Putting a roof on a pergola

[Siliconslave]

I've got a self built wood pergola I put up a few (well 5) years ago and i'm wondering about putting a roof on it to keep the rain off & stop the pigeons crapping on my garden (corner) sofa thing.

Has anyone done anything similar?

Wife wants it to look nice and I want it to last well, have been looking at some of the polycarbonate roofing materials... I figure i'll have to adjust the top bars to put a bit of an angle on it, but that shouldn't be too hard

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

I've got a self built wood pergola I put up a few (well 5) years ago and i'm wondering about putting a roof on it to keep the rain off & stop the pigeons crapping on my garden (corner) sofa thing.

Has anyone done anything similar?

Wife wants it to look nice and I want it to last well, have been looking at some of the polycarbonate roofing materials... I figure i'll have to adjust the top bars to put a bit of an angle on it, but that shouldn't be too hard

I did similar.
I use OSB in between the (from your pic front to back) timbers.
Then I felted over the top. (I would use EPDM if doing it now)

I had the OSB raised slightly to tip from front to back.
Cant get you a pic as its dismantled now for moving up to the allotment as a handy hide away from then sun.

 

[The Angry Welshman]

I've got a self built wood pergola I put up a few (well 5) years ago and i'm wondering about putting a roof on it to keep the rain off & stop the pigeons crapping on my garden (corner) sofa thing.

Has anyone done anything similar?

Wife wants it to look nice and I want it to last well, have been looking at some of the polycarbonate roofing materials... I figure i'll have to adjust the top bars to put a bit of an angle on it, but that shouldn't be too hard

I built pergola's over the top of both my decks and roofed them.....one is now a cosy sanctuary all your round with sofa and out side TV. The other is the outdoor all year round kitchen. I used Twin ply polycarbonate

 

[SpellowHouse]

Before you change the angle, sort out your roofing material. Depending on what you use and the orientation you want, will dictate on where the fixings go, and so you may need to add pieces of wood to increase the height of some of those beams - which may affect how and where you modify things to get the angle you need.
By the way, you don't need a lot of angle. Few inches are enough.

 

[Siliconslave]

most of the polycarbonate suggest about 5 degrees but might go slightly less than that as it'd be quite a raise at the front (assuming i go front to back). I quite like the idea of still getting light though (although i'm sure i'll end up having to clean it regularly...)

Weshman did you use glazing bars etc with your sheeting?

 

[The Angry Welshman]

most of the polycarbonate suggest about 5 degrees but might go slightly less than that as it'd be quite a raise at the front (assuming i go front to back). I quite like the idea of still getting light though (although i'm sure i'll end up having to clean it regularly...)

Weshman did you use glazing bars etc with your sheeting?

no - i didnt like the look of them. So i used clear sealing tape over the joints after butting them together and sealing with silicone......

that roof is 4.2mtrs x 4mtrs….

 

[gingergundog]

Polycarb roof on something like a pergola wouldn't be my first choice, most look a bit cheap and nasty tbh. I bet it would make a right racket when it rains. Id go for a green roof with some wild flowers on or something.

 

[The Angry Welshman]

Polycarb roof on something like a pergola wouldn't be my first choice, most look a bit cheap and nasty tbh. I bet it would make a right racket when it rains. Id go for a green roof with some wild flowers on or something.

Doesnt make any noise at all…….i sit under mine in the rain often and watch the football as its nice, cool and refreshing. Its the main reason we put the roof on it, for all year round use.

As for cheap and nasty, each their own really…one persons cheap and nasty, is another person posh and luxury.