter of balancing cost against a more sturdy construction. Have you tried getting a price from a timber merchant instead of a builders merchant? Have you thought about what sort of wood you want to use? This can affect the cost quite a lot. Also you need to take into consideration what sort of base you are going to have for the uprights. All this will have a bearing on the life of the structure. Good luck
Garden Mole whatever you do decide to use just make sure you're happy with it as I rule of thought if you think the supports look a little thin then they probaly are....if you're happy then there's no problem. I wish you well with your project and if you are able to take some pictures of the before and after then I'm sure all of us would like to see them. Hel.xxx.
You can buy it in shorter 8' lengths, normally sold as fence posts. Other than that get your saw out, cant really see the problem.
GM, if you go to your local B & Q you should be able to pick up all the components needed for building a Pergola ready for you to assemble.
Yes I tend to think that the 3" fence posts look a little light weight. I do want a quality finish. My local B&Q only does these and the sawn finish is a bit rustic. Sadly the Travis Perkins just down the road only has 4" treated in lengths of 4.2m meaning a waste of 1.2m per upright. Probably will try out some other suppliers this week now I have some opinions. I'll probably concrete the posts in place and look at a dark brown finish. Sadly nothing is simple - I'm the one with the bizarre shaped garden which tapers in at the end and then opens up into an area great for a shed and storage area. I'll use the pergola with a variety of odd angles to funnel into this area. No worries - plenty of photos to come! Thanks!
Most fencing companies around here do 4in posts in all sorts of lenghts, they have to, to correspond with the varing heights of fence panels.
You need to ask, certainly commonly avalable 8' in all the builders merchants I use as routine stock. Btw, try and find a sawmill, I pay �£6 for a 4" x8' post compared to �£12 (with trade discount) at Travis rip off perkins.
8' posts seem in ready supply - B&Q certainly do them for �£12 a go. However, I'm not sure if this is too short. I was going to concrete the posts in and was imagining I would need a height of at least 7' for the pergola. What's a common height for a Pergola and should I use metaposts rather than concrete? Finally will the rain ever stop?????
If you use metposts Garden mole just as a tip put the end that is going into the metpost into a plstic bag with oil in it this will help stop the wood being soaked in water and then rotting.And I used 4"x8' for mine,once you put a facia timber which is about 6"x1/2x6'it will bring the hieght down to 7'6" wich is probably tall enough for most climbing plants.
My hub uses plactic bags Garden mole, I dont know if he dips in oil first, but a good tip there coub...
Yes very good tips. Looks like metposts are the way to go then. 8 foot posts should do the job - I was just a bit worried that they might be too short. Tomorrow I'll finally get out and buy them - it's all type and no action right now I'm afraid.
