Building a pergola

During winter, for the (hopefully) coming up summer, I got into my head the idea of building a pergola around my terrace, to create a beautiful half-open green enclosure.

I started with pencil and paper and developed the construction. About half of my terrace is covered by the rounded balcony of the flat above. I wanted to use this structure, connect to it and extend it outwards.

I got all materials from a local building centre: impregnated wood, steel anchors, screws, and wood preservative stain (Holzschutzlasur).

I learned a lot on the way (for example, proper use of words like Sparren, Pfette and Kopfband :-) and my dad helped me with his tools and experience. (Thanks again!)

Long cuts were made with a table saw (Tischkreissäge), short cuts and 45° angles with a miter saw (Gehrungssäge). For rounded cuts I used a jigsaw (Stichsäge) and for the the decorative hook-ends of the rafters also a hole saw (Lochsäge). Drilling was done partly with a bench drill (Tischbohrmaschine) and partly with a cordless drill (Akkubohrschrauber).

Because in my design some beams come together at "special" angles, I custom-made these brackets from aluminum sheets. (Sawing, filing, drilling, countersinking, bending, burring.)

The posts sit in the ground on small fundaments. I made them from plastic buckets half-filled with concrete, and set them on sand beds in the dug-out holes.

Time to mount it!

One of the corners, before I added the angle braces.

Nearly finished!

It will not get a roof, I will leave it open on top. It is supposed to be mainly a climbing aid (Rankhilfe) for the scarlet runners and hops I will plant in May.