2011 April | Garden Shed Plans

Five Ways a Pergola Can Transform Your Yard

A well-planned pergola can add usable outdoor living space to a lackluster backyard, garden or patio. Below are five ways a pergola can enhance your home’s exterior:

1. Accent your garden. A pergola is composed of a series of columns that support open cross-beams–the perfect habitat for climbing plants and vines. It can also be customized with a trellis, wirework or lattice, allowing you to create a lush, vine-covered garden structure. Trumpet vines, grapevines and several varieties of roses tend to work well with pergolas. Clematis is another popular choice–it can grow along the sides as well as over the top, providing additional shade.

2. Define an outdoor living room. Nothing delineates an outdoor living room quite like a pergola. Not only does it provide open cover, but it instantly adds a welcoming atmosphere and European charm to your outdoor dining room, cocktail destination or casual hangout. It’s also a handy place to hang party decorations, holiday lights, stereo speakers or other decor elements.

3. Connect sections of your yard. While most pergolas have four columns for a room-like structure, you can add columns to create an extended covered walkway. Hung with wisteria and other climbing flowers, a pergola can become the prime location for a relaxing stroll. You can use it to connect your back door with an outbuilding or garden, or you can combine it with an archway arbor to frame your gate. Keep in mind the structure should be tall enough to allow people to walk beneath it without having their heads brushed by trailing vines.

4. Make some shade. A pergola provides partial shade, filtering harsh glare while still allowing enough sunlight to reach your plants. You can increase the amount of shade by growing more climbing plants across the top or even dressing up the sides with sheer curtains. For added protection, vinyl pergolas are fabricated with Titanium Dioxide, a powerful sun protectant commonly found in sunscreens for infants and people with sensitive skin.

5. Add romance to your home. It’s no wonder pergolas are a common site for marriage proposals. This Renaissance-period garden feature adds a touch of old-world romance to any landscape. Place a bench beneath a free-standing pergola to create a private nook for gazing at the sunset or stars. For extra charm, hang planters filled with roses, lilies or other favorite flowers.

The versatility of pergolas makes them a highly desirable landscaping element that adds both beauty and value to a home. And the possibilities aren’t limited to these five ideas–you can use them as a starting point to create your own custom pergola.

~Ben Serviss, 2010

By: Ben Serviss

About the Author:

Interested in creating an outdoor living space? Check out pictures of our rustic cedar pergolas to see how they can help define your landscape at Rick’s website for fencing, decking, cedar and vinyl pergolas in Oregon and Washington.

pergola plans

Pergola Designs Basic Tips

Garden pergola designs differ in dimension as well as with shape to give the accurate answer for any home, backyard or background. Resources can be timber, aluminum or vinyl and form can be rectangular, triangular or spherical at the same time as dimension can vary from a tiny arbor like construction to inspiring pergolas. Pergolas can be totally open or roofed on the top during the hot days. But, the most interesting solution for additional shade as well as comfort is to have those climbing vines crawling above the roof joist, while hanging flora can as well be used to beautify the whole set up.

Garden pergolas are more often than not constructed free standing or typically near the gates or railings to catch attention and also offer shade. A DIY plan is an extremely realistic substitute to handy pergolas, as these garden structures are comparatively simple to construct but charge fairly a lot if acquired as kits. Timber, especially cedar and red woods, is an outstanding material for a backyard pergola since it naturally matched with the foliage, adding more ambiance of warmth as well as relaxation to the scenery. Cedar as well as red wood is also extremely hard, climate resistant and a termite worst enemy.

An out-of-doors construction built with these kinds of materials will outlive its draftsman, if correctly maintained. To put up one, you only need the assistance of a buddy, an extended weekend and of course the perfect plan. There are various backyard pergola designs to select from, the easiest ones being rectangular self-supporting structures. They are easy, simple to put up and hit a vivid image appeal once completed. Pick your position intelligently then, and ensure that there are no secretive utilities before digging for the basics.

The most excellent designs are easy and very basic so as to catch attention without overpowering the backyard or become an invasive component. Quite the reverse, an elegant and uncomplicated timber design will wonderfully matched with the scenery, making your family happy and make your pals and visitors feel its coziness as well. Once you have selected the right plan, it is a matter of calling a friend to help you out. Posts, strong beams along with joists can be heavy to pick up and arrange, although over all constructing a pergola the DIY method can put aside you a small amount of cash.

Follow these details about pergola designs and you will surely put up the best one this weekend!

By: Shan R Thomas

About the Author:

Get more pergola designs from the author’s site.

