Design Ideas for Your Pergola

Construction & Contractors Blog

Australia's freakishly hot summer days are making many homeowners look at ways of spending more time outdoors. Building a pergola is a fantastic way to create the perfect place for outdoor relaxation in your home. But before committing to the project, you'll need to carefully think through the design of your new alfresco living area. 

Here's some design inspiration for your pergola construction project. 

Pergola over a deck

Building your pergola atop an existing deck is a clever way to raise it up higher than it would be built directly in the ground. However, the construction process can be a bit more cumbersome because you're going to need to connect wood to wood rather than dig up your backyard to bury posts in the ground.

Adding a pergola as part of a larger deck construction project is a great way to provide much-needed shade in deck areas that receive direct, unfiltered sunlight during the day. It also leads to increased visual appeal while providing better views of the outdoor environment.

Pergola over a patio

If you prefer having your pergola built directly in the ground, you can skip site prep for a pergola by building your pergola on top of an already-installed patio area. An existing patio provides solid ground for creating the perfect shaded space for outdoor social activity.

Building a pergola over a patio is relatively easier than building one on top of a deck, as you can bury posts directly into the ground. However, you'll need to ensure you create a strong and stable base for your pergola posts.

Breezy pergola

If you live in the much hotter and drier regions of Australia, you'll want to make your pergola as cool as possible. There are many ways to achieve this goal, but generally, you'll need to orient the structure so that it receives maximum shade coverage during the daytime.

For a breezier atmosphere, consider adding ceiling fans to your pergola.

Tropical pergola

If you're going for a tropical pergola retreat, consider building your structure with bamboo screening. A bamboo roof will gently filter out the sun's direct rays while adding tropical appeal to your pergola.

Need more design inspiration for your pergola construction project? There are lots of things you can do to make a big design statement with your pergola construction project. Talking to a pergola builder can help get you started and point you in the right direction.

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19 July 2021

Home Construction Ideas that Bring the Outdoors Indoors

If you're thinking about bringing elements of the outdoors into your home but you don't know how to go about it, you've come to the right place. I'm Betty, and I've been in the unfortunately predicament of having severe hay fever and allergies for much of my life. I got sick of loading myself up with anti-histamines just to experience the outdoors everyday, so I decided to look into home additions that would bring that feeling inside where I was safe from pollen. I spent a long time researching solariums, pools, and other constructions, and now I have the home—and life—of my dreams. And now I'm sharing the tips and ideas I've learned with you!