Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: Brookenstein on November 20, 2005, 05:46:07 pm
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I finally found a pic of a pergola that suits our needs and the man and I actually agree on.
(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/imnosupermom/pergola-lg.jpg)
I'm curious how others went about the process. The pic I found didn't come with plans or anything. Can I take it to Home Depot or Lowes and have them help redesign it so we know what materials we need? How long did it take you to do? How would you rate the difficulty level of this type of project?
Thanks for any advice/input. :)
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Hi,
When I moved into my new place, the first thing I did was build a pergola. I looked at a bunch online and then designed one in 3d and built it... Here are the pics. The cost for lumber was $350.00.
(http://www.stefanavalos.com/pergola3d01.jpg)
(http://www.stefanavalos.com/pergola3d02.jpg)
(http://www.stefanavalos.com/pergolareal.jpg)
Building a pergola is actually pretty simple. For your design, the parts that will be the trickiest are the diagonal supports. Mine, as you can see, were just basic 4x4.s
It looks as though you want fancier edges also - once you have a template drawn on paper, you can cut them all at once.
With boards as long as you're going to want, the easiest way to make cuts is with a circular saw - on two saw horses at the build site. Curves in this setting are harder cuts then straight cuts... things to think about.
Also, though my pergola is freestanding, this is not the norm. Generally you dig footers, pour concrete and attach the vertical 4x4's to that. That will probably take you the longest amount of time and energy.
There are a lot of good online plans. I would suggest mixing and matching ideas. google - "how to build a pergola".
Once I planned it and bought the lumber, I built the thing in about half a day. Obviously, from the pictures, you can see that it's not quite finished, and that the plants etc. still have to be set. Also, we have a bamboo top on it - to protect from the SOCAL sun. That was done after the fact.
The pergola in your pic looks pretty massive. Instead of 4x4's, it appears that the vertical supports are 6x6's. They even look to be 12 feet high.
If you went with 4x4s that pic would break down into (without the caps and diagonals, basically the body of the beast:
4 10 ft 4x4's
16 12 ft 2x6's
Lag bolts would attach much of it.
tools required - circular saw, power drill, hammer, chisel, measuring tape!!! straight edge!!! level!!!! :)
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Hey, Brookenstein! I really like that design :). I found a design that I loved, and modified it to fit my deck which has one side on an angle. I did the planning by looking at a picture I found on the net:
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b260/ssbraun92/cabanaspa.jpg)
The difficulty is directly related to your skill level...have you framed deck / fences etc. before? Overall, it is not at all difficult to build one if you understand the basics of framing / measuring / cutting and have a plan to anchor your 4 corner supports. Straight, plumb, and square corner posts are the hardest part! Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions!
Steve
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Looks like a nice afternoon project............... ;D
If you're looking to do that exact same thing, the outer profile of the roof 2x6's were probably cut with a very large hole saw. The diagonal supports are going to be difficult to get the curve consistent without some pretty good machinery. You might want to run one direction of the roof 2x6's OVER the other so as to not have to notch them together.
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Brooke....love that design!! I'm printing it out to show husband. We want to build one also and that's a great looking one!
Yes, Home Depot will help you with the design and give you a materials list. When we were going to do a deck, my husband and one of their guys designed it--no cost involved for the service.
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I finally found a pic of a pergola that suits our needs and the man and I actually agree on.
(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/imnosupermom/pergola-lg.jpg)
I'm curious how others went about the process. The pic I found didn't come with plans or anything. Can I take it to Home Depot or Lowes and have them help redesign it so we know what materials we need? How long did it take you to do? How would you rate the difficulty level of this type of project?
Thanks for any advice/input. :)
Depends on your skill level and ability, and the power tools you have. 6x6's can be a bugger to cut and a curve will make it difficult (looks like the post's are 6x6) You will need a heavy duty jig saw or sawzall and belt sander or an upright bandsaw. 2x6's for the top are resonably easy to work with and notching half way to fit the intersecting pieces together is simple to cut but a bit more difficult to fit. Make sure to use a soft wood, ceder or redwood will make it easy to work with.
