Pergola: Posts and Curves

Designing the pergola was definitely not an artistic process for me. I don't tend to come up with designs out of thin air. Instead, I look and look until I see something that's close to what I want, then I push it this way and that, like the eye doctor does during an exam. How about this? And this? And this?

And then if the design doesn't feel right, I start over. I need that warm fuzzy feeling.


The important thing is that this feeling allows me to move forward. If I don't feel good about the design, I will be tormented by the sight of it for the years to come.

So, after looking at hundreds if not thousands of pergolas and gazebos and pagodas online, I finally saw a photo of a nice rafter design, and it gave me the warm fuzzy. Finally I had the design and could begin cutting the boards. I have two sizes of rafters, so two templates.


I had convinced myself that I could cut the curves using a router and a big cutter bit, buzzing through pressure-treated, wet lumber. No way. So back to my trusty reciprocal saw.

Time to put up the posts. Cheryl helped me with the first four, holding them level while I nailed. But she was gone this afternoon so I put up the remaining two on my own. Bad idea. They weigh a ton so I have them propped up with braces for now.

If someone happened to take a video of me wrestling with these posts, it will surely go viral by tomorrow.