Pergola Designs -
What to Consider When You Are Going to Build a
Wood Pergola
More and more often, people who
have grown a bit tired of their patio are choosing
to build a pergola over it. Pergolas are also
perfect to cover a walkway between two buildings,
and for other uses as well.
What is a pergola? It is an open wooden frame
supported by posts at regular intervals, and beams
across the top that are sometimes crisscrossed with
latticework. It creates an outdoor room, albeit one
without walls or a roof! It gives you a feeling of
being both inside and outside at the same time,
which is very pleasant. Pergolas were quite popular
in Italian Renaissance gardens, often doing double
duty as grape arbors. They were also used in Greece,
Rome, and Egypt.
A pergola might not sound very appealing to you
if you are picturing a frame of plain wood in your
mind. But most pergola
designs are far from being plain! The
framework of the structure is perfect for the
support of all sorts of climbing flowers and plants.
Hanging baskets work very well with one of these
structures, too. You can create a veritable bower of
color and shape that will enhance your patio
beautifully, making it a perfect location for
entertaining in the warmer months.
There will be no worries about too much sun
during a morning or afternoon party if it is held
beneath your pergola! You will find it easy to
choose plants that will grow to form an enchanted
area of dappled sunlight. A pergola is much more
versatile than just a plain patio, and it is a lot
cheaper to build than it would be to tear out the
concrete that makes up your patio and replant the
area with sod. Place one above your hot tub, or use
your fire pit beneath it in the autumn and winter.
You will find that a pergola can be used in
different ways, year round.
So, are you ready to get started on getting a
pergola of you own? First of all, you need to figure
out whether you want this structure to attach to
your house, or be a free standing pergola. There are
several different types of designs for you to choose
from. One of the most popular anchors the four
corners of the pergola with handsome wooden planter
boxes. Another includes columns instead of posts,
giving the structure a touch of old-world Roman
charm. There are designs called Box pergolas, so
called because the latticework across the rafters is
shaped in small squares. A Walk-through pagoda
simply means that the size and shape of the pagoda
is such that it resembles a hallway or walk-through.
Basically, the looks of your pergola can vary
depending on the kind of wood you choose, the type
of posts of columns you decide on, and whether or
not you leave the rafter ends square or decide to
change the design by using wood that has been cut
into shapes to crown the ends of the rafters. By
mixing and matching these aspects, you can come up
with a pergola that is personalized to suit your
needs. Think about what you plan to do beneath the
pergola to make sure that you build it large enough.
You can build any of these designs in the size you
need to fit the area you have in mind for the
pergola.
If you are going to put the time, effort, and
money into building a pergola, then you certainly
want to use materials that will stand up under the
weather. When you purchase
plans for building a pergola
it should have a list of essential materials that you will need in order
to construct the pergola. There should be more than
one type of wood suggested for your construction.
Treated Pine is an option that can be less expensive
than other types of wood. Treated Cedar is a
recommended type, as it wears extremely well and
should last for quite a few years. As such, cedar
will cost more. In the long run, it may be worth it
to you to spend a little extra for the type wood
that should guarantee that you will get as much
enjoyment from your pergola as possible.
With the proper pergola designs, you should be
able to construct your new pergola in a weekend,
perhaps less if you have a friend to help you. Then,
you can choose the climbing flowers and plants that
you want to grow across the roof and down the sides
of the structure. While you are waiting for them to
grow, you can use hanging baskets to set the mood.
Enjoy your pergola!
For more information on Pergola and other garden
structures, please click on these articles
Wood Pergola
Plans
Choosing Arbor
Plans
[more articles]
