Pergola & arbor footings: Best Options Compared
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- Опубліковано 28 гру 2018
- Select the right footing for your next pergola or arbor project. Three options for footings are discussed. Pros and cons given for each.
Three options include post in concrete, concrete pillar with metal anchor and post directly in soil.
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Pergola & arbor footings: Best Options for your next DIY project
Select the right footing for your next pergola or arbor project. Three options for footings are discussed. Pros and cons given for each.
Three options include post in concrete, concrete pillar with metal anchor and post directly in soil.
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Really helped me make my decision on anchoring my posts in the ground. Doesn't seem like anyone else uses this method though.
excellent video. beautiful work!
That's very interesting. Like others I've been researching this subject. I'm looking to build a simple pergola type structure for a native species wisteria for my mom. This us actually the first how-to I've read/watched that promotes post-in-ground without concrete. Luckily the frost line here is only 2 feet but our storm season (practically half the year) can be severe. I was already on the fence HAHA about the whole thing... Now even more so. I may talk to some local builders and see what they recommend. I just don't want to build her something and have a thunderstorm treat it up or the frost which didn't even get down to a single foot this past winter push it up and make it look all wonky.
Simple and informative, thank you.
This is just what I needed. Thank you for sharing!
Many thanks for this video. very helpful
Great advice using your experience, thanks.
I was told that the rot comes from the bacteria in the soil touching the wood posts. My last project I took the peel and seal aluminum back for roofs, and wrapped the area of the post where the soil would most likely touch. It's been about 6 years and haven't had a problem.
I'm about to expand on the same project doing the same thing in the ground no concrete.
Although the third method looks appropriated, it is quite important (obligatory) to clarify that pressure treated lumber must be ground contact approved, it means the ACQ, CA-B, CA-C preservative should has the right retention level otherwise the lumber woul rot quickly.
For well drained soil, I believe in the dirt works fine. For the sorry clay that I have, and the lack of elevation (30' above sea level) I am not so sure. If I can keep the soil dry, then it would sure be alot cheaper to use this method rather than metal reinforced concrete and galvanized steel moment base supports - easily $200 per hole. Longer post needed to put in soil is probably much cheaper than $200 extra. Another concern though is hurricane rating that I want for our gulf coastal area. Maybe drilling through the wood sideways and inserting some some all thread or just rebar to protrude out of the post into the dirt would suffice. A few things to think about.
Thank you sir you explained this better than everyone
Thanks for the video
hmm.., well now im confused. looking to build a lean to pergola, so been researching post bases, brackets, then i find this video. as mine will have bracing anyway, will stick to the brackets on concrete.
I knew this looked familiar! Yes that 3rd style of placing the post directly in the ground… I saw it in an engineering of post hole setting for fences! Except you still need to use 4-6” of drainage gravel tamped inside the hole and drainage rock needs to come up a few inches around the base of the post and then dirt goes back in the hole and everything gets tamped down bit by bit.
I just had to demo an arbor that was about to fall over after ten years. I used the post-in-the-ground method, but with untreated HD pine 2x4s. Lay off me, it was my first ever woodworking project! ;) I'm happy to know that i won't have to mess with concrete when i rebuild it, but i want to avoid using pressure treated lumber because of how it will interact with my tools. Is there something i can dip the submerged portions of the posts in to treat it myself?
*** As i was typing this, i think i just came up with a solution. Only use PT lumber for the four posts! I won't be doing any tooling on it except for drilling and possibly hand-chiseling. However, i'm worried about the color difference if i stain it. Do you think it will be negligible? Or should i plan on painting it? I'm loathe to paint my fine woodworking projects, but i think i'd be okay with painting an arbor. It may also aide in weatherproofing. Thoughts?
Finally found something informative. I am surprised that the third one is the best. I thought it would be the worst.
I love the idea. Any concern about ground settling over the years and making this structure uneven?
That can happen with any method, including concrete posts.
I pretty much love you!
What about pressure treated wood leaching into the soil? In California you aren't allowed to throw pressure treated wood into the trash rather it's considered hazardous waste.
Can you offer your opinion on using "quarter down" gravel instead of dirt around the posts? Thank you.
I have not done that - but i would worry about the gravel moving.
Thank you for this, you're the first one suggesting going back to the "old" way of in-ground post and no cement! You mentioned this works well with pressure treated (no rot). If I were to use Cedar post, would you still recommend this method?
I have not used cedar, but i don't see why not. I even use it for un-treated spruce.
Our cedar fence was installed in concrete. After a couple years my wife put in a garden and the dirt was a few inches above the concrete. After another few years one post broke from the rot and all the others rotting also. So I don't see cedar working with this method for long.
