Pergola Build: Will this structure work?
bobstrauss
3 years ago
Sponsored
This is my back deck. Looking to build a roughly 15' wide (side to side on pic) and 14' deep (back to front, or grass to house) pergola. Really wanting a similar style to the following photo:
A few important issues to note: this is in San Antonio, Texas, so there's no snow to consider. There will also be no wisterias anywhere near this thing - no major loads aside from the pergola itself and some string lights.
I'd really like to pull this off without having to use angle/knee braces. Am initially thinking of the following (all pressure treated pine):
8' 6x6 posts, spaced 12' apart back-to-front and 13' apart side-to-side (looking at photo)
14' beams (made using 3 sandwiched 2x10s) sitting atop the posts using column cap hardware
16' rafters (using 2x8s) spaced ~24" oc (I understand this won't be to code)
14' purlins (using 2x2s) spaced ~12" oc, parallel to decking
So in short, can I span 12' between the posts using 6x8 beams (3 2x8s together)? And can the rafters span 14' if they're 2x8s as well? And would it be possible doing without angle/knee braces?
Thanks for the help!
Kate
bobstraussOriginal Author
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