I need some ideas on a Pergola ( hope I spelled it correctly ) -- I intend to take out a 15 X 20 deck and have concrete poured and then erect a pergola over it. Does anyone have any pictures or drawings for ideas? Also, how do I go about estimating the amount of concrete that I am going to need it I want it 4 inches thick? Can anyone help me????

Joe

 

If the path is separate from the pergola uprights then cement thickness is an independent issue. But sure 4" is about right, plus as much packed gravel and sand beneath it. It will need joints (pre-cracks, really) every 8' or less, whatever gives you a nicely proportioned rectangle or square. I like to bed wire reinforcing into it, and throw in a lot of old nails and metal scrap.

The usual pergola just has a path down the middle away from the posts, for climbers are planted there. The easiest path would just be prefab pavers of some kind.

The posts could plant in holes in the soil, and rot eventually. I don't know how rapidly buried wood rots in your area. Around here a good solution is to throw some rocks in a pit and blob a couple bags of ready-mix over that, filled a little over soil level, with a metal post bracket set in it.

Since you're pouring a walk right beside this anyway, you might consider pouring post footings as part of the slab. A cubic foot each footing should be sufficient for a pergola because this structure doesn't try to keel over like a fence.

The pergola itself. A trellised tunnel of foliage, or support for high climbers? Just how obscured in growth this will be prompts how good it has to look on its own. The cheapest design is in standard length increments. 8' between posts lengthwise, for example, because you waste no wood from 8' lumber. Then if your top beams running across are just 5' you could block them 3' apart with the cutoffs, and so on.

Google search "pergola", you'll find lots of plans. There's a raft of pictures on the gardenstructure.com front page. Also type "pergola" into google and hit the "images" button. Feast your eyes.

Personally I like cantilevered pergolas (with one row of posts, off-centre) in full rough eye-catching lumber, but this requires heavy-duty footing support... kind of like a reinforced path tied into the post footings...

 

The site FINEHOUSE.com has some ,I have just typed in 'pergola arbor' on google and raised lots of photos and plans. what I am looking for is vinyl or other material that will not need painting in 10 years when the vines are all over it and I can't get thru them to paint. Concrete is sold by volume most places will calclate what you need and what the cost is by phone, varies by locale. good fortune Lyman2