GardenStructure.com

The most important difference is in Support-- We offer free on-line support while you build by email. When you have questions--we give you answers normally within 24 hours. When we receive support emails (very rare), that normally triggers an update within a month or two. Common questions are published to the support area of the website for other people that bought earlier versions. If you buy our plans through stores like Lee Valley Tools or your local lumber yard support is also Free.



 If you are one of our builders you get free support by phone if required.

Our Pergola Plans are often adaptable, and in this case--so are our trelliswork details. 

We tell you what material types are suitable, What tools you need, and give you general material lists. This project features a trelliswork that you can make in a number of sizes, so we included 4', 6' and 8' section material lists.

When it comes to the PRO desegnated plans you will have a material list, broken out into components fore more complex pergolas, however the DIY desegnated plans (do it yourself), will also contain a cut list. Here we have broken the cut list out for all 3 sizes of trelliswork. The pergola portion comes in a separate section of the plans.


We don't just tell you how to build it... in the DIY pergola and fence plans we actually tell you why and touch on more important aspects in woodworking. What is Crown? and Why do Fence posts heave---simple answer, because they didn't use GardenStructure.com Pergola Plans!!!



More teaching before you build!  How to measure and cut more accurately--where to put the nails and how to properly mark using a framing square. Each DIY pergola, fence, or arbor plan will offer specific instructions suited to the project you are going to undertake!


Here is where the Step by Step instructions start. Again, DIY desegnation assumes you have limited skills, so we try to teach you the basics as we go. This page explains how to set pergola, fence or trellis  posts vertically and in line underground. Aligning is key and no, if you set pergola or fence posts properly you won't need to put braces on them at all. (that is the sign of an amateur). These are details WE developed over the past 20 years. We didn't dig these techniques out of books from the early 1900's. Standard construction techniques and detailing that makes your fence, trellis or pergolas last longer.


Our step by step instructions to build a pergola or fence utilize the lessons we learned to make building easier and to much higher quality than any library book or free pergola plans or instructions you will find on line. Assembly line techniques are described that will often cut the time spent building a fence or pergola in half.


Our pergola plans as well as trellis and fence instructions typically utilize materials in dimensions that can be found at your local lumber yard. You may find that milling some materials will be more cost effective, but typically you can leave off decorative bevels if you don't have table saw prowess. We give you simple methods for calculating spacing.


Exploded views are shown where it makes things more clear. Relative dimensions for pergolas are critical This way when you place your pergola posts you can decide how long measurements of beams and rafters will be by measuring the pergola post positions.


Where necessary we will give you pergola and trellis elevations from both directions, again with exploded views. Step by step instructions and material lists that are relative to the size in the drawing. When you change the length or width of the pergola you know what to change in the materials list.


This pergola plan features an adaptable density trelliswork, so we give you very simple methods for calculating the spacing and getting it perfect every time--that's why we taught you how to cut and measure accurately first!


Elevations are repeated to clarify spacings on this page, and showing the dressed up Trellis post caps. This pergola plan can be utilized just to build a privacy or feature screen trellis if desired... this is simply an example.


Sections in addition to the step by step will help illustrate in a second way, this pergola trelliswork. Parts are named for simplicity and reflected in the milling (cut) list.


Special details are always included for any tricky parts. Here we devised a safer method for using a handsaw for long tapered post caps.





Now, when you are cutting rafter templates it is helpful to have a proper template. Our mail order pergola plans all contain a full size rafter template, beam template and knee brace template that tells you how to make a hard copy. The downloadable pergola plans will have a grid version where each space equals one inch. 


Finally, please read our stain guide before you even start building. It explains how we prefinish the materials to get 5-7 years before needing to stain again. Time and time again we have prefinished pergolas, fences, decks and arbors and seen them last nearly a decade before needing to be re-stained. Staining your pergola every year is history as long as you follow our instructions!