dapj ca 
Sections are sometimes 
roofed and columns paired 
PERGOLA BUILDING DETAILS 
LEONIDAS WILLING RAMSEY 
The Place, Purpose, Permanence, and Propor- 
tions, These Being a Pergola’s Cardinal Points 
Classic lines are well 
revived by some forms 
HE earliest examples of the pergola were used along 
pathways and they are best to-day when used as a 
connecting feature between two buildings or two garden 
‘Trip motifs. A pergola may, however, furnish a terminal 
motif at the end of an axis, a central motif of a formal or in- 
formal area, or the major part of some comprehensive archi- 
tectural scheme. Whatever the 
situation, however, a pergola 
should be constructed of the best 
weather-resisting materials avail- 
able; and further, there are a few 
structural precautions which 
must be observed. 
SUGGESTED SPECIFICATIONS 
A central motif for a secluded lawn 
The columns should be made of 
staves joined together in some 
good interlocking method, for one 
thing, and built up that they may 
withstand the ravages of the 
elements. The capitals should be 
covered with either zinc or 
copper in order to protect the top. The base 
should be made of metal also, as a wood base 
resting upon a concrete foundation soaks up 
the moisture and is short-lived. The founda- 
tion for the column, made of concrete pref- 
erably, should go down below the frost line 
which is about three feet below the surface of 
the ground in the northern part of the United 
States. And finally the columns should be 
firmly anchored to the foundations in order 
that they may resist heavy winds. 
The rafters may be of the same wood as the 
posts. A number cf end designs are suggested. 
Rafters are usually placed 
about two feet apart. Lat- 
Jf/ //C tice work, when used in con- 
nection with the pergola, 
To connect and unify 
house and garage a pergola 
is well placed 
Foundations 
All excavations to be 3 feet in depth or as necessary to reach 6 
inches below frost line, and large enough to allow all cement to 
extend 1 inch beyond wood which it supports. 
Bottom of excavations to be covered with footing 6 inches deep of 
cinders well packed and firmly tamped down. 
Excavations then to be filled with regulation 1 :2p5 concrete mix- 
ture to the level of the ground, into w'hich a | inch iron anchor rod 
18 inches or more long and bearing a transverse j inch iron plate 
5-6 inches in diameter on the lower end, is bedded to a depth of 6 
inches. 
Columns (Cypress) 
Height 7' 6": distance apart (width of Pergola) 8' on centers: 
diameter 10". Columns to be held firmly by anchor bar which is 
held fast by bolt drawn down on j inch top plate similar to bottom 
plate, as shown. 
Overhead (Cypress) 
Soffit or Plate of two 3x6 timbers set on edge with outside face 
aligned with side of Column. To be left open, or closed by boxing 
top and bottom with t| inch board. 
Rafters of 2 x 4 timbers set on edge and fastened to Plate by 
angle-irons. 
should be snappy and should therefore be executed by a careful 
workman. Proper construction calls for the strips to be spliced 
together. 
I feel that pergolas should be painted white, except under 
very exceptional conditions, for white by contrast brings out the 
color in foliage and flowers. Hence it is a good policy to let no 
one tempt you into painting 
your pergola any other color 
unless it is so closely related to 
the house that it demands con- 
sideration as a part of it. 
Paths for the pergola may be 
either of grass, macadam, brick. 
Finish 
All woodwork to be finished either with a coat of preservative 
stain (if stained finish is selected) followed by two coats pure 
boiled linseed oil thinned w'ith turpentine; or painted with a 
creosote paint sufficient to cover; or painted with a standard out- 
side paint three coats, allowing 24 hours for drying between each. 
As a w r ater gate above a landing place 
Structural details of Base, 
Column, Capital and Rafters 
A diversity of Rafter ends below' 
u* — * 
flag stones, or concrete. Per- 
sonally 1 feel that brick walks 
are the best for their color, and 
they are easily kept clean. Con- 
crete colored a turkey red is 
effective if brick cannot be used. 
It is of course as impossible 
to give a fixed rule for the 
height and the spacing of the posts for 
pergolas generally as it is to establish a fixed 
rule for any architectural design; but I may 
say that the best columns to use ordinarily 
are the ones 10 in. in diameter, which will 
come 7 ft. 6 in. in height. These may be set 
8 feet apart in a pergola that is 7 feet 6 inches 
wide. All measurements, be it understood, 
are made on column centres. Where columns 
are used in pairs instead of singly, the open 
distance between the 
pairs should be 8 feet, 
measured on centres. 
A sketch to scale of the 
elevation of a proposed 
pergola should always be 
made — however roughly 
— in order to judge its 
proportions and its gen- 
eral effect when erected. 
Closing a garden 
vista and enclos- 
ing the garden 
36 
