How to Build a freestanding Pergola

Learn how to build a freestanding pergola for your backyard in 3 days. This budget-friendly step-by-step instruction will guide you.

Small backyard makeover with diy freestanding pergola to create outdoor living room

The time has finally arrived to stop dreaming and start creating our beautiful backyard with a freestanding pergola. I have been designing and redesigning this space for years. Now it’s time to actually put these plans to use.

A few years back, we had installed bluestone pavers from Cambridge Pavers Inc. They were laid out in a beautiful pattern using four different size pavers. I am so thrilled with the results! After the completion of the pavers project in our backyard, the project came to a halt, as with a lot of our projects.

We have a tendency to not complete our projects.

We are determined to see this backyard makeover completed with a pergola as the main feature (fingers crossed). I have tons of great ideas I want to incorporate into this space.

Features we want to create in our backyard

Our backyard is quite small, so it would be no easy feat to add all the things I want in there. Some say bigger isn’t always better, but I sure wouldn’t mind a few extra feet in my backyard.

Features I would like to add:

• Freestanding Pergola – One of the prominent features I want to add is a pergola. I love the coziness and the comfortable feeling you get sitting under a pergola or an outdoor room.
• Wood fence – Gray wood fence with climbing plants
• Outdoor kitchen- This is a must have… We love to barbeque, incorporate a small kitchen area would be ideal.
• Dining table and chairs – We want to have a long dining table to accommodate 8-10 people. We love to dine al fresco.
• Outdoor seating – Seating for under the pergola to enjoy the days of summer.
• Accessories and plants to give beauty to the backyard.

First project for the backyard – DIY pergola

There are so many great selections of pergola kits for sale, but finding the right look and in our budget was a challenge. We also needed a very specific size pergola because of our limited space. I pitched the idea to build the freestanding pergola it to my husband and he said let’s do it. And I say go for it!

There are a few things to consider in advance before you embark on a project this size.

Keep in mind the type of climate you live in

When considering pergola, be sure to keep in mind the type of climate you live in. If you live in an area with hot weather, you’ll want a roof that will block the sun rays. You can install a retractable awning to control when you want shade. If you live in an area with a lot of snow, be sure to build a structure that can withstand the weight of a lot of snow.

What do you want the pergola to look like?

Do you like the look of the clean lines of a modern pergola?

Or traditional style?

What type of roof do you want? Here are some styles to consider.

A gabled pergola consists of a downward sloping rooftop. It can give you the feeling of being indoors while enjoying your outdoor settings. This type of pergola will provide you with shelter from light rain and harsh sun.

If you are interested in a look that is different from your everyday traditional pergola, you may want to consider an arched style structure. Although arched pergolas are more complicated and expensive to build, they are very unique in appearance. It can create an impressive addition to your outdoor space.

Then, there is the pitched pergolas that are attached to a section of your home and have a single slope downward toward the other end of the pergola. This can expand your home’s living space perfectly. Placing a barbeque grill and seating can create an extension of your home to enjoy dining al fresco and your backyard getaway. However, being that the pergola is attached to the house, you would have to check with your local municipalities with the regulations for construction.

Searching for inspirations on Pinterest, Houzz and other bloggers

I searched endlessly on Pinterest, Houzz, and other bloggers for ideas. There are so many beautiful inspiring outdoor spaces with pergolas. My husband and I finally selected the style of the pergola we want to have in our backyard. You can see some of the backyard inspirations I have gathered here in my introduction post to my backyard makeover.

I came up with a style concept considering how we want the feel to be in our outdoor space. Using everything from furniture to accessories and plants to serve our objectives. We are still meandering through some of the ideas that best fit this backyard. But we have the basic idea.

DIY freestanding pergola for our backyard

We had to consider the overall size of the freestanding pergola, including the shade canopy/overhang. Also, had to determine the outside dimensions and the height. We decided the perfect size for our space would be 9 ft. by 12 ft. pergola. It should fit well over the furniture we chose.

The height of our pergola is 8-foot tall. The rafters on top will eventually add another 4 inches to the height. Keep in mind when determining the height of the pergola the method of mounting the structural post you will use. If you are mounting it with concrete footing or using mounting brackets. If you are using concrete footing you will need an additional 2 to 3 feet of length for your post which will be in the ground.

Tools required

• measuring tape
• circular saw
• Chop saw
• Clamps
• caulk gun
• Mallet
• drill
• hammer
• carpenter’s square
• 4′ level
• Quick square

Materials needed to build the freestanding pergola

• 6 – 2x8X10 pressure-treated wood
• 2″, 3″ galvanized drive screws
• 10 – 2X6X12 pressure treated wood for the rafters
• 4 galvanized steel post brackets
• stain
• Wood filler

Step-by-step instruction on how to build the freestanding pergola

Prepare the support beams and rafters for installation. The support beams attach to the posts and carry the load of the structure.

Screwed the post brackets into the pavers. Placed the 6×6 post in the brackets and screwed the post onto the brackets. Remember to check that the post is plumb using a four-foot level as you go.

We installed the 2 x 8 beams by placing them within the notches of the 6 x 6 post. Then fastened the beams together on either side of the post – an inner and outer beam.

Instead of screwing the rafter atop of the beams, my husband notched out the rafters for them to securely wedge between the beams. First, he sandwiched all the 2 X 6 rafters, and using a circular saw he made several cuts across and notched out the wood.

Placed the rafters snug into place and fastened with 4″ screws for added stability. Also, this will also keep all the rafters aligned. You can use a rubber mallet to pound into place.

We used white stain instead of paint for more durability.

The rafters secured on top of the support beams. We are using ten rafters as the roof. We also used 1″ X 2″ cross members going across the opposite direction for stability using 5″ galvanized screws at each end. Make sure all the rafters are level.

We painted the cinder block wall with grey concrete stain to give it a fresh look.

Pergolas are the perfect solution for creating a cozy and inviting backyard space.

Pergolas will help you regardless of the season by adding style and shelter from the elements. Add your own style to make it your own!

Our DIY freestanding pergola for our backyard makeover is complete!

I am beyond thrilled at the way our DIY pergola looks.

Without a doubt, we are truly enjoying our backyard makeover with our new freestanding pergola. We are already getting a glimpse of how much we are going to enjoy this space. I am so excited to continue to work on this backyard to create our outdoor oasis and an area to have our family and friends together.

To build this freestanding pergola in our backyard took 3 days from start to finish. However, my husband put in at least 10 hours each day. He basically built this pergola on his own with some assistance of my son. If you ask him, he says it was a fairly easy project. Kudos to my husband Anthony, he did a great job!

Stay tuned for more DIY projects for our backyard makeover. Looking forward to sharing our next outdoor project with you.

Thank you for visiting!