Building a Pergola

Delvis

Delvis

Delvis

Caporegime
Joined
7 Nov 2004
Posts
30,204
Location
Buckinghamshire
Hi all,

So, going to be building a pergola the posts will be in the ground with a patio around them.

Finding anything over 3m is proving difficult, anyone done similar?
 
Maccapacca said:
I wouldn’t be burying posts, tanalising isn’t what it was it’ll rot out quickly. Start off with some support shoes.

https://www.canopyproducts.co.uk/product-category/stainless-steel-post-bases-shoes-supports/

In terms of length you should be able to find 4.2m 4.6m stock lengths no issue
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I figured if it was incased in cement it would be better, doubt we'll be here over five years as well tbh.

I have an idea of what those cups do but failing to find more info on them!

Maccapacca said:
https://www.thetimbergroup.co.uk/jo...d-treated-softwood-carcassing-48m-104-8800366

L&G will have what you need and fairly local to you
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High Wycombe is the closest on that link above.
 
A bit lighter duty (and cheaper) yet suits the 100x100 posts - https://www.toolstation.com/post-base/p82691#full-desc

I used these for my decking and they have been great for years - https://www.toolstation.com/post-base/p82691#full-desc
Although my application is different to yours. I do wonder what these would be like supporting a post each...

Just some options to consider...

For timber, we found a decent merchant near us. Try FB marketplace, gumtree etc for the wood you're after.

Are you planning on fixing everything together with wood screws or are you thinking of clearance holes, nuts and bolts?
 
Cadder said:
A bit lighter duty (and cheaper) yet suits the 100x100 posts - https://www.toolstation.com/post-base/p82691#full-desc

I used these for my decking and they have been great for years - https://www.toolstation.com/post-base/p82691#full-desc
Although my application is different to yours. I do wonder what these would be like supporting a post each...

Just some options to consider...

For timber, we found a decent merchant near us. Try FB marketplace, gumtree etc for the wood you're after.

Are you planning on fixing everything together with wood screws or are you thinking of clearance holes, nuts and bolts?
Click to expand...

Probably screws, the design is more geared towards that than the traditional bolt-through look.

I just don't think some of the post bases look nice, at all :p
 
3m is about the limit as standard from most places for things like posts, but a specialist timber merchants will be able to get hold of longer lengths.

In terms of burying posts the treatments are still effective but a lot of places don't label as standard what class the timber has been treated to, a lot of treated timber in merchants is only use class 2 or 3 both of which are not suitable for been in ground contact, but if you specifically ask at a merchant with there own treatment operations they can normally do use class 4 there's 2 versions targeting 15 & 30 years in ground contact with the latter been rarer.
 
Delvis said:
Probably screws, the design is more geared towards that than the traditional bolt-through look.

I just don't think some of the post bases look nice, at all :p
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You're right, they're ugly. However they serve the purpose of giving your pergola a longer life. Plan it smart enough and you could disguise the bases (Bury them in gravel, surround with plants etc.).
 
Cadder said:
You're right, they're ugly. However they serve the purpose of giving your pergola a longer life. Plan it smart enough and you could disguise the bases (Bury them in gravel, surround with plants etc.).
Click to expand...

I've seen similar done with gravel but with just treating the timber, setting it on gravel, cement up and smooth off, then seal the top.

I'll have a look, see what I think looks the nicest.
 
A guy in the Man Jobs thread built one on castors. That would raise it off the ground, and given it'll be heavy and you can lock the castors it wouldn't move around.
 
I was talking to someone who built his pergola on top of his decking. He basically treated it as a big table that just stood on the decking. Some small screws to keep it in place but let the pergola itself maintain the structural integrity.
 
Cadder said:
I was talking to someone who built his pergola on top of his decking. He basically treated it as a big table that just stood on the decking. Some small screws to keep it in place but let the pergola itself maintain the structural integrity.
Click to expand...

It's going on slabs (new), wanted to avoid the butt ugly massive post feet that have that God awful bolt stickikg out
 
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