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I have also been looking for pergola ideas and I have to hurry. I know it has to be easier to build it before the tub is installed. I was wondering about your material list, ssbraun. I am guessing that the supports are sandwiched 2x4s( or are they 4X4s?) between 2-2x6 (if that is correct, then could you could attach the 2x4s or 4X4s to the deck joists and then attach the 2x6's on the top of the decking) The 2X6s on the top rest on the top of the outside 2X6s eliminating the need to notch and just attach them with lag bolts. (right?) Tell me about the 2X6 in the center, they appear to float. The round ends of the 2X6 would not be too difficult but I would think you could make a pattern of any kind of design and follow it for each. Are the horozontal pieces on the top 2X2s? I really like the look of the smaller boards for the top. This looks like a project that I can work out and do with minimal fighting with my husband! Would you mind posting a material list? Thanks so much ::)
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I have also been looking for pergola ideas and I have to hurry. I know it has to be easier to build it before the tub is installed. I was wondering about your material list, ssbraun. I am guessing that the supports are sandwiched 2x4s( or are they 4X4s?) between 2-2x6 (if that is correct, then could you could attach the 2x4s or 4X4s to the deck joists and then attach the 2x6's on the top of the decking) The 2X6s on the top rest on the top of the outside 2X6s eliminating the need to notch and just attach them with lag bolts. (right?) Tell me about the 2X6 in the center, they appear to float. The round ends of the 2X6 would not be too difficult but I would think you could make a pattern of any kind of design and follow it for each. Are the horozontal pieces on the top 2X2s? I really like the look of the smaller boards for the top. This looks like a project that I can work out and do with minimal fighting with my husband! Would you mind posting a material list? Thanks so much ::)
Bonibelle, the posts are 4x4s, the posts are capped on the sides with 2x6s, the top pieces are 2x2's, the center 2x6 "beam" hangs from 2 4x4's which are sandwiched between the 2 beams running L to R across your screen. The posts are bolted to my pre-existing deck, and the beams at the top are all bolted into place. As far as building it before the tub is placed, that'd be ok as long as you leave the top open and the tub will fit thru the opening! I built mine after the tub. Mine is not square, it looks like this:
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b260/ssbraun92/DSC00841.jpg)
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b260/ssbraun92/DSC00845.jpg)
I don't have a material list, but you got all the sizes right on, so it shouldn't take you much to figure based on your design (height, length, width play a big part).
It's not hard; remember it's not a church, it's a pergola, so everything doesn't have to be perfect ;). Hope this helps! PM me if you need more info.
Steve
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Thank you so much, that is the design that I want. I jusr love the 2X2 on top. I may pre drill and set everything up first on the ground and after the tub is in place just put it together. My husband has a tendency to have accidents during construction projects so I was imagining his drill falling into the hot tub. If I make the top on the ground first, it will just be a matter of setting it in place on the posts.
Brooke thanks for this post!
You will not believe the hours that I have spent searching for a design that would work and that I could do mostly myself.
Brooke would this type of design work for you as well?
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My husband has a tendency to have accidents during construction projects so I was imagining his drill falling into the hot tub.
Put the cover on the tub, cover it in a canvas drop cloth, like you'd use for painting, and two 4x8 sheets of plywood (fits perfectly over an 8x8 tub)
You can stand on the tub to work.
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ssbraun,
great looking pergola!
I have a question about the first pic... is that a ghost standing in the glass door of your house ?
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Thanks for all the feedback.
We have no formal training... but we learn pretty quickly on do it yourself projects. I drywalled the kitchen and the man hung cabinets and did the countertop of our old house.
My main problem is that the man is an 80%er and so who knows how long it would take for him to actually complete the project.
I will show him the other pic and see what he thinks about it. It looks a lot easier to build than the one I picked out.
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Bonibelle, the posts are 4x4s, the posts are capped on the sides with 2x6s, the top pieces are 2x2's, the center 2x6 "beam" hangs from 2 4x4's which are sandwiched between the 2 beams running L to R across your screen. The posts are bolted to my pre-existing deck, and the beams at the top are all bolted into place. As far as building it before the tub is placed, that'd be ok as long as you leave the top open and the tub will fit thru the opening! I built mine after the tub. Mine is not square, it looks like this:
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b260/ssbraun92/DSC00841.jpg)
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b260/ssbraun92/DSC00845.jpg)
I don't have a material list, but you got all the sizes right on, so it shouldn't take you much to figure based on your design (height, length, width play a big part).
It's not hard; remember it's not a church, it's a pergola, so everything doesn't have to be perfect ;). Hope this helps! PM me if you need more info.
Steve
Hi Steve....Mark here....how much would you charge to help me with mine??? Your's looks awesome. I definitely like the privacy aspect of yours. For those of you down south, we up here in Calgary have awfully small lots typically, so you're always looking for extra privacy for hot tubs, bbq's, etc.
BTW, your water looks identical to mine.
Mark
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ssbraun,
great looking pergola!
I have a question about the first pic... is that a ghost standing in the glass door of your house ?
Thanks for the compliment :D. You have no idea how hard it was for me to figure the "ghost" out: its my dog (a Norwegian Elkhound) inside, facing the door with her head down and curly tail up ;D ;D
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Hi Steve....Mark here....how much would you charge to help me with mine??? Your's looks awesome. I definitely like the privacy aspect of yours. For those of you down south, we up here in Calgary have awfully small lots typically, so you're always looking for extra privacy for hot tubs, bbq's, etc.
BTW, your water looks identical to mine.
Mark
Thanks, Mark! PM me and I'll help out however I can...
