Since it's a pretty good size in the length and width department, I think 11' would be fine and proportionate. I'm currently building one about that size and the post height the architect specified was a little over 10'. You can always do things to visually lower the height -- like vines and hanging baskets -- but something too low you can't do much about. I vote for 11'.

A lot of it depends upon the height of the eaves on your house. If you plan on covering your pergola with vines, you will want to have it lower than the eaves. The reason for this is the tendrils of the vines might try to get under the shingles on your roof, the leaves will cover your rain gutters, or you could end up with vines infiltrating the soffit of the house. If your patio is lower than the house then it should not be any problem to build your pergola low enough to prevent this problem, and still allow you a reasonable height underneath.

Personally if the builder can give you at least eight foot from ground to underside of the rafters/cross beams, then that should be more than enough. As to proportion, a taller pergola might be desirable when it is freestanding and distanced from any other structures, but one built next to or against another structure should be kept at or slightly below the height of the larger one. (In the case of two or more story buildings this should never exceed half the height of the side wall.)

I hope my comments come in helpful in making your decision.

Kevin

This is the first time IÂve found this forum  some interesting and attractive structures on these threadsÂ!

For your pergola, if you use the classic Golden Mean ratio, the ideal height would be 9Â 8.8"!

I often use the golden mean proportions to figure out dimensions. The golden mean number is 1.61803399. ItÂs a fascinating number  take the inverse of it and you get 0.61803399Â. You can read more about it at the link to Wikipedia below.

Here is a link that might be useful: golden mean

OOPs! My mind hiccuped! That's 9.88' or 9' 10.656" - round a bit and say 10' for the height... which would be perfect for displaying a Wisteria floribunda! The flower racemes would have room to dangle and still allow a 6'+ person to walk underneath :-)

At present we are having a pergola built on our back south facing deck. It's going to be 10x13 across the end of our 13x14 deck and will be for shade. My question is, would a lower pergola be better for casting shade? For this size of pergola how high should it be?

Our house is a low pitched roof (4-12 pitch) - Approx.2200 ranch style

We have on order a 14x14 sturdy cedar pergola that will be installed on our attached concrete patio.

It is the height that I am concerned about. The pergola will be 2' away from the house.

Gutter line: bottom of gutter height is 91", top of the gutter is 96"

Confusing I know but here is the dimensions.

8" x 8" Cedar Corner Post height 96" (height can be 91")

10" x 4" beam will installed on top of the post

8" x 4" purlins will sit on top of the beam

2" x 4" shade slats will sit on top of the purlins

Do you think the 116" is too high (this would make it 20" above the top gutter line).

We definitely want to have it high enough to place a fan in it.

Carol

Carol-
I would not advise lowering it: I think you would regret it. If I understand your dimensions properly, 116" (9'-8") is the top height dimension when the whole thing is assembled, but the actual underside height is 96" (8'-0")...which means you would have standard head clearance of a typical height room. In my opinion, 96" is barely enough space to install a fan in the first place, and even then I would definitely want the blades to be as close to the underside of the beams as possible.

In addition, you want the space under the pergola to not feel closed in, which lowering the posts would do. I installed a 19' X 16' pergola several years ago at my house and the underside clearance is 10'-2". On paper it looked fine, but, after it was installed, I initially thought it looked too high...now I wouldn't change a thing. Stick with the 96" high posts.

The underneath would be 106" (making the head clearance 8' 83"

See the 8" purlins will sit on top of the 10" high beams. The beam and purlins would be 20" above the top of the gutter line. Do you still think this will be fine?

I do agree with you, initially I will think it is too high, BUT once I get landscaping etc around it I think it will be just fine. What do you think?

Thanks for the clarification about the height. I think that additional 8" is a good thing. It is preferable to get all the height you can...you want it to feel airy and light, and that means having ample head clearance.

Should also consider time of day you will mostly be using and relativity to the direction you are facing. For example in my yard, which standing on my patio with my back to my house faces south. The sun comes across from side yard to side (east to west) Towards midday somewhat overhead, although, most of afternoon and as sun lowers across horizon, sunlight hits at a sharper angle. I have an umbrella directly over my dining table, and it does nothing late afternoon. I have a separate one that free stands and i have to move it 8 feet away from my table to block the sun due to these angles of sunlight.

Point being, notice where you want the shade and how the sun is relative to your location. Then determine proper height, roof material, pitch etc. that benefits your location. Otherwise may end up with a nice architectural feature that isn't providing the benefit you want.

Interesting comments! I’m (we) are currently building our own to fit on our concrete patio, so it’s going to be 9’x10’.

Ive got the 8’ posts bolted down, now wondering if that’s too tall to feel like it’s our private space.

Dave

Thanks, kudzu9 for your advise, will leave the 8' Posts as is. After getting the posts bolted down and the 4 bottom 10' - 6"x12 boards with profiles cut out and attached, we didn't like the profiles, so took them down and cut different profile on each of the 8 ends. Alas, after working too long for our 75 year old selves I cut one angle the wrong way. We then called it a day.

Back to Lowe's for more 10' boards tomorrow.

Above is the new (easier to cut profile) we like better.

As opposed to these first ones. Those run east and west, the cross pieces, will run N & S. I plan on starting in the middle and going out 15 1/4 inc at a time. Is that a good idea?

im also thinking of notching them, I've practice, but still concerned I might get that wrong. I think notched looks better than using braces to set them on top?

Regards,

Dave

I like the profile better, too. So, once those 2X12's are all bolted in place, what are the dimensions of the cross pieces that will sit on top (that you are considering notching)?

The cross pieces (also 6x12") will be 11' that allows for 11" overhang on each side of the E-W pieces that are bolted in place.

Again I appreciate your advise. I've seen plans/pics that have slats on top of those, do you like that or is that a personal choice? We aren't worried about sun from above, but just from the west side. We intend to get an exterior sun screen that rolls up and down.

Any more suggestions or ideas are welcome and appreciated.

Cheers,

Dave

Sorry that I didn't see your response sooner. Notching for all those crosspieces takes a lot of skill to cut and getting them to slide down onto all of the pieces that are 90 degrees to them can be a pain. If it were me, I would go with 2X2's that are laid on top of the 2X12's and simply nail them in place using galvanized or stainless nails, or coated deck screws.

Again, thanks kudzu9! For the first time a few weeks ago I screwed 6 old fence boards together and practiced notching. It went well with my skill saw making several cuts and then going sideway, back and forth with the saw produced a good notch.

So today we got 3 of crosspieces down, notched and up. I was trying to get the notch to tight. The rest will be looser, the gap if too wide can be filled with wood putty and painted.

I do think the square 2x2’s would be more appealing.

Would you cut a profile on those prices are or just leave them square?

Thanks,

Dave

I'd leave them square so you don't have too much going on. With your notching, loose is good. If it's tight, you can get cracking as the lumber ages and possibly warps or twists. Personally, I wouldn't bother with wood filler as it's likely to crack and come loose over time in an outdoor environment.

Much appreciated.

Dave

How tall should a pergola be for above a hot tub on concrete?