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Pergola with Roof

KiddervilleAcres | Posted in Construction Techniques on October 15, 2008 01:48am

Hi Folks,

The wife wants a Pergola and I want (or should I say wanted) a Farmers Porch – another of those decisions married folk contend with.  Yah I know, she wins!

Anyway, what I would like to build is a pergola with a roof of some kind.  I’m thinking of using a clear material for the roof so as to maintain the look of the pergola but have the protection from the elements.

We live in Northern New Hampshire and thus get a fair amount of snow and rain so the roof would afford this.  I’m looking for both design considerations as well as possible roofing material suggestions that you might be able to offer.

The area I’m dealing with is ~ 10′ x 20′ and will be on the front of the house which sits on a slight hill above the street.  I’m thinking that the roof won’t be visible or at least unobtrusive so as to distract from the pergola.

I also posted this over on Knots.

Regards,

Bob @ Kidderville Acres

A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!


Edited 10/15/2008 6:52 am ET by KiddervilleAcres


Edited 10/15/2008 6:59 am ET by KiddervilleAcres

Reply

Replies

  1. Piffin | Oct 15, 2008 02:27pm | #1

    Top it off with polycarbonate panels such as are used in greenhouses.

     

     

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    1. andyfew322 | Oct 16, 2008 11:37pm | #2

      polycarbonite would be good, or mabey acrilic whatever it is make sure it's uv resistant 

      I'm just sayin'

    2. User avater
      KiddervilleAcres | Oct 20, 2008 02:25pm | #4

      Piffin and andy,

      Sorry for the delay and thanks for the help.  My concern is how to construct the roof so it doesn't distract from the look of the pergola.

      The house sits fairly high up from the street and the roof I want to add to the pergola needs to be attached to the building.  We get a significant amount of snow up here in northern NH so I will need to pitch the roof somewhat.

      The ploycarbonate panels sound like a good option as they should be UV resistant and are used on greenhouses.

      Back in the 80s I built a solar room addition on another of our houses; the glazing had two layers of a tranclucent material (polycarbonate?) sandwiching a 1" aluminum grid.  The panels provided 95% transmitsivity (sp?) that provided a nice soft light in the solar room.

      Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

      A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

  2. andyfew322 | Oct 16, 2008 11:37pm | #3

    that last post should have been to you

     

    I'm just sayin'

  3. User avater
    cabanillas3 | Oct 23, 2008 03:09am | #5

    have you thought about putting a roll out canvas awning on it? Then when you or the DW want to have light, you can roll the awning back? I've seen things like that here in sunny CA.

    jose hussein cabanillas
    --
    "Though I don't think" added Deep Thought "that you're going to like it."
    1. User avater
      KiddervilleAcres | Oct 23, 2008 02:20pm | #6

      jose,

      Ahhh but to be in sunny CA.  Been to San Diego many times - still droolin here in frigid NH.  With all the snow we have to deal with here I have my doubts about a retractable awning.

      I guess I should have provided more details about this project - I apologize for that.

      The pergola will be on the front of the house where the main entrance is, and will serve a porch function in that regard, i.e. protected from the elements for folks to get to the front door.

      I'm thinking about partially covering the roof near the eave on the house, say about 6' out.  That would leave the front 4' open and the roof wouldn't show from the street.

      There will be either a stone firepit or outside fireplace constructed along the front of the pergola.  That way the guests can warm their..............

      Maybe I'd better cool me thoughts on this as I'm new to this forum......

        :-)

      A Knothead,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

      A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

      1. User avater
        cabanillas3 | Oct 23, 2008 06:30pm | #7

        Keep the stream of conciousness flowing, we sometimes get a bunch of ideas from it. Sometimes getting information on what someone is up to as the conversation progresses gets better or more focused ideas.I've been hare a lot of years and contribute a small bit, but learn something from everything I read ( mostly. 8^| ) Sometimes I learn a lot just from asking a (in hindsight) stupid question. Broadens my world.jose hussein cabanillas
        --
        "Though I don't think" added Deep Thought "that you're going to like it."

        1. User avater
          KiddervilleAcres | Oct 24, 2008 01:44pm | #9

          jose,

          Thanks, I appreciate where you're coming from.

