Dilema on a Pergola! Any lumber experts? Please help!

2 years ago

Hi! So I am attaching a pic of a Pergola I feel in love with. We hired a contractor unfortunately on a hasty decision with summer around the corner. I showed him the pic and he said it looked like 8 x 8 beams, quoted me on a 15' by 25' ft size pergola, we agreed and he began extending my concrete floor and digging 6 - 10 x 10" holes. When he showed me the wood he quote, was not even close to the aspect of this one! Was rough and cheap looking. Unfortunately, after doing my research and to achieve this look, would have to use VG Douglas Fir or Cedar and for solid beams that size is crazy expensive (especially at the moment) ! Another suggestion that my contractor said he could do is to cover or wrap around 6x6 redwood cheaper beams with the douglas fir or cedar. Any experts around here with suggestions that can help me guide my contractor to achieve this look as far as wood type and if wrapping beams around might me a problem in the future? Or what do I have to be on top of to make sure he puts them together appropiately. Please help! With the holes areday dugged in my patio I have no other option but to find a solution!Thanks a million...

Featured Answer

3onthetree

2 years ago

You don't say what wood was purchased, but I assume treated Southern Yellow Pine. You also don't say if you can afford the Doug Fir or Cedar and want it no matter, or just want to simulate the natural color or woodgrain of timbers.

But, you can easily wrap columns, the beams/braces/runners/trellis not so much without causing proportion problems and logistics in doing so.

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Comments (12)

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Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
A picture of something with no context is useless . I need to see your house and where you are planning this IMO a very heavy looking pergola and would not work well on many homes and IMO even too heavy in the pic you show.
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thanks for some of the comments above..I've done some additional research on the web, there're company sell pergola with the same size however they use 2 thin 2x6by 16 beam for each side and 2x6 rafters as well. they assure that its structurally sound given they have extra corner post/beam, post/rafter 45 deg support bracket ...still 2x6 seemed flimsy... my revised design to see if it makes sense....use same post of 6", 2 2x8 or even 2x10x16 beam...and 2x8 rafters. Perhaps because one uses 2 beam each side, I would use 2 sets of bolt and nut through holes to hold these on... Any suggestions of using 2x8 or 2x10?, 2x10 seems bulky but don't know if 2x8 would be ok structurally. Thanks, Lad
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Since you are in the desert, douglas fir would be fine since you are wanting to paint. Primering before painting and as Fnmroberts advises, at least primer all cut ends, rips, in another words no bare wood before assembling, even where you dont see it. Redwwod and cedar do well when treated as Fmnroberts advises as well, with a good oil based semi-transparent or solid stain depending on whether you want to keep the integrity of the grainig which would be with semi-tramsparent. Solid would appear more like a painted surface. Now's a good time of year in the desert for working with and sealing lumber. In the summer you can almost watch most wood species warp and twist as soon as you unload it from the truck. The hot,dry kills it. We always kept it stacked tight and covered in visquine plastic to try and keep some of the moisture in during the hot months, but you still lose some of it dependent on the project. For larger projects, we tried to order or pick up what we could use and install without leaving a large stack laying around.
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So here's my train of thought on this one. Move the TV to the right of the fireplace (closing up that window), Change the french doors to a 6' wide fixed casement picture window, and add a full-lite swinging door to the short wall to the deck. The goals being 1) your view will actually be much better through a giant picture window than french doors 2) make full use of that former mudroom by fully incorporating it into the kitchen 3) direct traffic around kitchen. We have a mountain view and the house used to have a sliding glass door in the living room. The center frame of the slider went right through the middle of my mountain, so I changed the slider to a big 6' picture window; it frames the mountain perfectly now. We added a full-lite swinging exterior door for access to the deck in a location that doesn't impede view as much. My kitchen isn't much bigger than your mudroom, so I don't exactly know what one would do with approximately 24'x10' worth of designated kitchen space. That's huge. Don't pay too much attention to where I put kitchen fixtures as I just kind of threw them in there. I just wanted to toss out the idea of changing the doors. Also, it's nice to be able to see the fire and the TV at the same time, right? :-)
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Almajess
Original Author
2 years ago
Hi Patricia! It is going to be a total free standing rectanular Pergola (not attached to the house paralle to my house... will attach pics...
Almajess
Original Author
2 years ago
And yes 3onthetree, we are shooting for either VG Doug Fir or Western Red Cedar after lots of research... we know wood is skyrocket right now but we decided to invest in our backyard and make it as an investment.... we saved on other things like I'm doing my own landscaping, no designers, etc...
Almajess
Original Author
2 years ago
Almajess
Original Author
2 years ago
Almajess
Original Author
2 years ago
Almajess
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you both for trying to help and look forward on seeing what you think... THXS :)
3onthetree
2 years ago
I don't understand, your last comment basically says you want and can afford the DG, so replace all the wood, case closed. You gain some span capabilities with DG, but with a pergola it probably won't make a difference.
Almajess
Original Author
2 years ago
Yes, I think we decided to spend on the wood instead of the wrapping chepa one... afraid wont be well done... We got a quote on a RED WOOD CEDAR WRC #2/BTR APPEARANCE, waiting on the DOUG FIR quote... if they are around the same price, which one would you suggest better using? Read a lot Cedar best for pest and lasts longer, but Doug Fir stronger... let me know your thought and really appreciate your help :)
3onthetree
2 years ago
Personal preference, so I couldn't tell ya for your project. But the Vertical Grain DG will become more brownish-red over time if left natural, and can't remember if Western Red Cedar is more pinkish or reddish than even Eastern Red Cedar. But you look like you are Southeastern LA area, so Redwood is a 3rd choice common in Cali? Get samples to verify your selections if the prices don't dictate it for you.
Almajess
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you! They offered me a Douglass Fir about half the price of Red Western Cedar and Ended up choosing the Cedar… I did research and they told me DOug Fir tend to bend and look crooked and that Cedar is better…. I’ll let u know how it will come! Thank U

Dilema on a Pergola! Any lumber experts? Please help!

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