How to Pick the Best Wood Pergolas

If you’ve decided to add a wooden pergola to your backyard and you’re not sure where to start, check out this guide for choosing a pergola. We have a range of popular styles and sizes to choose from in freestanding (stand-alone) or attached pergolas (a pergola that attaches to a house or other structure). Any of our styles can be made using either rough sawn western red cedar or pressure treated #1 grade southern yellow pine. For a full comparison of all of our pergola styles complete with specifications, view our Pergola Comparison Chart. For a quick comparison, here are the highlights to help you find the perfect wooden pergola to fit your space.

Compare Wooden Pergola Styles

There are a few things all of our pergolas have in common. Since we designed our pergolas to withstand high winds and extreme weather conditions here in Florida where our pergola company resides, you can rest assured that the pergola you’ll receive has been crafted with care and can stand up to harsh weather Mother Nature sends your way.

If you order one of our full size pergolas in a Big Kahuna, Sombrero, Melbourne, or Fedora, you’ll receive a kit that’s complete with 2×8 beams, 2×8 rafters, 6×6 posts, 2×6 angle braces, and 2×2 top slats* (*the Melbourne does not come standard with top slats). Sometimes called pergola roof brackets or pergola brackets, our angle braces are decorative and offer a nice design element to finish the pergola. These features are included in our Big Kahuna, Sombrero, Sombrero, and Fedora pergola kits. Our full size large pergola styles are frequently chosen for backyard projects that need a cover for an outdoor kitchen, an open-air living room, or a patio next to a swimming pool.

Our other smaller designs feature a pergola frame that is used as a garden pergola or trellis type structure (the Brim) or as an awning above a window or garage door (the Visor).

The most recent addition to our pergola designs is our Big Kahuna PLUS Covered Pergola Kit. Featuring the style and simplicity of a pergola combined with the practicality of a solid roof gazebo, we’ve take our Big Kahuna Pergola Kit pergola design and added a minimally sloped metal roof (1/2” to 12”). This creates a versatile outdoor living structure with maximum overhead protection from the sun, rain, or snow.  Also new on the scene is our Peak Timber Frame Pergola Kit. Built using heavy hand-cut timbers and traditional woodworking techniques including mortised joinery and wood pegs, our timber frame pergola kits are beautifully crafted pergolas just like our other styles. Built with heavy hand-cut timbers, we offer the timber pergola in freestanding in standard sizes 12’x12′ up to 30’x30′. Delivery and installation is a component of this offering. Customizations are available for end cuts, special sizes, design alterations, wood types, and finish options.

All are built with precision and made to order, so once you decide the type of pergola you’d like, you can choose with confidence knowing you’ll receive a quality product made just for you.

Big Kahuna Pergola Kit

Classic pergola design, built for maximum sun coverage and engineered for extreme weather conditions

Sizes: 8×8 to 20×20 and custom sizes in freestanding or attached

View Big Kahuna photos and all Big Kahuna sizes.

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Big Kahuna PLUS Pergola Kit

Classic pergola design with metal roofing, built for maximum protection from the elements and engineered for extreme weather conditions

Sizes: 10×10 to 20×20 and custom sizes in freestanding or attached

View Big Kahuna PLUS sizes.

Sombrero Pergola Kit

Our Big Kahuna design, with half the rafters and top slats, built for medium sun coverage

Sizes: 8×8 to 20×20 and custom sizes in freestanding or attached

View Sombrero photos and all Sombrero sizes

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Melbourne Pergola Kit

Our Big Kahuna design, with 3-5 rafters and no top slats, an open roof design pergola

Sizes: 8×8 to 20×20 and custom sizes in freestanding or attached

View Melbourne photos and all Melbourne sizes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peak Timber Frame Pergola Kit

Strong & sturdy outdoor structure built using traditional woodworking techniques including heavy hand-cut timbers, mortised joinery, and wood pegs

Sizes: 12×12 to 30×30 in freestanding and custom sizes

View Peak Timber Frame Pergola photos and sizes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fedora Pergola Kit

Classic pergola style, with a more open design, taller/ un-notched roofing system

Sizes: 8×8 to 20×20 and custom sizes in freestanding or attached

View Fedora photos and all Fedora sizes.

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Brim Pergola Kit

Wooden trellis like design, perfect as a patio or walkway border, for hanging plants or lighting

Sizes: Standard Lengths of 8′, 10′, 12′, 16′, 20′ and custom sizes.

Sample size shown: 10′ Brim. View Brim photos and all Brim sizes.

 

 

 

Visor Pergola Kit

Wooden awning, enhances and provides shade above a window or door opening

Sizes: Standard Lengths of 6′, 8′, 10′, 12′, 14′, 16′, 18′, 20′ and custom sizes

Sample size shown: 16′ Visor pergola. View Visor photos and all Visor sizes

After you choose a style pergola, you’ll make a few other decisions to customize it to fit your outdoor space, including size, wood type, post length and mounting method; and finishes such as end cuts and post base trim.

Measure

What overall size pergola will you need?

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Our full-size pergola kits in the Big Kahuna, Sombrero, Melbourne, and Fedora come standard in sizes 8×8-20×20 and custom sizes. For these styles, sizes are measured Rafter x Beam length; Rafter = overall projection, Beam = overall width of pergola. Read more about measuring for your pergola on our resources page. Read more about the specifications and descriptions of the elements that make up our quality wood pergola kits on our Pergola Comparison Chart.

What length posts will you need?

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Our full-size pergola kits in the Big Kahuna, Sombrero, Melbourne, and Fedora come standard with 6×6 posts. You choose the length of the posts either 8′, 10′ and 12′ and custom sizes. For our Peak Timber Frame pergolas, the posts are 9′ to the bottom of the beam. Read more about pergola post height and post mounting on our resources page. Read more about the specifications and descriptions of the elements that make up our quality wood pergola kits on our Pergola Comparison Chart.

Customize Your Pergola

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You can make your pergola match the design of your home or business by choosing the style of end cut on the rafters and beams. We offer 5 end shapes ranging from classic to contemporary. You can also add post base trim to finish off the post bases with a simple trim. Read more about the specifications and descriptions of the elements that make up our quality wood pergola kits on our Pergola Comparison Chart.

Shop

Ready to Shop? Start here and choose your pergola style, size, and then choose your options to customize the pergola just how you’d like it!