One Fine Pergola

While hunting for elk two years ago, Chris and I found ourselves in a meadow waiting for the big one to walk through. We spent the better part of six hours huddled down behind a log, whispering stories to each other and really getting to know each other for the first time. It was then that he mentioned he and his wife wanted to build a pergola in their backyard.  We discussed details.  Even though no one got an elk that year, I did make a great friend, and a new client. 

Chris and Betsy live close to downtown Ashland, Oregon in a beautifully remodeled home. Their attention to detail could possibly rival mine, so I was trying to bring my A game to the table. They had a picture of a pergola that they liked, but it wasn’t exactly what they wanted. That helped us get an initial direction so I could provide an estimate. After a few meetings, and the larger details agreed upon, we were off and running. 

I always try and build projects in our shop, then do the install on site. Chris and Betsy loved this idea because they rent out one of their rooms, and wanted little to no disturbance on site. I love this idea because as a carpenter, the shop is a great place to be. A pergola of this quality demands the best materials. For this project we ordered kiln dried, clear grade cedar. All the main beams are notched into each other, glued, and then lagged together from the top. Everything is stained prior to bringing it on site. This way we get stain inside all the areas that would have been missed if the pergola was built on site, and then stained at the finish. The posts are secured to the concrete patio with Simpson base posts and bolts installed with epoxy. We wrapped the bottoms to cover the metal connection. I don’t like to see metal connections unless they are aesthetically pleasing, so we painted any metal bolts or lag screws a flat black. At the end we actually go around with a tiny brush to give them a final coat. It is the small details that matter most.

It took two weeks in the shop to complete this project, and two days of install on site. The final product was better than I could have imagined. Cedar is gorgeous when stained, and incredibly durable. The tight grain and quality of this wood is as good as it gets. This pergola has a very clean, classy look. At the same time it will withstand the worst of Mother Nature’s elements.




See more pergolas by Jovick Construction.