A pergola is a structure, usually made of wood but can be constructed in other materials, composed of columns on which rests a reticular structure of beams, with the original purpose of shading. These structures have been used since the time of the Greeks and Romans precisely for this purpose.
Main Uses
Usually we can find them in the exteriors of a house like gardens, terraces or roofs or even in plazas and public gardens. By definition, the pergolas are intended to provide shade in an open space, especially when climbing plants are allowed to grow around them and between the beams, and it is not uncommon to find them in places where they have an exclusively decorative purpose to form a corridor or even as a means to separate the environments. When these types of structures are placed next to a building and above all covered, it would be more correct to speak of porch.
Materials
Mainly the pergolas are made of wood and fixed to the ground i.e. they are fixed structures. The same happens with pergolas made of metal, also relatively frequent. However, there are also pergolas made with plastic materials that can be assembled and disassembled. These plastic pergolas are much less resistant and elegant and are much more economical.
The use of wood and/or metal in a pergola is not trivial, as they must be weather resistant materials. That is why wood is very resistant and treated for it. The most used woods are the tropical ones like teak, the woods with a natural resistance. On the other hand, the treated woods, especially in autoclave, are preferred as it is the case of pine or spruce; we can also find other types such as cedar or cherry.
To get a pergola, the most recommended option is to contact the experienced pergola suppliers and a woodworking professional who know the materials and can take the appropriate measures in order to achieve the best results with a custom pergola.
We can find them in timber or DIY distribution centers as well. If this is your selection, you must be very clear about what a pergola is, what it is composed of and what types exist. If it were not so, you may run the risk of acquiring something that is not what you were looking for and it is not the typical product that can be easily returned.
They come with a series of predefined measures and with everything necessary to assemble them. Their price is competitive, however, the result will not be perfect if the installation is not professional and if the standard measures are not ideal for their location.
