Designing a Pergola
Jeremy Kassel shares how to design and build a pergola step-by-step.
Sponsored by Simpson Strong‑Tie
In this video series, we follow Jeremy Kassel of Kassel Construction as he builds a pergola on a rural property just outside Albany, N.Y. Pergolas can help maximize a home’s outdoor living space by transforming an overgrown or underutilized yard into an inviting retreat. Easy-to-use tools like the Simpson Strong-Tie Pergola Planner helped Kassel work quickly and efficiently.
Here’s the Transcript:
Today we’re in my own rural property outside of Albany, N.Y., and we’re building a pergola. This spot was kind of underutilized, and it was overgrown with some wildflowers. We do plan to put a table and chairs out here, maybe a couple couches, and just have more living space out here closer to the woods.
So the design actually came from the Simpson Strong-Tie Pergola Planner, which is right on their website. It’s super easy to use. There were just a ton of features to it. You can do 3D modeling, 2D floor plan. You can add furniture; you can change the landscape.
All I really needed to do was input the dimensions of the footprint of the pergola itself, and the software created a materials takeoff for lumber as well as hardware. There were a couple choices from an aesthetic standpoint with the hardware. We actually chose the Mission line because I knew that it was available at my local lumberyard. And my wife also really liked the design.
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