Outdoor Pergolas

Outdoor PergolasTips on Design and How to Use it in Your Landscape

Pergolas can be designed in a combination of different shapes and sizes, the most popular shape being a rectangular. That being said, a pergola can be almost any shape, even curved. A free standing pergola gives you the flexibility of being able to cover any area of your garden, patio space, or pool.

Pergolas can also be placed free standing directly next to the house, say, to shade a portion of the walkway up the side of your house or a sunny patio. Pergolas often become interesting architectural elements, which creates some excitement to the total landscape design.

When attaching a pergola to a house, certain things must be considered. The height of the pergola must be looked at as compared to window heights. The most commonly used vines are Roses and Wisteria which add beauty to any type of pergola design. The lattice design on top of the pergola, as well as the high columns which are indicative of a pergola, would welcome either of these types of vine. The pricing of a pergola takes into account many factors.

How to Select the Right Outdoor Pergola Design

The internet is a good source of outdoor pergola plans. If in the event that you are unable to find a free plan, you just have to pay a small fee to have a professional design the plan that you desire.

Outdoor pergola designs come in various shapes such as circular, diamonds, hexagonal, and the most popular are the square and rectangular shapes. All you need is some experience with basic tools and machinery, and as long as you have the right plan and materials, you can easily start building your own structure.

Although building your own pergola is cheaper than purchasing garden pergola kits, it is essential that all the measurements are correct. Choosing the right location of your outdoor pergola is just as important.

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Pergola Plan

Pergola PlansPergola plans are, in fact, hard to come by. Several reputable companies offer pergola plans and how-to guides at very reasonable prices.

Craftsmanship, skill and an excellent detailed plan are all essential to a good pergola design. Let’s face it, building your pergola from pergola plans will save you up to 80% over hiring a contractor. And a pergola isn’t that difficult to construct yourself, even if you’ve never done it before. All you need are good pergola plans.

So why even consider building your own pergola? Building contractors are turning such a quick buck from erecting pergolas, they just don’t have the financial carrot proffered to induce them to lower their prices. Any good pergola build guide will list all the materials to purchase, how to go about dealing with suppliers, the tools required for the job, detailed plans and building methods. To give you some idea of costs, the materials I required for my own pergola amounted to a grand total of $376. How much do you think three pergola contractors quoted me for the exact same job?

Wood Pergola Plans – How to Build a Wood Pergola With the Help of a Plan

Wood Pergola Plans can help you save money over ready made kits while having fun doing it. They can come in any size and shape, from free standing pergolas, to attached pergolas, over the patio, or in the backyard. Even if you are DIY novice, wood allows for mistakes and correction.

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Pergola Roofing

Pergola RoofingCreating an Individual and Beautiful Garden Structure

Traditional Rafters

Usually formed from several planks of wood, the rafter are shaped at the ends, and run horizontally across the top of the structure. If the pergola roofing is to fit flush, the notches are cut to half the depth of the rafter, so that when the two are positioned, they are smooth across the top. If, however, the rafters are notched to less than half of the depth, the main rafters will stand proud of the cross rafters. Creating unique and interesting rafter tail ends is the fun part.

Laths. This gives a three-tiered effect and, with ornate rafter tail ends, can create a very elaborate design.

Trellis. A different method for forming the roof is to use a trellis panel instead of the main and cross rafters. It is an effective way to add rafters cheaply, and also to save time and effort.

Fabric Covered Pergola. Asian Inspired Structures

Willow

The posts are made from grouped willow ‘whips’, which are then fanned out to form the rafters of the living structure.

Add Style and Function With a Custom Pergola Roof Design

The space can be used for many functions and outdoor entertaining possibilities including cooking out, dining, lounging on comfortable chairs, or as a serene respite from the chaos of life. For maximum use of your outdoor pergola, go with a design that is versatile or one that can be converted or changed to fit and serve multiple functions.

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Pergola Roofing Options

Pergola RoofingThe design of a pergola depends on the geographical location. One of the most important considerations when designing a pergola is the roofing structure and shape

Although, in earlier times, pergolas were constructed using brick and stone pillars, modern designs employ weather resistant woods such as western red cedar or coast redwood. Pergola roofs may range from simple, flat, traditional roof, elaborately curved roof, pitched roof, gabled roof or a gazebo style roof.

Roofing materials

There is a variety of materials that may be used to roof a pergola. The choice of roofing materials depend on the size, shape and style of the structure. Currently the materials that are used for roofing include metals, plastic, fibreglass, polycarbonate, fabric, etc.

Metal Roof, Plastic and Fibreglass. Another variation of roofing for pergolas includes using plastic or fibreglass.

Polycarbonate. Polycarbonates are also highly reputed for their protection from ultraviolet radiation.

Fabric

Depending on the type of fabric used, these pergolas may avoid the transmission of heat which could cause fading or damages to the roof.

Comparative Study of Roofing Materials for a Pergola

The choice of materials to cover or roof the pergola depends on the buyer’s instincts as to the choices for durability, permanency and availability. White roofs reflect better. As the Earth seeks to get greener, the best choice, of course is to enjoy traditional, open roofed pergolas.

Painting your Pergola

Paint is also beneficial because they prevent moisture damage and rust. Acrylic paints are the best choice for painting pergolas as they provide the best protection.

The durability of pergola depends on the materials chosen for its construction. As the roofs are permanently exposed to the elements of nature, the paint chose may fade easily. Also, materials such as fabric may fray or fade and plastic or fibreglass roofs may get warped or change colour.

To paint a pergola for lasting protection, it is important to follow the traditional procedures such as preparing the surface which include removing old paint, using sandpaper to permit absorption and applying preservative towards the end of the painting. Application of a water repellent preservative with fungicide is an excellent idea before painting because it prevents absorption of water by wood which may cause decay.

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