Spring is here and the as the days lengthen, we look forward to spending more time outdoors. Hosting meals in the backyard is always popular, but often, as spring turns to summer, some added shade would be welcomed.

Rather than haul out a tarp covered frame, consider building a lovely backyard pergola. This permanent structure will add beauty and value to you home.

To do this yourself, you should be a fairly experienced Do-it-yourselfer, or you might consider hiring a local handyman to follow these plans and create a small retreat for you and your family.

Here’s an overview of the project:

What looks like the toughest part of this project is actually the easiest—the graceful, solid-looking columns. They’re not wood at all but a hollow-core composite material with amazing structural strength and durability. We’ve designed the project so you simply slip these columns over treated 4×4 posts embedded in concrete. When screwed to the wooden posts, these columns provide a stable, solid base for the overhead lattice framework.

These paintable precast columns are available by special order at home centers. They come in a wide variety of diameters and heights and architectural styles. Expect to pay about $200 or more for each column.

Pressure-treated dimensional 2x8s and 2x10s make up the majority of the upper framework, and the decorative end pieces are cut with a jigsaw from our pattern. The whole project can be built in a couple of weekends, with another weekend for staining and painting. You’ll spend about $2,400, including the cost of the columns.

We built our pergola over an existing stone patio; that saved a lot of patio work. If you’re planning to install a patio as part of your overall project, you’ll need to allow extra time.

Choosing the Right Location
Because this project is made to stand independent of the house, you can either locate it right near your house as we did or let it stand alone in the garden. You can also consider using wood chips or gravel as a floor or even pour a concrete slab underneath. By keeping it unattached (about 4 in. from the eaves), you don’t have to deal with moving existing gutters or matching eaves. You also don’t have to mess with frost footings (in colder climates). However, if you have clay soil, it’s best to dig to frost depth (if greater than 24 in.) for your footings to prevent frost heave.

Our existing patio was built over a sand and compacted gravel base, so we removed only the stones necessary to dig the 12-in. diameter holes to secure the posts. You’ll most likely have a different situation. If you’ll be adding a patio later, be sure to pour all the footings at the finished patio height. Keep in mind any slope you’ll include in the patio. Most patios slope about 1/8 in. per foot to drain.

YOu can read all the details HERE