Making the arches & Trellis

Showing the "ears" on the pergola

.

The first stage of making the arches involves cutting the “ears” (left), which support the ends of the arches. Left below: Cut a suitable length of treated 75 x 75 mm softwood. Centre below: Mark the extent of the straight part of the cut which will make the “ear” shape. Left below: Use a rip saw blade to make the straight cut. My 10 inch blade just about cuts to 75 mm depth.

Steps in making the pergola aches

Below: Right use a template to mark out the curved section and, left, band saw it out.

Making the pergola arch 2

Below: I cut suitable lengths of 38 x 11 mm timber (ripped down from 38 x 25, selected to be as knot free as possible) and bent them in between the “ears”. I use three laminations and don’t bother to angle the cut ends. I painted the arch with preservative after construction and assume it will get into layers of the lamination. (I use clear, spirit-based stuff as I feel that gets into places the water-based preservative won’t – just based on a feeling!)

Bending the arch laminations

Below: I clamped the laminations together while I constructed the trellis which will ultimately hold it all together.

The laminations for the arch in place

Below, left: To make the trellis, first cut a piece of 38x19mm stuff to fit tightly between the two “ears” so it just touches the top of the arch. Then screw the two bits together at that point. Below, right: Then fit another piece above the first. Then mark where the curve of the arch comes on a short piece of 38 x 19 mm and cut it to size.

Making the pergola trellis 1

Below, left: The piece with its mark. Below, right: Tap it into place and screw it to the “ears”.

making the pagoda trellis 2

Below, left: Cut a piece to fit into the middle. When you are happy about the spacing, screw the parts together. Below, right: Add the remaining vertical parts using gauges to keep everything as even as possible.

Making the pagoda trellis 3

Below, left: Lastly, screw through the arch into the ends of the verticals. Keep clamping the laminations together while doing this to ensure that they fit tightly together. Below, right: This part is done!

Making the pagoda trellis 4

Next, the “roof” for the pergola. This is made out of 30 x 5 mm mild steel bar (this is black stuff coated with mill scale – it mellows down to a pleasant rust colour in a few weeks and will last at least thirty years, I reckon except in extreme coastal areas).

Next comes the pagoda style roof.