EASY step-by-steps FOR YOUR SLATTED PERGOLA

Gather your supplies

• Fascia plate – 140 x 45mm H3 treated pine

• Posts – 88 x 88mm H4 treated pine

• Beams – 190 x 45mm H3 treated pine • Rafters – 140 x 45mm H3 treated pine Battens – 42 x 31mm primed treated pine

You’ll also need

Circular saw; drill; long 5mm drill bit; 200mm landscaping screws; spirit level; stringline; tape measure; post-hole digger; 20mm blue metal; wooden pegs; scrap timber for braces; clamps; line level; hammer; chisel; trimmer fitted with chamfer router bit; scrap plywood; jigsaw; sandpaper; exterior acrylic paint in white; painting equipment; 10mm auger bit; M10 x 140mm galvanised cuphead bolts, nuts and washers; spanner; exterior timber filler; concrete mix (2 bags per hole)

FOR YOU TO NOTE When using power tools, wear all safety gear required and refer to your product instructions.

Here’s how

STEP 1 Determine position of existing roof rafters behind fascia. Look for line of nails on the eaves lining. For a tiled roof, lift the first row of tiles to find them. Mark position of rafters on bottom edge of fascia. STEP 2 Use circular saw to cut fascia plate to length and lift against fascia. At 1 end, predrill through plate, fascia and into rafter using a long 5mm drill bit. Attach plate to fascia using a single 200mm landscaping screw. STEP 3 Hold a spirit level under centre of plate and make level. At other end of plate, predrill and screw plate to roof rafter.

STEP 4 Predrill and fix plate to all other rafters. Use 2 screws per rafter.

STEP 5 To mark position of posts, run stringline along side of house to edge of pavers and mark its position. Measure 400mm from this point and use post-hole digger to dig a hole 800mm deep. Repeat for other side of pergola.

STEP 6 To allow for drainage under post, fill bottom of post holes with a 50mm layer of blue metal.

STEP 7 Sit posts in holes and temporarily brace. Set up braces by driving wooden pegs into the ground about 2.5m from posts in line with 2 adjacent faces. Screw scrap timber into pegs and run diagonally to posts. Make posts plumb, then clamp braces to them. STEP 8 To transfer level of fascia plate to posts, fix stringline to underside of fascia plate, pull tight and hold it against side of posts. Put a line level on stringline and adjust stringline until level. Mark this position on posts. Also mark post at paver level. STEP 9 Remove braces from posts and cut off top end at the point marked in Step 8. From this end, mark out for 2 rebates 25mm deep and 190mm long on opposite faces of post. With circular saw set to cut 25mm deep, make multiple passes through area of rebates. Knock out waste timber with hammer, then smooth bottom of rebates with chisel.

STEP 10 To create a decorative bevelled edge on posts, use trimmer fitted with chamfer router bit. Starting 150mm below bottom of rebate, run trimmer along edge of post, stopping 150mm from where post meets pavers. Repeat for all edges of both posts.

STEP 11 Reposition posts in holes and make plumb. Nail braces to posts for a more permanent hold as you continue working on pergola.

STEP 12 Cut beams to length so they overhang posts by 675mm at each end.

STEP 13 To create decorative detail on ends of beams, and so they are the same, first make a template from scrap plywood 190mm wide and 350mm long. From 1 corner mark 140mm up the short side and 275mm up the long side. Join these 2 points with a line in a gentle curve, then cut along curved line with jigsaw.

STEP 14 Place template on 1 end of beam and align with long edges. Mark out curved line on beam, remove template and cut with jigsaw. Repeat for other end of beam and for both ends of second beam. Sand cuts and round edges.

STEP 15 Paint beams in 2 coats white exterior acrylic paint. Allow to dry after each coat.

STEP 16 Lift beam into position into rebates on posts so ends overhang posts equally. Nail into each post to hold. Repeat to attach second beam into other rebate on post.

STEP 17 Using a 10mm auger bit, drill 2 holes through beams and

post. Insert cuphead bolts through beam on garden side of pergola, tap it through, then put on washer and nut. Tighten using spanner. STEP 18 Mark out fascia plate for rafters to work out how many you will need. Place a rafter at each end then space others evenly between these, not exceeding 700mm apart. STEP 19 To create decorative detail on ends of rafters and so they are the same, first make a template from scrap plywood 140mm wide and 350mm long. From 1 corner, mark 110mm up the short side and 225mm up long side. Join these 2 points with a line in a gentle curve, then cut along curved line with jigsaw.

STEP 20 Place template on 1 end of rafter and align with long edges. Mark out curved line on rafter, remove template then cut with jigsaw. Sand cut ends smooth. Repeat to cut decorative end on all rafters.

STEP 21 Apply 2 coats of white exterior acrylic to all rafters. Allow to dry after each coat.

STEP 22 Cut rafters to length so they overhang the outermost beam by 500mm.

STEP 23 For first rafter, pick the straightest one you can. Lift it up at 1 side of pergola and nail into fascia plate. Make square to house using the 3-4-5 rule: from junction of rafter with fascia plate, measure 3m along fascia plate and 4m along rafter and mark both points. Measure between these 2 points and adjust position of rafter on beam until the points are 5m apart. This means rafter is square. Nail rafter to beam.

STEP 24 Measuring from first rafter, mark out top of beam with positions of rafters. Use same spacing as on fascia plate determined in Step 18.

STEP 25 Lift rafters on top of beam and butt into fascia plate. Nail rafters to fascia plate with at least 3 nails per side. Skew-nail through rafter into beam.

STEP 26 Cut battens to length so they overhang side rafters by 100mm. Prepaint in white exterior paint. Lift a few battens on top of rafters and nail first one to rafters near gutter. Use an offcut to create a 42mm gap to next batten, then nail it in place. Repeat to lay enough battens so you can still safely access top of all of them from your ladder.

STEP 27 Fill nail holes in battens with timber filler. Let dry, sand smooth then touch up paintwork on battens.

STEP 28 Repeat Steps 26 and 27 to nail, fill and paint battens across entire pergola.

STEP 29 Mix concrete according to product instructions then pour into holes around posts. When set, remove braces. STEP 30 Fill all nail and screw holes using exterior timber filler. Let dry, sand smooth then touch up paint.

With its slatted timber roof, the pergola creates a light and airy space that is perfect for outdoor dining.