Exotic Oriental Architecture With a Lovely Asian Pergola

The perfect accent for any Japanese garden motif is an Asian pergola. These classic buildings add to the exotic appeal of your garden while providing you with a defined space for conversation, relaxation, or entertaining. Surrounded by Japanese-style plants, this pergola will easily become the focal point of your entire yard, and building one isn’t as difficult as it may seem. Many companies on the Internet offer selections of Asian pergolas that are ready-built and come in kit form which can save you a lot of money over having a structure custom-built.

Even if you don’t have a Japanese garden, you’ll find that many people like to present a multi-cultural feel with their landscaping. One of the ways to make the architecture on your property look especially nice is by varying it and including a number of different styles. Diversity adds interest, and by varying the styles of architecture you use for your home, your pergola, your arbor, your deck, and other architectural features, you’ll create a truly interesting and unmatched atmosphere.

Asian styles are associated with Zen and serenity. How better to create an idyllic oasis where you can sit and read or contemplate life than to build an Asian pergola in a secluded spot in your yard? Add some comfortable furniture, and you’ll have the perfect environment where you can go in order to escape your worries, even if it’s just for a little while.

Keep in mind when you build a pergola you need to take city building codes into account. You don’t want to build your structure too close to the property line, for example, because it won’t be easy to try and move it later on if your neighbor complains. Watch out for utility lines running under your property, and choose a spot where you aren’t going to get a lot of water run-off. Taking care of all these little details first is going to mean more hassle-free enjoyment later one.

Does your landscape seem blah and like it’s missing something? Maybe an Asian pergola would be just the thing to give it the pizazz you’re looking for. Asian pergola kits come in many sizes and styles, and you’ll be able to find one that will look just right on your property. Remember, it isn’t necessary that it match the architectural style of any other buildings you might have. Your kit will come with step-by-step instructions so that you can build it yourself if you have basic carpentry skills, or you can choose to seek professional assistance in order to get a wonderful pergola built right in your back yard.

By: Kristie Brown

About the Author:

For more tips and information on beautiful backyard pergolas designs, visit PergolaDesignReviews.com to discover tips on pergola plans, including Asian pergola plans and more.

Adding Value to Your House With a DIY Pergola

Adding a pergola to your house is great both for the practical benefits and for the resale value it will add. However, if you have ever had a contractor in to give you a quote for this sort of work, you know it doesn’t come cheap. doing it as a DIY construction can be a great project if you follow a plan.

A pergola looks great in any yard or garden. although it doesn’t protect, it defines an outdoor space and is used by many landscape gardeners. Over a patio, for example, it will look absolutely fantastic. It is something that can be easily adapted to the dimensions off your garden as well.

To build your DIY pergola, you will need a fairly basic range of tools. A circular saw will save you time cutting through the support pillars, but isn’t actually a necessity. Remember that the pergola isn’t any better than its foundations, so depending on where you are going to put it and how long you want it to last, you probably want to set it in concrete. for mine, I simply dug four holes as indicated on the plans to a depth of 24 inches and set the four corners in cement. I used bracing to hold them in place until the cement was solid (generally 24 hours or so).

I used a simple system of cross-beams drilled and held in place with brackets during the build. Again, you could get more decorative with this, but to my mind a simple pattern is best. The plans I used recommended a cross-beam every 12 inches (30cm), which looks great when finished and is simple to do.

Once you are done, it is important to protect the wood from the weather. I considered painting the whole structure white, but eventually settled on varnish. I built a picnic table as well which has the same colour and one under the other they go very well together.

By: Daffyd Thompson

About the Author:

Building a DIY pergola is actually one of the more straightforward construction jobs you can take on.. Getting hold of a decent set of plans before you start is the only way to go in my experience. For even more easy DIY projects, head on over to http://www.woodworkmaster.info.

Garden Pergolas – 3 Things to Avoid, 3 Things to Do

It’s easy to see why garden pergolas are so popular. A pergola can be be used to break up a large garden or backyard, link one area to another or as a focal point. It can be a structure for growing climbing plants and, perhaps most excitingly, it can be an outdoor room for relaxing or entertaining. Who wouldn’t want an extra room in their home?

3 Things To Avoid

#1 Building your structure in a part of the garden or backyard where there are water pipes, gas pipes or electrical cables. Ring 1-888-258-0808 to find your State’s “Call Before You Dig” number. You’ll be put into contact with the relevant utility companies. Generally, they’ll come out within a week to mark out where your utilities reside underground.

#2 Building a pergola that’s too large or too small. You want the structure to be of a size that does not look out of proportion to the size of the garden. And you want it big enough to fulfill its function. For example, if you want an entertaining space it has to be large enough to accommodate chairs and possibly a table.