Steve
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ssbraun,
How long did it take you to build it? Approximately how much did the pergola portion cost (if you don't mind saying)?
That one looks significantly easier to me than the one I picked out... so we may consider doing somthing more like that.
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ssbraun,
How long did it take you to build it? Approximately how much did the pergola portion cost (if you don't mind saying)?
That one looks significantly easier to me than the one I picked out... so we may consider doing somthing more like that.
Hi Brookenstein, It took about 20 hours for the contractor I hired (due to limited free time when we wanted it built). That is for the pergola itself. The removable glass windbreak walls took me about 3 days. The materials for the pergola were $1200 (all cedar); for the glass walls $1000. The labor for the pergola $2000, for the glass walls about $20 beer money ;)
Steve
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If you want plans all you have to do is go to the calspa website and download the manuals for their gazebos. They have 14 different ones listed. Each one has all the dimensions for the lumber and even has the instructions on how to put it together. This will give you an idea on how hard it will be. They are as detailed as you can get. Hope this helps. I actually built the one ssbraun posted.
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rxer, that's great info! I couldn't remember where I found the pic I saved. You can also google "images" for gazebos, pergolas, etc for all sorts of design ideas. It can be as basic or complex as you wish!
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There are a few free plans sites out there. Here's one... http://plans.the3house.com/all_plan_alpha.php
It's alphbetized so try under g for gazebo or p for pergola. I seem to remember that some of the Lowes free ones had materials lists and some construction notes.
Plans Now from Woodsmith have priced plans that are good ones. http://plansnow.com/gazeboarbor.html
U-bild are priced plans but good ones. http://www.u-bild.com/
And you could always try my old standby Lee Valley. They sell a lot of plans as well, some U-bild and some others. http://www.leevalley.com/home/Search.aspx?c=1&action=n
Have fun... paul
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Well.... the man is up to no good again. ;D
My portable pad finally arrived today after 2 weeks of waiting... and now he wants to build a deck instead!?! ???
The hot tub will be here next Tuesday... the electrician this Saturday, and now I have to figure out how to build an f'ing deck in the next week and then find some sucker to buy my portable pad I just forked over $300 for.
We just want a basic 11'10 x 12' ground level deck. We will add the pergola to it later. Any advice input on how to go about this plan? What kind of wood do we use? I'm guessing a trip to Home Depot or Lowes is in order.
Is it possible for us to complete the task in time?
Thanks for the feedback....
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Brooke, we removed several very large bushes, replanted and built the entire deck in 3 days. It would have been faster but we had to wait for the concrete to dry! Remember if you get someone to design this deck for you that you need to support a lot of weight. I believe 100 lbs per sq foot. I drew the plan out and when my hot tub dealer came to do a site survey, I went over everything with him to be sure I was on target.
We built a 12X10 deck and tied it into our existing deck. I don't know how deep your footers need to be in your location, I doubt that you have a "frost line" so the digging and pouring of footers may not be too hard. We used 6- 6X6 posts on top of the poured footers. We used double 2X12 support beams and 2X10 stringers spaced every 12 inches. My friend's husband who really helped me a lot, said he thought it was overkill. I know that is one solid deck and I have no fear that it will safely support the weight of the water and tub. It is approximately 3 feet off the ground. For the decking, we used 5/4 X6X8 pressure treated boards. Since this was all constructed with pressure treated board, it was not as expensive as the redwood or cedar decks that many of the folks on here have built. The total cost was about $750.00 (minus the screws and nails that someone forgot to buy at Lowes!) We still need railings.
You can simplify all of this by taking your requirments to
Lowes, just be sure to tell them the load that you need to support. We rented a big Lowes truck for $19.00 and carted 1200 lbs of concrete and all the wood home.
I would suggest, if you do this, that either YOU hand pick your lumber or ask them to help you and watch what they load.
We have done many projects including 3 other decks on our house in the past. But, since we are not carpenters and it is usually years between projects, we still needed help from a pro. My girlfriend's husband rescued me several times so if you know someone who can be sure things are level and square you may be able to do this.
Alternately, you may be able to hire someone to do the tough parts (setting the poles and hanging the stringers) and you and your husband could put on the decking. My 15 year old drilled the pilot holes and screwed on the decking.
You could include your pergola plan in your deck now and maybe save money. Good luck..you can do this.. ;)
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Well... I called both Home Depot and Lowes. Both stores will not help design a deck or print out a materials list for me. They said I must have an engineer design it then they will help me pull the materials. >:(
Guess we'll stick with plan A and then maybe add a deck around it later.
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Well since you have the spa pad, that may be the best solution. Don't forget the deck will raise your tub up some and maybe that will give you less privacy. Things always seem to work out for the best.
Check out the deck cover (a kind of peaked pergola) on my last post. Good luck at least you know when your spa is coming so you can count down the days. :D