          I frequent Knots quite a bit and am recently retired but have done a lot of remodeling over the years - more as a hobby/gotta do thang.  Been lurking about in here lately looking for ideas and trying to inspiration.

          The top material I was thinking about using is from a place called Solar Components in Manchester, NH; they're on the WEB.  It's 40 mil thick methinks and is translucent fibreglass that they use to make their solar panels.  They sell it in up to 50' rolls.

          I'm thinking of making a grid with 2' squares to cover the top framing on the pergola and attaching sheets of this material on top of the grid - similar to their panels.

          I could then fasten it to the crossmembers on the top of the pergola and the adjacent roof of the house.  Would have to flash it to the roof though.

          Regards,

          Bob @ Kidderville Acres

          A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

          Edited 10/24/2008 6:46 am ET by KiddervilleAcres

      2. jesse | Oct 23, 2008 06:44pm | #8

        Can you post a picture of the front of your house?Usually pergolas have flat roofs, that obviously won't work to well in snow country. I think maybe you have the right idea...roof over part, pergola over the other part.jesse hussein kodadek (

        1. User avater
          KiddervilleAcres | Oct 24, 2008 01:57pm | #10

          jesse,

          See my post to jose.

          I'll post a pic of the house as soon as I can.  It's an old sort of rambling farmhouse and is up from the road.  I'm thinking that the roof portion won't be all that visible from the street.

          The main part of the house sits on a poured foundation, the breezeway is mostly on flat rocks and the garage is on cinder blocks with a poured floor.  Needless to say the house needs a lot of work!  Typical This Old House, if there is such a thing............

          Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

          A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

  4. JohnFinn | Oct 24, 2008 02:50pm | #11

    Try corrugated transluscent roofing panels (sheets) pitched slightly to drain. These panels can be fitted between the horizontal members that make up the pergola "roof" if you will. This panels will not detract from the look of the pergola too much if kept below the top of the pergola beams, and will keep the rain off.

    1. User avater
      cabanillas3 | Oct 25, 2008 09:55pm | #12

      That is a great idea. It would mean keeping the cross members below the top of the side beams, but a bit of pitch could be built in and everything could be kept below the line of the top of the beams.Alternately, an extension on the top of the beams or a rib on the edge of the roof material could be used to hide the edge if it appeared to be too obtrusive.Having a bit of pitch is gonna be important to keep water flowing and away from the rest of the house.jose hussien cabanillas
      --
      "Though I don't think" added Deep Thought "that you're going to like it."

      Edited 10/25/2008 2:55 pm by El kabong

    2. User avater
      KiddervilleAcres | Oct 27, 2008 05:16am | #13

      Thanks John,

      Here's a pic of the house.  Yeah I know, it needs a lot of work but that's OK wit me.

      View Image

      Just installed the two doors with the arched winders, added sidelights to the one on the right.   The old door (far right in the center section of the house) is going away.

      The pergola will run from the section of the house with the metal roof, come out 10' then 20'  to the left side the window to the left of the door with the sidelights.

      I see where your idea might work.  Just not sure how it will be when it snows though.  Gettin the snow off the roof 'tween the crossmembers might be a challenge. 

      Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

      A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

      1. JohnFinn | Oct 28, 2008 04:48pm | #14

        The method I was describing would not be entirely water-tight, but I don't think it would have to be for the use you are describing? (due to the fact that you would be placing the panel sheets between the pergola cross members). What direction does the front of your house face? Below is a span chart for manufacturer of the panels.

        View Image

        1. User avater
          KiddervilleAcres | Oct 29, 2008 05:13am | #15

          John,

          What direction does the front of your house face?

          The front of the house faces slightly west of north.  It gets late afternoon sun.  Looking at the chart I would guess the corrugated sheets would be stronger than the ones I had in mind.

          Snow if my biggest concern as ther easily could be 2' on the roof at times during winter up here.  I'm in NH ~ 10 miles from Canada.

          I've never built a pergola before but am thinking of spacing them 16" OC.  The ends would be facing the street, flat not pitched. 

          I thought of pitching the roof on top of the crossmembers with additional framing under them, as the house sits up quite a bit from the street so it wouldn't be that visible.

          Did you see the pic I posted of the house?  I took that from the bottom of the driveway in the picky.

          Regards,

          Bob @ Kidderville Acres

          A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

          Edited 10/28/2008 10:15 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres

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