Pergola (was: need your input please folks!)

[mothhawk]

go on, do it with bamboo canes, Pr1tt St1ck and sellotape, like we do at school

Of course, some are better at it than others!

[chris]

Why do you need heavy beams - if they're not supporting anything - just connecting the uprights to the house?

They'll be supporting me! In a hammock/seat!

[veggiechicken]

Attach one end of the hammock to the house wall - that should be solid (unless you built it - runs for cover )

[chris]

So, decided to have it only over our patio door area (where our table & chairs is going to go).. I know we all like pictures, so here's one of it. I haven't put any decorative (often labelled as supporting - not sure they will do much really braces/struts on it yet as the same size timber as the rafters seems a bit too chunky, so going for 2x4 instead.

Not sure what to grow over it - I have a grape planted already, which just needs training up (it's on the other side of the wall).. I was thinking of growing a Wisteria up the right hand post, along the front main beam, and then down the left hand most rafter towards the waste pipe.. However, the flowering period makes me wonder if I should use something else, or something else growing through it that won't overpower it (maybe a less vigourous clematis).

I'm planning on growing a short climbing rose up the left hand post & putting a trellis on top of the wall, to screen us from the side there (and also provide means from my grape, and raspberries that are on the side of the wall to grow up).



My next bit of work is to build a brick bbq (where the stone chippings are), against the wall and a clay oven plinth (brick again) next to it. Once I've done that, I'll be able to decide if I extend the patio out in a curve following the chippings currently, or replace them with something a bit nicer, then I'll be able to know where my lawn area is going to be so I can re-turf it.

Edit: also thinking of running a small (a foot wide perhaps?) border off the patio, with chippings in - contained by paviers to act as a soak away & border to the lawn.

[Mikey]

Well that won't fall down it a hurry!!!

Trying to get my bearings here the chooks are the other side of the wall aren't they?

Out of curiousity, whats the blue alkathene for?

If you head down the road of a rose stay away from a rambling rector, I used to have to trim mine annually ripping me to shreds until I moved. Growing something evergreen is good so that it doesn't look ropey in winter. Bear in mind that whatever you grow up it will stop you staining/treating it ever again.

[Mikey]

As and when you head down the pizza oven route, give me a shout I've enough info to sink a battleship whether it be clay or brick or modular.

[chris]

Well that won't fall down it a hurry!!!

Trying to get my bearings here the chooks are the other side of the wall aren't they?

Out of curiousity, whats the blue alkathene for?

If you head down the road of a rose stay away from a rambling rector, I used to have to trim mine annually ripping me to shreds until I moved. Growing something evergreen is good so that it doesn't look ropey in winter. Bear in mind that whatever you grow up it will stop you staining/treating it ever again.

The MDPE pipe? - I put in an extra feed when I re-did my kitchen, from the mains - only feasible place for me to run it really - it's to feed a tap in the side garden over the wall. I'm going to cover it and then insulate (won't be on all year anyway), just to protect it from the UV. Chooks are over the wall yes, though have recently allowed them in the back garden as I'm re-turfing anyway. That side garden is a complete tip, so once all this work is done I'll be tidying that up. You'll have to come over sometime - next time you're Cardiff way give me a shout!

[chris]

As and when you head down the pizza oven route, give me a shout I've enough info to sink a battleship whether it be clay or brick or modular.

Have you built yours then? Was wondering what to do about clay (as in where to get it from). Where di you get yours from?

[chris]

Well that won't fall down it a hurry!!!

Being on the "side" of the mountain it's extremely windy... went a bit overkill

Kind of wished I'd gone maybe for 7 or 8 x 2 for the rafters, but hey ho it's done now.

[Mikey]

Have you built yours then? Was wondering what to do about clay (as in where to get it from). Where di you get yours from?

The allotment, I only had to dig down 1/2 a spades depth to hit clay!! I ummed and ahhed for some time as to whether to build it with firebricks or clay or to buy a premade one. My only concern with the clay was making it weatherproof as clay has a habit of reverting to type (messy pulp!) in the rain.

I can come and give you a hand when you get around to it if you like, you can get all technical (which I know is your way!!) about it and have the right diameter to height and door aperture etc. Its always best before you build anything to decide how big you want the internal space to be and work backwards from this otherwise you can end up with a surprisingly small oven. Most factory made ovens work on a 700mm diameter dome and anything less than 600mm is a bit too small to be very practical.

We'll talk about it more when you're ready mate.

[chris]

I may well take you up on that offer thank you I have seen a few premade ones - it did cross my kind but with clay and sand being natural it feels "better".




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