That's a great looking patio and I can appreciate that it would be nice to not have to anchor something into it, and I think that is something which is do-able and safe. However, it would help to have some more info...particularly how big is the pergola supposed to be (length, width and height), and what is it going to be constructed of? It may be that the weight and design of the pergola will make it substantial enough to not need to be anchored to anything. If you really want to anchor it because of a concern about movement or wind, attaching it to planters would only be of significant help if the planters themselves are filled with dirt (so they add a lot of weight) or they have strong bottoms to support dirt-filled pots (rather than simply being cosmetic surrounds for pots). If they were substantial, then you could simply put a bolt (galvanized) with a large washer through the side of each wooden planter and through each pergola upright. You could also consider designing the pergola so that it is a little wider than the patio so that you could simply anchor it in the ground (you could dig a hole by each post location, fill with concrete, and plant a U-bracket into the concrete).

I'm shooting for something ~12'x12' and probably ~10' tall. Not sure yet on what type of wood.

Putting a bolt through the bottom of the planters is a great idea. I had initially thought of casting the bottom of each post in a cylinder of concrete for the weight, but sounds like the overall weight of the pergola itself plus dirt-filled planters would likely be enough.

Nice work on the patio - and I also agree that a pergola would be a great element to help unify the house's architecture to the hardscape - particularly by repeating the verticality of the Tuscan columns on your traditional porch.

Typically, concrete footings are used in this application. If you do decide to simply bolt the pergola posts to the planter boxes, be sure to secure the posts to both the bottom and top of each box to minimize the risk of the whole structure jack-knifing.

There is considerable top-weight on pergolas and without sufficient moment connections at the post to stringer unions and/or post bases, racking could pose a real safety hazard.

Below is a link to a web site that has a lot of good design ideas for pergolas. You might also consider phoning them to see what they say about the need for anchoring various types of pergola structures.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pergolas

I wouldn't do it, if it were my project. How about attaching one side of the pergola to the your house with a ledger-board? Take up a few pavers to dig footings and anchor the opposite side securely into the ground, like the BHG plan in your link.

Connie

shpigford may be looking for an easy way out to build his pergola and has two threads posted on the same topic. Perhaps he's waiting for someone to tell him what he wants to hear?

OK here ya go - Go ahead and build this freestanding 12 x 12 overhead structure with 4 posts sitting directly on the surface of a floating paver base. It requires no lateral supports, foundations or moment connections at the corner joints, and the 12 foot spans are certainly no big deal either . . . :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Securing pergola thread

@archdiver: Nope, not the same topic. I initially had this planter idea and didn't get much traction with it, so I posted a DIFFERENT thread asking what would be the best way to secure. Different questions. Thanks anyway.

Just yanking your chain - and making a subtle point about some things you may be overlooking - especially with a freestanding structure.

You CANNOT anchor a Pergola to your house or another building, it then is not a Pergola. A true Pergola has to be free standing

Unanchored gazebos and pergolas turn into flying debris in surprisingly mild storms - it doesn't take a tornado to make them fly. The "lift" of a pergola roof is enough to make the whole structure bounce up and down or even lift it off the ground.

Remove enough of the pavers to dig a proper footing, set anchor concrete and do it right or your pergola could end up in the neighbor's yard, or in the street.

ALSO: the weight of the pergola resting on a few loose-laid paver blocks will wreck the blocks. A 12x12 structure is going to be HEAVY.

shpigford-
Thanks for posting back to provide an update. It sounds like you came up with a good, solid solution that should do the job. Short of a tornado, I think you're good!

hi shpigford,

I'm having the exactly the same idea of putting up a pergola with planters, may I know your planters' dimension? And if possible, pls kindly send me a photo of your finished project, i wanna make some reference.

Thanks

shpigford,

I am in a very similar situation as you and your idea interests me. What dimensions are your planters?

thanks

mj

it's been 10 years, is the pergola still standing?

I have a steal, hardtop gazebo, very heavy and we almost lost it in a storm with high winds. Probably because I had plastic hanging on three walls to trap in heat. But it moved about two feet. We have it on a brick patio. I want to use planters to anchor it I'm concerned about soil and water causing the legs to rust. No one mentioned this as a risk, is it?

Shipugford, do you have any pictures of the building process? I have many of the same questions that others have posted here.