Pergola build

[Nictrix]

How about chamfering the ends where the 2 beams meet down to the level that your rafters will go, that way you can do a straight cut on the rafters and once in place you wont see the join.

[ihadablackdog]

Thank-you. Just spent a few minutes trying to understand that, but I think I do now.

I think that would be a good solution as the diamond shape would need to be carved out with a chisel because the jigsaw or circular saw won’t do it, but a flat end on the cut is fine.

I’ll think about cutting the inside square as well cos that will make it easy and probably would never notice anyway.

[ihadablackdog]

Only drawback I can see is access to that end, that’s on the corner of the patio and the grass is uneven, had to balance on dodgy make shift supports for the step ladder to screw the beams in.

Think I need a longer step ladder anyway, so I can get above the height of the rafters because I’m screwing them into the front and side beams and then putting the strapping across the top (which is 1x2 pt batons, apparently with a slight green tinge from the treatment, so might need to stain that so it doesn’t stand out too much).

So should be able to do it from above leaning over the post from inside.

[ihadablackdog]

Ordered a 12 way combination ladder thing that bends in all sorts of ways (hopefully it doesn’t bend under my weight).

Hopefully be able to get a decent position to work from.

[ihadablackdog]

Good day yesterday….got the rest of the rafters cut to length and all except 4 are notched. Although I’m not happy with the first one that I notched so might redo that one, and have to tweak the middle notch on most so that the front one sits totally flush.

Did as you suggested and cut the 45 degree corner at 45 degrees allowing for a flat edge to the notch.

Got some batons on Friday (PT unfortunately, but hopefully they will blend in) so there is a chance I could finish the notching and install the batons today.

(photos not in order, too fiddly to change on an iPhone)

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[Pondrew]

Excellent job, well done

[Nictrix]

Thats exactly what I meant about chamfering the end, glad it went well and it looks great.

[ihadablackdog]

Thats exactly what I meant about chamfering the end, glad it went well and it looks great.

Yeah, worked well and much neater than I would’ve ended up with. Thanks for the suggestion.

[ihadablackdog]

So this is how I made my notches:
1. Mark with pencil
2. Cut edges with hand saw to make them neat (managed to get all cuts in line).
3. Make multiple cuts with circular saw
4. Whack with hammer
5. Tidy up with circular saw in sideways motion.

(The 45 degree ones were the same, just cutting on the angle).

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[ihadablackdog]

All rafters tweaked and screwed in place!!!!

Next step is the strapping on the top, placed the first piece on top to try and work out overhang etc.

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[ihadablackdog]

FINISHED!!!!!

(I will add some corner braces at some point, but just for show, it’s sturdy without them).

Put the strapping on tonight. Not happy with the wood, it’s PT 2x1 and I guess the colour doesn’t match, but hoping the lot will weather and it won’t be so obvious, but then most people wouldn’t care or notice anyway).

Got to say thank you to Pondrew, Chippie, Nicktrix for all your help, advice and support, it really helped me do a much better job than I would’ve done otherwise.

Will put the seating back tomorrow and crack open that Thatchers that I promised myself 2 weeks ago

Final screw!!!!

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[Bombardino]

Cracking job mate, if you don’t mind me asking what was the total price of materials?

[ihadablackdog]

Too scared to add it up to be honest!

Timber was about £950 from sawmill about 50 miles away, it’s all (except the top strapping) either Larch or Douglas Fir and sourced from local forests, some from Dartmoor. About £100 of that was delivery but there’s no way I could get the long lengths home. The PT strapping was about £30 from local builders merchant for 7 lengths of 4.2m…only used about 5 in the end.

Initially priced all the wood from Travis Perkins for PT kiln dried etc, that would’ve been about £650 without the 6x6 posts as most places don’t do that size, hence going to sawmill.

The post bases and beam supports were horrendous as they had to come from America, about £250 in total, which is ridiculous really, but that’s what we wanted. They are really well built (heavy!).

Also bought several different sizes of screw. All Spax from Wickes.

I bought a load of other tools and stuff to do this project, but obviously those will be reused etc.

So not cheap, although prices for timber are elevated at the moment, don’t know what it would’ve been at pre-pandemic prices.

So, including new tools, between £1500 and £2000 I reckon.

Took me about 2 and a half weeks but I didn’t work on it every day….was only meant to take about 5!!!

[Chippie]

That’s a really good job you’re done there and you should be very proud of yourself, the cost of the tools can be offset against the labour costs you have saved by doing it yourself and will come in for any future projects, you might even make some pocket money doing jobs for your neighbours now they can see how skilled you are

[ihadablackdog]

That’s a really good job you’re done there and you should be very proud of yourself, the cost of the tools can be offset against the labour costs you have saved by doing it yourself and will come in for any future projects, you might even make some pocket money doing jobs for your neighbours now they can see how skilled you are

Thankyou.

Not sure about the neighbours though….guy next to me lent me his his planer/thickenesser and I broke it, so repairing or replacing it is another cost