Frequently Asked Questions

I’m interested in buying just the anchor kit for a 6 post pergola. I’m going to build one myself but haven’t seen any anchors as sturdy looking as yours. Do you sell them separately or do you have an idea where I might find anchors just like yours?

We don’t normally sell the anchor kits without the pergolas. They are welded by hand and we include them at a discounted price on our site as a convenience to our pergola kit buyers. If you’d like a set, we’ll make one for you at the discounted price. If you click on any of the pergola photos on our pergola page, you’ll see a larger image of the same photo. Below the photo you’ll find a long list of pergola kit prices and the anchor kit is at the bottom of the list. You can click the “add to cart” button and order it online. If you prefer to order via email or phone, just contact us and we’ll either call or send an invoice per your instruction. Allow 2 weeks for ship out.

We are in the first stages of laying out a ground-level patio that is 12 feet squared. We have dug up the ground, laid plastic, and several feet of sand. The area is also leveled, and tomorrow we will be digging a trench for weeping tile around the top side of the very small slope that the patio lays on.

I have seen the photos on your web site on how to install the 4 posts into a cement style flooring. But, we will be laying down slate, granite, and stone of all different sizes onto the sand. How do we go about stabilizing the 4 main posts? My husband thinks we need to go just outside of the 12 foot square on each corner, dig post holes, level them, and fill the holes in as the starting point. Is my husband on the right track?

There are many ways to do it. You can attach the posts directly on the slate with our anchoring kit, but the slate may crack at installation or down the road. Ask your slate contractor how much weight/stress it can take. The pergola will add about 300 lbs per post.

You can do as your husband suggests, and place the posts outside the slate deck. Dig 3 feet down, add a bit of rebar and then fill with concrete. The structure will always be stronger if you bury the posts 3 feet in the ground.

If you don’t like the idea of having the posts outside the slate deck, build the pergola prior to placing down the slate. Place the posts where you’d like and do the same as mentioned above. Then build the slate deck around the posts. If you decide to place the posts within the slate deck, just keep in mind when pouring the concrete for the posts to pour to only within a few inches of ground level. This way the concrete around the post base will not interfere with the slate installation afterwards.

If we simply dig down the 4 feet, just below the frost line, then line each post up straight, back fill in, wouldn’t that be good enough, or would we have to do each post in cement?

Yes, you can do it the way you are describing, but it won’t be very strong and may move around over time. If you don’t want to use cement to save money you can do it the old-fashioned way. In the old days, fence posts were secured by jamming medium sized rocks into the hole with a steel rod. This is still done as an effective way to secure posts inexpensively. Just place the post in place below the frost line and add just enough backfill dirt and small stones to keep it level and upright.  Then start throwing in larger stones/rocks and jam them in. Continue until you are just a few inches from the top. Then add dirt to finish and seal it up. Or, to make it a bit stronger–and not spend much money–you can add just a bit of concrete. Water the mix so it will seap down through the stones to the bottom of your holes. The post holes don’t need to be more than about 10″ to 12″ wide.

[The following is an example from an email exchange.]

In the course of remodeling our home we will be building a pergola as designed by our architect. The pergola will be placed on top of our front deck built over the garage. The deck framing is 2×10 joists, to which we would attach the columns/posts of the arbor. The upper would be bolted to the front stucco wall. [Customer sent us the detailed plans from his architect.] Can you let us know if it is possible to customize something for us? And if so, what would the price be?

Thank you for your detailed email. We can make a beautiful pergola for your second story balcony. There are many ways to do this. From the drawings, it looks like the pergola is approximately 23 feet wide and about 10 feet tall. Because you are in California, we can deliver, assemble and install it for you.

If the pergola roof exceeds 20 feet in width (it looks like it does), we’ll have to add a third post to support it. Attaching to the house shouldn’t be a problem.

Total cost including delivery, assembly, installation and sales tax will be between $6,400 to $9,700 depending on the size and the options you choose. To figure an exact quote I’d need the following:

1. The exact height, width and length of the pergola’s roof you’d like.
2. Whether you’d like the rafters and roof timbers to be spaced the standard 18″ on center or if you’d like more shade and have them spaced 15″ or 12″ on center. Going to 15″ on center spacing increases the amount of wood and the price by 7%. Going to 12″ on center spacing adds 12% to the 18″ on center price.
3. The grade of redwood you choose (read more about our grades of wood). The redwood grade you choose will lower or increase your price within a 30% range.

We will try to reach you by phone to discuss further. Once we’ve agreed on the details, we can have the set built and installed in 2 to 3 weeks. Thanks again for considering us.

I am concerned regarding the method of attaching the pergola posts to my deck framing. What is your experience here? The deck is framed with 2×10 and currently decked with plywood. It has yet to be waterproofed and can be torn up if needed. Should we use Simpson Ties or the like to mount the post to the deck joists?

You can attach the pergola using off-the-shelf “Simpson Ties” brand metal anchors. Just lag bolt them into the wood framing of your deck and then bolt the posts to the decking.

All the timbers are notched into one another to distribute stresses throughout the structure. The roof slats at the top of the roof are notched into the roof rafters below. The roof rafters are notched into the roof support timbers and the roof support timbers are notched into the posts. All the notching creates a “web effect” that is structurally very strong. All the timbers are full dimension. For example, the roof rafters are real 2″ x 6″ (not like a hardware store 2×6 that is really only 1 1/2″ x 5 1/2″).

All of the hardware used to reassemble the pergola is included and is stainless steel—except the post anchors. Whether you purchase our anchoring kit or use Simpson Ties, these are standard steel (cannot get the ties in stainless). If you order our anchoring kit, we’ll send the metal anchors, anchor bolts (for concrete) or lags (for securing to wood decks) plus the lag bolts to bolt the posts to the metal anchors. Our anchor kits include the wood trim pieces to create a “boot” around the base of the posts to hide the metal in an attractive way.

I’d like to have a couple custom attached Pergolas built and installed. Can you help me with permitting if necessary? I need it to pass Florida’s code regulations. Can you provide whatever plans, drawings or specifications that I could take to the county to pull permits, or do I need to hire a architect? Is there anything you can provide as a drawing sample?

We can send detailed drawings and basic structural calculations, but you’ll best be served by taking them to a local architect to adjust to local requirements to pull the permits. Each local government’s building department approaches pergolas in a different manner. Some are easier than others and it is not practical to attempt to navigate the local rules from California. The smaller pergolas (under 120 square feet) usually do not require permits, but a large pergola likely will.

Sample Custom Attached Pergola Drawing

Once we’ve figured out what we are building—the dimensions, wood grade, finish option, and features—we’ll send a detailed invoice for your approval.

Since you want to attach the pergolas to your house, we’ll need some photos of the install areas to make sure every issue is considered ahead of time. Nothing fancy—just a couple digital photos from different angles so we’ll understand what you are doing and can make the drawings taking what is already in place into account.

After a deposit has been placed on the order, the first thing we’ll do is prepare a set of auto cad drawings and specific structural calculations for the roof and posts of each structure (3 business days). You can then review the drawings and make any necessary adjustments. We’ll turnaround the final drawings back to you within a couple business days to then take to your architect to fine tune for presentation to the local building department.

Although we normally make our own structural metal connectors for the pergolas, if you’re pulling permits for your pergola it is often best to use “off the shelf” connectors from the hardware store (like Simpson Ties, for example).