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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    4

    Cool Pergola construction help!!

    I'm planning on building a pergola on our new house - just open no roofing.
    I have two problems - firstly how to attach it to the house.
    It is a new house and has a colorbond fascia around the eve and roof beam ends behind that (i think).
    For the support I want to fix a beam - probably 140 x 45 to the fascia.
    How do I do this... with batten screws or rafter bolts or some sort of angle steel?

    From this I want to fix the rafters out to poles and beams about 5.5m away.
    Will 190x45 F7 treated pine do the job if I put a cross beam down the centre or will it be better to go for 240x45?

    The total length will be 12m along the house and 5.5 - 6m out to the support poles.
    Looking forward to reading your comments,
    Andrew

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Gold Coast,Australia
    Age
    50
    Posts
    0

    Default

    get yourself some of the Allen Stains series of construction books. They are excellent and really well priced. Bunnings stock them. i have the House Building and Decks & Pagolas books.

    Failing that,Seek professional advice

    G

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Age
    77
    Posts
    151

    Default

    http://www.bowens.com.au/images/howt...ns_Pergola.pdf

    has detailed instructions, including timber dimensions, for building a pergola.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    4

    Default Thanks

    Thanks guys, I did get pro. help and that's why I'm confused.
    I'm ok with all the building - but how do I attach my wood to the fascia?
    Has anyone heard of these "rafter bolts"?
    Looking forward to your thoughts...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Mid North Coast
    Age
    71
    Posts
    100

    Default

    The people who previously owned my house bolted the header (I think that's what it's called) directly to the outside wall of the house under the eave. The problem is that the windows go right up to the eave so you can see about 70mm of the beam across the top of the kitchen window. It's poor work but it's only really noticable since I took the pelmet off the window.

    I'm not a builder so I can't offer any worthwhile advice about construction methods but I can offer some practical advice about future use. I was thinking about all the people I know who have done something similar and I can't think of anyone who didn't end up completely enclosing the area or at least putting a roof on. So I would build it as if I was going to put a roof on and enclose it in the future. This means that you have to take into account the distance between any future roof and the existing roof.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Age
    54
    Posts
    243

    Default

    What I have been advised ...... but not got round to doing yet ....

    Where the fascia will not support the 'header' beam lift the tiles and fix reinforcing blocks between the rafters against the fascia (secured to the rafters), then attach the beam through the facia into the reinforcing blocks.
    Great minds discuss ideas,
    average minds discuss events,
    small minds discuss people

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Age
    77
    Posts
    151

    Default

    On the top of Page 3 of that Bowens Instruction sheet, it says to fix a 150mm x 38mm fascia cleat across the fascia using 150mm coach bolts into every other rafter. Then attach hangers to cleat using coach bolts.

    Personally, I think I'd fix it to the wall just under the eaves.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    eastern suburbs, melbourne
    Posts
    486

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wombat47
    Personally, I think I'd fix it to the wall just under the eaves.
    do you mean the wall or the house frame through the wall?
    no-one said on their death bed I wish I spent more time in the office!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    South of Adelaide
    Posts
    136

    Default

    I dont know if you have them where you are but I have seen long galvanised steel right angled brackets to suit the roof pitch, that fix to the side of the rafters, and sit inside the steel fascia for you to attach the beam to.

    Sorry I dont know their technical name but they are sold here in any decent timber yard as part of pergola fittings.
    Good Luck
    Jack

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Age
    77
    Posts
    151

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    My apologies ... I've always lived in old brick houses and it's affected the thinking processes. I forget there are different kinds of buildings.

    So, Andrew, if it's not double brick, ignore my suggestion of fixing to the wall.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jacksin
    I dont know if you have them where you are but I have seen long galvanised steel right angled brackets to suit the roof pitch, that fix to the side of the rafters, and sit inside the steel fascia for you to attach the beam to.

    Sorry I dont know their technical name but they are sold here in any decent timber yard as part of pergola fittings.
    Good Luck
    Jack
    Hi Jack and others,
    thankyou for your help, I've just gotten some of these brackets from Bunning's.
    They're called fascia support brackets and they bolt onto rafters with three bolts and rest behind the metal (tin) fascia. I'll then drill through the tin and bolt my new treated pine fascia to this bracket. I'll also alternate with a batten screw for a bit of extra support. The guy at the shop said it would never fall off... what are your thoughts?
    looking forward to your reply...

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    South of Adelaide
    Posts
    136

    Default

    Andrew I have been thinking about these fascia support brackets etc and what concerns me, and Mick will probably help you here, is that you are hanging a lot more weight on the overhanging section of the rafter. I wonder if you should beef up or brace the rafter before fixing the fascia brackets.

    Some of these pergolas are over timbered to look nice and 'chunky' without bothering about the weight factor.

    Its just a thought.
    Jack

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    4

    Unhappy Beef Up?

    Hi Jack,
    By Beefing up do you mean steel on the otherside as well or just more wood?
    Will a Bracket then a long batten screw on every other rafter do?
    Looking forward to your reply...

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    South of Adelaide
    Posts
    136

    Default

    Yeh either way Andrew. I was actually hoping Mick would come to your rescue with the best option. Perhaps you could PM him
    Jack

  15. #15
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Kuranda, paradise, North Qld
    Age
    63
    Posts
    2,026

    Default

    Andrew,
    I wouldn't batten screw into the ends of your trusses, end grain doesn't hold screws very well and as most trusses are either 32 - 38mm hardwood or 45mm pine there's a good chance you'll just blow out the end of the timber. Otherwise the brackets should work fine.
    Jack's raised a good point, the extra loading that the trusses weren't designed for. If the brackets go back or fairly close to over the wall or beam then it shouldn't be a problem. If they don't perhaps reinforcing the bottom chord of the truss with some timber framing that extends back over the wall and maybe a metre further will help spread the load. On the other hand trusses are designed to flex in order to accomodate changing loads (wind, rain, expansion/contraction of roofing iron) and extra framing or your brackets may inhibit this. I hadn't commented before as I was thinking about all these things - really an engineer's field. As I live in a cyclonic area I don't generally touch anything like this without an engineer's drawing. Sorry, I can't give any real answers.

    Mick
    "If you need a machine today and don't buy it,

    tomorrow you will have paid for it and not have it."

    - Henry Ford 1938

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