Building a timber pergola in your garden

When you think of renovations to your home the first thing that comes to mind is probably a new kitchen, replacing bathroom tiles, repainting bedroom walls, or adding a second floor to the property but people often forget that there are other kinds of construction that you can do to increase your home’s appeal and that is to build outdoor wooden structures.

Many outdoor structures can be built to decorate and improve your home. Patios and decking are the most common improvements people make to their outdoor spaces, but pergolas can achieve a similar effect for a fraction of the cost—making it an attractive yet cost-effective option for garden remodelling.

A pergola is an outdoor structure composed of four beams and can be open or closed to protect you from the elements, depending on the layout generally, pergolas have two to four open sides. Pergolas can be made out of a variety of different materials, but are most commonly made of wood, aluminium or steel. These are usually large structures that can cover a wide space thereby defining an outdoor living area or acting as an extension of the internal living space. An attached pergola looks like an extension of the home itself, similar to how a front or back patio functions. At least one of the sides of the pergola is attached to or shares the same wall, flooring or beams as the home itself. They can also be combined with latticework or trellises to create a shaded walkway or pathway.

Arbours are similar structures to pergolas but are smaller and simpler in their construction and are often used to decorate or support grapevines. They sometimes have curved arches and can be freestanding or attached to gates and fences.

These outdoor structures are relatively cheap to build especially if you have the skills and tools to construct it yourself. Pergola kits can be bought that include all the relevant sections and materials and come with instructions on how to proceed.

Installing a pergola in your outdoor space provides privacy even outdoors whilst still allowing ample sunlight and breeze to come through its open sides. It can be decorated to your own tastes with garden furniture, plants and lighting to create a relaxed space to entertain guests.

A freestanding pergola that is not connected to any other structure can be used over a hot tub or decked area away from the main house creating an additional feature in the garden and a place to relax and unwind.