A beautifully constructed oak pergola, kept sawn to allow to silver up naturally and blend into background. note there's no front to back bracing this was to allow for an uninterrupted view out of the back door.

The layout was created by simply laying the timber put on trestles, the top plates were jointed first. Then posts then marked out and morticed to the top plate, note that we have over sailed the joint to allow easy assembly later one, this way we can erect one bay at a time, a much safer way to stand up a frame.

Once the main goal post frame has been made, we lay the braces on to scribe these in, this is where the framer magic begins, plumb bob and ultra fine string.

All joints are mortice and tenons, draw bored with a 3mm off set to pull the joints together nice and tighly. Pegged with tapered air dried oak pegs.

Note the steel T pins that we use to help hold the frame together while we are laying it out, these are temporary fixing which will be replace with oak pegs on final fit.

The tie baems have been morticed and tenoned to the rear, with a full dovetail on the front top plate.

Once the frame has been stood up, the rafter were next to go on, all were pre cut on site, all being slightly different to the next as the nature of the oak frame. These are the only part of the frame that has been mechanically fixed with stainless steel fixings, through the rafter and into the top plates.

The frame has stainless steel bars in the centre of each post in to the brick peers. With the plinth bricks cut into the bottom of the posts all creating a water tight detail.