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Thread: To anchor or not anchor a pergola?

  1. #1

    To anchor or not anchor a pergola?

    So i'am going to be moving into a new rental house that has a concrete backyard. Not necessarily a bad thing when you have dogs except for the fact that its facing west so it gets toasty! I want to build a freestanding pergola but i dont want to trash the concrete by drilling or cutting into it. And my landlord will not be happy about that. So i was thinking what if i build it and just let it sit there without anchoring it? Anyone ever done this? Im in california so its not hurricane wind area. Just dont want the ting taking off on me.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    The hole for a concrete anchor isn't very big -- a half inch diameter will do you just fine. You could put in a few of them to tie down your pergola. When you move out you unscrew the bolts, and fill in the holes. They'll barely be visible.

  3. #3
    Yes, if this where just a standard grey concrete finish that would be the case. However its a stained figured concrete. The landlord is super picky too! Just wondering if anyone has fone this?

  4. #4
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    A pergola doesn't have much sail area, so you're probably okay against wind. Earthquake might be a bigger hazard.

  5. #5
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    You could discuss it with your landlord, to see how he/she/they feel about the addition. If you're not intending to disassemble it and take it with you when you move to another place, then you could present it as an improvement that you're willing to donate.

    Another approach might be to create a covered sitting area of some kind that isn't as top-heavy as a pergola structure and wouldn't necessarily require an anchored footing--like a platform deck with a sail cover/awning?

  6. #6
    You could always sink each of the four legs of the pergola in large planters filled halfway with concrete. Put soil on top and plants around the perimeter.

    If a tornado picks the entire thing up, it will be a destructive force to be reckoned with.

  7. #7
    Yes! Thanks i never thought of that! I do want to keep the pergola and will be building it to be able to be taken down. Leaving it as an improvement is something im not interested with yet as i have not built a level of trust with them yet.

  8. #8
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    I'm in SoCal. My pergola used to be right outside my master bedroom slider. The first fall winds put it in my neighbors backyard without bothering to go over the fence. The ability of the unit to stay put will be based on wind, aerodynamic profile of the pergola, weight, etc. Strap a couple of 5 gallon buckets full of sand to it for a season or two and them judge from there. BTW, if your landlord is picky you better come up with a way to keep the pergola material from staining the concrete ;-)
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Nathan,
    Here is a snapshot of the pergola I built in Baton Rouge, LA. It made it through several hurricanes including Gustav that did about $60,000 worth of damage to my house. It is just sitting there and not anchored. The house, carport and porch made a "U" shape so it was shield from the wind. There were lots of tall tress that that tended to deflect the wind. I found some plastic bases for the bottom of the 6 x 6 posts to keep them up off the concrete. My initial plan was to build it so I could knock it down and take it with me but once I planted the vines and they covered it I gave up on that idea. This was on the west side of the house and the motivator was to shade those picture windows which it did a fine job.
    Basic construction:
    -6 X 6 posts
    -knee braces are 4 x6's with an arc sawed on the bandsaw
    -knee braces mortise and tenoned into the post
    - the long members are 2 x 8's, one on each side of the post
    -the top layer is 2 x 2's
    -the rest is 2 x 6's

    I'm not sure this would work for you. If it is exposed to the wind I would go with some sort of planter or flower pots filled with ballast to keep it in place. The idea of sinking the posts in concrete would work but might make it difficult to knock down.

    Danny Buie
    Auburn, Al
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phil Thien View Post
    You could always sink each of the four legs of the pergola in large planters filled halfway with concrete. Put soil on top and plants around the perimeter.

    If a tornado picks the entire thing up, it will be a destructive force to be reckoned with.
    I like this idea.....
    Army Veteran 1968 - 1970
    I Support the Second Amendment of the US Constitution

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    Nathan -

    I gotta ask: Have you broached the topic with the landlord? He will know, sooner or later, that there is a pergola in back.

    You raise concerns about "the thing taking off" on you. I don't know if that is a legit concern or not - the discussion covers both sides of that question.

    But - what will your landlord think about it? Will he see a future-flying-fragmented-missile guaranteed to tear up his house? Or will he say - hey - that's cool - put a couple red-heads at each column. Or maybe he says - I approve the design, you anchor it, you leave it behind when you move..........

    Who knows how it plays out? But, I wouldn't get too far into the design / planning phase without taking the landlord's temp/pulse/blood pressure.
    When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.

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