#3 Paying too much for your pergola. Kits are very expensive. Pergola plans represent far better value for money. You can always hire someone to construct it if a DIY pergola project does not appeal.

3 Things To Do

#1 Check with your Local Authority whether any permits or conditions apply to building a pergola in your backyard or garden. The rules do vary from area to area.

#2 Think carefully about where you want to locate your structure. Away from the house would be better if you want a retreat, closer to the house if you want to use your pergola for eating and entertaining. And take into consideration sun and wind direction.

#3 If you are going to grow plants on your pergola, choose the varieties wisely. If you want to grow vines, opt for varieties that don’t attract bees. And if small children are likely to be playing near the structure it’s best to avoid climbing roses as their thorns can cause nasty cuts and scratches.

By: Tim Carter

About the Author:

Discover more practical tips and advice on how to build a pergola.

Plans for garden pergolas are available in various sizes. Each comes complete with detailed building instructions and a list of tools and materials required.

How Building a Cedar Pergola Can Improve Your Backyard

What is the attraction of having a cedar pergola in your garden or backyard? After all, it does not keep out the wind or rain. Or even offer total shade on a hot, sunny day.

It’s best to think of a pergola as an airy pavilion. One that defines an open space whether it’s for relaxing or entertaining. And, of course, it can be a landscape feature or a structure that links one area of your backyard to another. It is also ideal for growing climbing plants such as vines, roses and wisteria.

Western Red Cedar, softwood, is the perfect building material for pergolas as it
blends wonderfully with natural surroundings and the wood has a lovely aroma; is naturally decay resistant; is easy to cut and is resistant to splitting; is light weight. This makes it easy to work with; is free from pitch and resin. This means that you can stain or paint it in the color of your choice; has a fine straight grain; is naturally durable; and is environmentally friendly. Does not require chemical treatment. And it is a sustainably grown wood.

In other words, using cedar wood means that your structure should last for decades.

Building a pergola does not have to break the bank. Forget about buying a kit. That’s way too expensive. Instead, purchase a plan and either build it yourself (okay – with the help of a friend as some tasks do require an extra pair of hands!) or hire a local handyman to build it for you. Either way you will save hundreds of dollars. And in a weekend you can have a great addition to your backyard.

By: Tim Carter

About the Author:

Get your plan, instructions and a full list of materials needed to build a pergola.

Discover practical tips and advice on how to build a cedar pergola.

pergola plans

The Basics of Free Standing Pergolas

Constructing a free standing pergola implies building a pergola that is not directly fitted to your home by any means. There are people who would very much choose a pergola to be this way for many reasons that could vary from aesthetic reasons to safety purposes. But, no matter what the reason may be, if you need to build a free standing pergola, there are specific stuff that you would have to consider. And listed below are some them.

Building permit – There are particular places where in even if you’re considering making a free standing pergola inside your property, you still have to make certain that you are not breaking any kind of building rules. Building regulations differ from place to place so better ensure that you are aware of the laws that apply in your town. The best way to make this happen is by asking a building inspector to visit your property to make certain that everything is in order.

Durable materials – Since your free standing pergola is not going to rely on your house for any kind of support, make certain that the components that you are going to use to construct it will last a long time as well as will be able to take insect attacks as well as temperature changes. Invest your cash in making sure that your free standing pergola will be able to endure anything that may come its way, specially those things that you cannot stop or you cannot keep from happening.

Right Design – Make certain that the design that you are going to use on your pergola corresponds with the part of the house or the building that is in close proximity to it. Your pergola might not exactly be a part of your house technically however it would probably still be an eye sore if your pergola looks very awkward. Also, think about a especially tough style such as a four post free standing pergola. However, you need not be confined to that individual style alone. It is advisable to try to look for several free standing pergola designs in books and magazines to help broaden your horizon.

By: Brandon Walker

About the Author:

For more information about pergolas and how you can build your own, visit: pergola plans.

Alternatively, if your interested in building an outdoor cat enclosure for your cat visit: outdoor cat enclosures

Benefits of Pergola Kits

As a matter of fact, pergolas are known to beautify a yard and this can be achieved by one having a good pergola kit. There are a wide variety of kits that can be essential in helping one get the perfect look for your garden, without wastage of time as well as getting tired of having to go through the process on your own. However, they can be found online or either locally, at the home improvement stores at cheap prices.

The kits therefore have many benefits which include saving one the struggle of having to find their own materials. In this connection, they are beneficial in the sense that the materials are readily available. This is because the kits are equipped with all the necessary materials one may require in making a pergola and one needs not worry about the sources of the material.