@@mmark300That's no surprise for what you experienced. Cedar needs to be protected by applying wood preservatives. Based on my research the following are the three best in the market - Copper-Green’s Wood Preservative (coppergreen.com), Tenino copper naphthenate (coppercare.com), and Woodlife Coppercoat (rustoleum.com)
I inherited a really nice, heavy-duty plastic arbor and I would like to set it in a stable way. I like your video very much and I subscribed because you are a good teacher. Since the legs of this heavy arbor are hollow, I tried inserting the anchor pieces, which are about 8 inches long and have a point, into the ground, but I found I could not do this and set it plumb and level over the anchors, and it did wobble too much for me to feel it was safe in the breezy location I chose for it. What would you think of setting 4 posts of pressure-treated lumber into the ground as you suggest, and slipping the hollow legs of the arbor over these pieces and then screwing them into place. I do not need to worry too much then about rot and since the arbor is not made of wood, ground contact should not be an issue. I think the hardest part of this method is getting accurate measurements for leg spacing, and avoiding a twisted appearance, since this heavy arbor is fully assembled and cannot be dismantled. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you for a great video.
Attach the wooden posts first. Then dig the holes and place the arbor correctly. Then fill the holes. I do this in this video for a wooden arbor. ua-cam.com/video/wBhe-h3SooQ/v-deo.html
Thanks for this info!! So I want to build a pergola but the soil in my backyard stays damp all the time. Which method do you think would work best?
The concrete posts certainly won't rot. I used cedar posts for a dock in my pond and after 10+ years there is no sign of rot.
thank you for this, I agree with the third method and will try it, if you don't mind, can you share your opinion if using a six 4x4 post for a pergola 19x11 ft is a going to be ok?
Should be fine - it is not holding up much weight.
Great video. Based on the photos you have included, you are a skilled craftsman :-) Nice work. I am investigating the best way to attach a free standing pergola (Toja Pergola Systems) to the ground. Because it's a free standing structure, I was thinking of using a concrete post beneath the pavers that I would drill into and basic it's not supporting the lateral movement of the post was thinking about a 2-3 foot concrete footing...any thoughts?
That should work.
Did this work out for you? I'm looking at using Toja as well. (Although, I'd be going straight into the ground - not pavers.)
@@jamieparker3317 Hi Jamie, yes...project was completed last summer. I'm hoping to post a video in the coming weeks on the project. In summary, I used about 3.5 feet of sono tube and at the top I created a square top that was framed using 6x6 and I placed that above the sonotube and reinforced it with 2-3 pieces of rebar in each one. The reason for the square top is it gave me a little bit more wiggle room when drilling into it from the brackets which are quite big for the 6x6 posts. So for my siutation, I installed 6 sonotubes 1 at each corner and 2 for the middle supports. For each of the posts, I used 6 inch lag bolts and used 2 lag bolts for each bracket. The structure is not going anywhere :-) Hope that helps but reach out again if you have questions.
What a great video, like that.
SurvivalAustria
Did you ever do your how to build video for your pergola?
no not yet.
Is there a pergola build video follow up?
Not yet - too many topics to get done.
What kind of soil to fill in thw holes !!! Is it top soil . or gravel soil !!! Thank you.
Use the same soil you dug out - not need for anythig different.
Hi, I want to build a pergola strong enough to add a swings and a hammock, I am thinking the first method "Post in Concrete" may be best for stability, right?
@Kamal Did you go this route? I want to build exactly what you're describing.
@@jamieparker3317 yes, I am not sure how to upload some pictures
You left out my favorite option. Setting the post a Depo with only Pea gravel. No concrete required. This is been done in New England for hundreds of years - and fences and pergolas don’t move. The only way to move them is to llift straight out.
How long will the 3rd method last before it rots?
depends on the wood you use. Pressure treated wood rated for ground contact is recommended
Not strong enough when you have hurricanes!
Great video. And I’m baffled at how many people still think global warming is a hoax.
But it's not globall warming now, it's climate change! Omg!!
Who say treated wood last 20 years ? my private fence has a short life about 5 years.
Was the wood GC-rated? Not all pressure-treated wood is rated for Ground Contact.
At Home Depot, the different qualities of treatment will result in a modest price difference.
Good quality wood should last that long. Cheap stuff won't.
I am demolishing a 27 year old cedar picket fence. The posts are still basically good. These though are set in concrete and where I have cut off the 4x4 even with the concrete, the wood is fresh and not rotted internally. Again, this is likely very climate and slope dependent. I don't have a lot of water sitting on my property, and being in central Texas, the climate isn't conducive to water based rot other than rare months where it could begin to occur.
nah, I disagree with your conclusion
Are you single by chance...???
Sorry - I am married :)
global warming lmao
“With global warming” .... you mean with changing weather patterns
Yeah changing weather patterns changed the frost line over years.
Global warming? 4:30