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A Dramatic Pergola

Landscape Smart : Episode LDS-511 -- More Projects »

Figure A

The San Francisco Bay area back yard of Jenn and Ed Pfeiffer is large and open. The Pheiffers want to create a sense of privacy and enclosure for the pool as well as create a separate play area for the kids. Landscape designer Cynthia Egger creates an elegant pergola with a curving, redwood top. The pergola will enclose a newly constructed curved patio near a pool (figure A). A lawn in the back of the pergola will offer kids the perfect spot for playtime.

Egger estimates that a professional installation of a structure this size--about 60 feet long--would cost about $7,000. Homeowners can do it themselves for about $3,500. On a difficulty scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most difficult, Egger rates the project a "4", because of all the detailed woodwork evolved. Homeowners can expect to complete the project--with the help of a couple of friends--in about two weekends.

Step 1: Setting the Posts

Figure B

The crew has already poured the pergola's concrete base, giving it an open curved shape. They have terraced it to form steps down to the rest of the yard. They also set metal post brackets into the concrete (figure B) on the second terrace step, spacing them about 75 inches apart and following the curved outline of the structure. The post brackets will prevent the posts from coming in contact with the concrete and possibly rotting them. Egger says that once the concrete has cured (at least 48 hours) you are ready for the posts.

Tomas Castaneda, the contractor for the project, chose 6"x 6" redwood posts, because they can be painted or stained, and they last a long time.

Figure C

Figure D

Figure E

Figure F

Figure G

Figure H

Figure I

Figure J

Figure K

Figure L

Start by cutting the post to length, first by scoring the lumber with a circular saw and then finishing the cut with a hand saw.

Give each post a decorative look by chamfering (cutting off the edge or corner) or beveling the edges with a router (figure C).

With the help of a friend, place the posts into the metal brackets (figure D). Check to make sure they are plumb (aligned vertically).

Hammer in 7" galvanized bolts through the metal brackets into the posts to secure them in place (figure E).

Step 2: Attaching the Brackets and Beams

Castoneda and the crew cut 2x10s into 28-inch-long planks for the support brackets. They give the brackets a decorative touch by tracing out the desired curve on each end of the plank (figure F). They cut out the design with a jigsaw and smooth out the edges with a router to create a finished look.

Once you have cut out the brackets, you are ready to set them into place. Adjust the brackets so that they are approximately 1/2" below the top of the posts, running front to back. Make sure they are centered evenly and attach them to the posts with deck screws (figure G). Sandwich the post by attaching another bracket on the other side and attaching it in the same manner (figure H). Continue the process on all remaining posts.

For some extra embellishment on both end posts, the crew creates simple boxes out of four support brackets and slip the boxes over the top of the end posts (figure I). They attach the boxes with screws and make sure they were level.

Finally, they attach flexible 1"x 6" beams by screwing them on to the ends of the support brackets along the inside and outside edge of the pergola to help define the structure's curving shape (figure J).

Step 3: Constructing the Crosspieces

Castaneda and uses 2x4s for the crosspieces. The crew cuts them 48 inches long. They add a decorative end on all 90 crosspieces by using another template to trace a curve onto the ends of the precut 2"x 4"s just as they did with the support brackets (figure K). They cut out the design with a jigsaw and smooth the rough edges with a router.

They lay the crosspieces along the top of the pergola spacing them evenly and allowing for equal overhang on both sides (figure L). Once they are comfortable with their placement, they tow-screw the crosspieces into the beams.

Step 4: Adding the Finishing Touches

The hardware shows at the base of the posts, and Egger uses wood to box them in. The homeowners want more of an aged look, and they stain the pergola so that the redwood doesn't have to age naturally. The grayish stain will make it look like it has been there for a long time.

Figure M

Figure N

Figure O

Figure P

To build the decorative boxes for the posts, the crew cuts lengths to size out of 2x10 planks. They cut a 45-degree angle into each end (figure M).

Next, they score a 6"-wide notch in the center of each piece. After scoring the notch with a circular saw (figure N), they knock the wood out with a chisel and fit the four pieces around the base of the posts, attaching them together with screws (figure O).

Once the boxes are in place, they stain the pergola (figure P). Egger says to use a rag or sponge to apply a semi-transparent stain that's specifically designed to seal exterior wood. Use a clear stain or a sheer color for an aged look. Let the pergola dry overnight.

Step 5: Adding Plants and Lawn

Egger accents the pergola with climbing roses and wisteria. For fragrance, she plants some gardenias. To accent the regular plantings, she will have some perennial flowers such as asters and chrysanthemums and a few annuals like snapdragons. To give the garden a lush effect with visual impact, Egger will emphasize color, texture and form in the planting beds that border the concrete base. She uses vines to twine around the posts of the pergola helping to draw the eye up and add to the drama of the pergola.

Featured Plants:

'Early Sunrise' coreopsis (Coreopsis grandiflora, Zones 4-9) is a good choice for brightening up planting beds. It bears deep, yellow flower heads, which look attractive along a border or in a cutting garden.

'Veitchii' gardenia (Gardenia augusta, Zones 8-10) is a creamy white evergreen shrub that will fill the seating area with its fragrance. Its glossy, deep green foliage adds a lush look to planter boxes.

'Carpet Rose' (Rosa, Zones 5-9) is a groundcover rose that adds fragrance to any garden and produces abundant flowers from spring through autumn.

Daylilies (Hemerocallis sp., Zones 3-10) will keep the garden in blooms for months. They are hardy perennials that grow in sun or shade and come in almost every color of the rainbow.

The design calls for a lawn, and Egger uses dwarf fescue sod. It's hardy, drought tolerant, easy to maintain and can take a lot of traffic; therefore, kids are no problem. The beauty of a sod lawn is its simplicity. After preparing the soil, roll out the sod tightly with adjoining rolls so that you don't end up with visible gaps. Water the sod daily for a short period of time.

Figure Q

The finished dramatic pergola beautifully encloses the seating area around the patio (figure Q). Beams and crosspieces with decorative cuts tops off the structure with a classic crosshatch design. A sod lawn provides a sturdy, low-maintenance play space for the children and fills the area with lush greenery. Blooming flowers grace the pergola with softness and color.

Incorporating design elements from the home or garden into the style of the pergola is important, says Egger. Use a simple-styled pergola to accent a home with a less formal look, and a more classic form to highlight a structured garden.

Guests
Thomas Castaneda
Contractor, Thomas Castaneda Construction
89 Grove Lane
Novato, CA 94947
Phone: 415-897-8600
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