Pergola Construction

A pergola turns a patio or a deck from a slab you cross into a place you sit. Posts, beams and a lattice of rafters overhead break the afternoon sun, define an outdoor room, and give a vine or a string of lights something to hang from. Around Lake Livingston we build pergolas over patios and decks at lake houses, over outdoor kitchens and hot tubs, and as freestanding shade structures in the yard, in cedar or treated pine, with the same footings and framing we put under a deck.

Attached or freestanding

An attached pergola fastens a ledger to the house and carries the other side on two posts. It is the usual choice over a patio right off the back door. A freestanding pergola stands on four or more posts and can go over a deck, a hot tub, a fire pit or anywhere in the yard. Both get posts set in concrete footings below the soft soil, because a pergola is tall, catches wind, and looks terrible the moment it leans.

How much shade, and which way

Shade comes from the top layer: rafters and slats. Fewer, wider-spaced slats give a light, airy structure and dappled shade. Closer slats and deeper boards block more sun. We run the slats to shade the hours you actually use the space, which on most patios means the west sun in the late afternoon. If you want real rain cover, a polycarbonate or metal roof panel on top turns the pergola into a covered patio, and we build those too.

How we build it

• Six-by-six posts on concrete footings, with post bases that keep the wood off the slab or the ground.
• Doubled beams bolted through the posts, rafters notched or hung on hardware, and knee braces where the span or height calls for them.
• Cedar for a natural finish, or treated pine for paint or solid stain. Rough-sawn or smooth, per the look you want.
• Hot-dipped galvanized or coated hardware so nothing streaks the wood.
• Ends of the beams and rafters cut to a profile, plain or decorative, because they are what you see from the yard.

Pergolas with decks, fences and screens

Most pergolas we build go with something else: a new deck, a privacy screen on the neighbor's side, or a fence around the whole patio. Building them together means the posts line up, the finishes match and you pay one trip charge. Outbuildings and pergolas looks at how these structures fit a lake or country property.

Finish and care

Stain or seal it when it is built and every few years after, the same as a fence or deck. Check the hardware once a year. A cedar pergola can also be left to weather to gray. We offer staining as a standalone service.

What affects the price of a pergola

Size and the amount of lumber overhead are most of it: a dense slat pattern uses far more cedar than an open one. Cedar costs more than treated pine. An attached pergola saves two posts; a freestanding one on a slab needs footings cut through it. A solid or polycarbonate roof turns it into a covered patio and adds accordingly. Lighting, a fan box and a screen on one side are extras. We price it on site and sketch the slat spacing with you so the shade is where you want it.

Frequently asked questions

Does a pergola keep the rain off?

A traditional open pergola does not; it gives partial shade and structure. A solid or polycarbonate roof can be added to make it a covered patio, and we build both.

How much shade does a pergola give?

It depends on the spacing and depth of the top slats and which way they run. Closer slats and deeper boards throw more shade. We orient the slats for the afternoon sun on your patio.

Attached or freestanding?

Attached pergolas tie into the house framing and save two posts. Freestanding ones go anywhere, over a patio, a hot tub or a spot in the yard. Either way the posts go into concrete footings.