Attached Pergolas

Attached pergolas are potentially the most inexpensive and easy to add to a yard. A basic one to provide patio style shade can have only two 5″ square posts and still provide all the shade you need. For instance, some friends recently bought a new construction home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Like most new homes, it did not come with any backyard landscaping. Buyers are lucky to get a fence these days! The first thing they did was put up an attached pergola to provide some relief from the hot southwestern sun. They chose cedar wood for the pergola because it perfectly fit the Southwestern style of the house. Attaching it to the joists at the back of the house, they wanted to match as much as possible to the existing wood trim.

Of course, attached pergolas come in many variations of or materials. A retired couple has a vinyl one attached to their patio at their summer lake house in Minnesota. Vinyl is excellent for needing minimal upkeep, especially in harsher weather conditions with a lot of moisture like rain or melting snow. Their adult children helped to build it, and they were very happy their parent’s chose an attached pergola! The materials cost was lower since they needed less posts thanks to using a side of the house for support, and they were able to put it up a lot faster.

Attached pergolas don’t have to have only two support posts. They can be built in many sizes and shapes. There can be as many posts as are needed to create the size & shape desired. It can be attached to a roof line at the top and then placed in the ground, on a concrete patio or on a deck. They can be square, rectangular or even cut at various lengths on the roof line to appear curved. There can be extensions attached to the posts to create more decorative corners with lattice work. When attached to a deck, the posts also serve as railing support to create a complete fenced in deck.

Most importantly, attached pergolas can provide years of enjoyment to your outdoor living areas.

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If you’ve decided that you really want to add a pergola to your property, then your next step is to check out our Guide to Building a Pergola in One Weekend. 

Related Posts:

1. Pergola Plans vs Pergola Kits
2. Do I Need a Permit to Build a Pergola?
3. 5 Tips Before You Build a Pergola