How to Build a Pergola Porch
Pergolas are simple support structures that are made up of supporting posts, rafters and beams. They help to define an outdoor patio without overtaking the area or taking up too much space. With a concrete slab foundation or a level area of grass, you can transform your bare space into a welcoming porch.
What You'll Need:
- Chalk
- Measuring tape
- (6) Stakes
- Shovel
- (6) Supporting posts
- Gravel
- Carpenter’s level
- Temporary brace
- Quick drying concrete
- Water
- (2) Heavy beams (w/ pre-drilled holes)
- Screws
- Carriage bolts
- Washers
- Nuts
- Socket wrench
- (6) Rafters
- Hurricane clips
- Hammer
- Hot-dipped galvanized bracket nails
- Use measuring tape to measure the planned dimensions of your pergola and create an outline on the floor using chalk.
- Insert six stakes into the ground. There will be four corners and the center right and left of the structure. If done correctly, you should have two parallel lines of three stakes each.
- Create a small circle all around each of the stakes with chalk.
- Dig a small hole inside the boundaries of the circle. This will designate the area where you will put the supporting posts. Fill each of the holes with 2-inches of gravel.
- Insert the first supporting post into a hole and ensure that it is level. You can provide temporary support using a temporary brace that is clamped to the post that is nearest the stake.
- Fill the hole up halfway with a quick drying concrete. Pout about a gallon of water into the hole and allow the concrete to set. However, do not mix it.
- Repeat these steps for the remaining posts.
- After the post have been set into place, put a heavy beam across the top of the three posts on the left side. Then put an additional beam across the three top post on the right side.
- Insert screws into the shank holes in each of the beams to connect them to the posts.
- Secure the posts and beams using a carriage bolt that you'll attach to each of the shank holes. Put washers and nuts over each of the carriage bolts and tighten them with a socket wrench.
- Put six rafters across the beams to form the roof and space them out evenly.
- You can secure the rafters to the beams using hurricane clips that are connected with a hammer and hot-dipped galvanized bracket nails.