In this connection, the pergola plans also come in handy in this case. This will be beneficial since one will not have to go looking for plans on his own. The plan also includes the steps on making an exhibition area and hence one is not likely to make mistakes during the project.

The kits also help one in saving money. This is because one will not need someone to fix them, but can be fixed on one’s own, thus saving money.

Apart from having to buy the supplies locally, it is possible for the kits to be supplied at home every time you decide to. One only needs to order them and deliveries are made.

By: Hardip Patel

About the Author:

The use of pergola kits is a convenient way of renewing your yard without struggle. Use the thepergoladesigns.com to know more about pergola designs

pergola plans

Pergola Design – How to Choose the Best Pergola Design For Your Needs

A pergola design should be chosen depending on different factors like location, materials and style. A location should be chosen carefully, as the final visual impact can be dramatic. Pergolas can be built stand alone in the garden, in the back yard, or over a patio and attached to the house. Attention should be placed on underground utilities like plumbing pipes and electric cables so as not to have bad surprises while digging the foundations.

Materials used for pergolas, trellises and gazebos construction range from aluminium, to vinyl, to wood. Aluminium and vinyl are virtually maintenance free but not as appealing as wood. Since wood has to withstand UVA and rain, it is a good idea not to save on wood quality and go for hard, tough woods like cedar or red wood. They hardly require any maintenance and outlive their builders. Wood is also very pliable and can be cut and shaped in all types of style, size, and shape.

Pergolas can be built triangular, circular or more commonly rectangular. They can even be built over walkways to provide shade and give extra appeal to the landscape. Once chosen the preferred design, a good pergola plan should provide easy to follow instructions like dimensions and step by step layout. A DIY pergola should take about 3 days from start to finish and save you $thousands over ready made kits.

Lack of expertise in carpentry is not an obstacle as pergolas are relatively easy structures to build, however they require assistance in the form of a pergola design, a friend help, and few basic tools like hammer, nails, nuts, bolts, measure tape, hand saw, lines and concrete (for the posts foundations), circular saw, electric angle grinder, sand paper and wood stain, if required. You may need to rent or borrow few of them if not at hand in your house.

Beams and joists can be cut and shaped following the design criteria and measures, while waiting for the foundations to set in. Once the main posts are up and aligned (with the aid of lines), then it is just a matter to follow the pergola design instructions to set up the structure. An outdoor DIY project like this is very feasible to implement and fun as well. An accomplished self built pergola can give the satisfaction to relax in the shade of an appealing and cozy structure that otherwise would have cost few thousands.

By: Andy Finn

About the Author:

If you are looking for a very cheap but stylish pergola design for your garden or patio, check out this website. It also comes with free picnic table plans, should you decide to use one of the pergola plans provided. Click on pergola design to find out and save $thousands.

pergola plans

How to Select the Right Outdoor Pergola Design

Constructing a garden pergola on your own can save you a couple of bucks. By having a plan, little or no experience, the right materials, and a step by step guide, you are one your way to having a great addition to your property. The internet is a good source of outdoor pergola plans. There are various sizes, shapes, and styles that you can choose from. If in the event that you are unable to find a free plan, you just have to pay a small fee to have a professional design the plan that you desire.

Outdoor pergola designs come in various shapes such as circular, diamonds, hexagonal, and the most popular are the square and rectangular shapes. You will be glad to know that building a pergola is not that hard. All you need is some experience with basic tools and machinery, and as long as you have the right plan and materials, you can easily start building your own structure. Some projects may require the use of specialized equipment and materials which can easily be obtain at any local hardware store. To save money, you don’t have to buy the needed tools, you can just rent them.

Although building your own pergola is cheaper than purchasing garden pergola kits, it is essential that all the measurements are correct. Choosing the right location of your outdoor pergola is just as important. Consider every angle because if there are overhanging trees or other structures, if not, you may end up having problems. Having the right dimensions makes the building process much easier. Try to avoid plans that are too large or too small because these can ruin the overall appearance of your garden or landscape. If your garden requires a different fit than the ones available, you can have a builder draw up a plan for you. You may have to spend a bit more than usual, but once you have the pergola structure that you desire, it will be worth the investment.

By: Dessie Campbell

About the Author:

The author has spent a lot of time learning about where to purchase outdoor pergola designs and other related topics. Read more about buying a garden pergola at the author’s website.

Who Am I?

John Burrows Here! I used to be a ham-handed carpenter. No jokes. I think I had permanent black thumbnails... Well I decided enough was enough and put together this blog to guide the ordinary D.I.Y enthusiast on how to build the best garden sheds, and other woodworking projects.
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