Hello All, Currently working on my current backyard as we added a pool and looking to enhance the outdoor space. Landscaper recommended a pergola for shade, so have been doing some research this past week regarding buying options. I narrowed down my options to Mirador Outdoors and Hanso Home. Was wondering if anyone had any experience with either of the two? These are my current pros and cons of each: - Mirador Outdoors: Great price compared to rest of market, would be able to install within two weeks, and presents a modern aesthetic- cons, is not customizable and only offers a few sizes... if I choose Mirador, I would be choosing their cherry wood pergola as I love the color. - Hanso Home: Customizable! Love their warranty (10 years) and it seems like a super high-quality material. Cons would not be able to be received for the next two months...which has me leaning more towards Mirador as I would like my landscaper to be able to install the pergola while he is here doing my current backyard renovation. Leaning more towards making a purchase soon- but wanted to reach out to the community for any feedback if you had communications with either company. Thanks! Claire
Hello There, Personally I find buying a pergola and letting someone place it for you a complete waste of money. I have a pergola and a friend and I bought some wood and erected it ourselves. Take a look at this link posted here a while ago . https://www.gardenstew.com/threads/pondering-on-a-design-for-a-pergola.33651/#post-306853 And now: Mine is one option but there are others on here that may have some advice for you. A pergola is such a nice thing to have. I spend quite a bit of time under mine…I mean tea has to be consumed, y’know, and plans have to be made.
We have a pergola, built from upcycled 4x4's and 2x4s. If you can find them, it helps a lot with the cost. Ours has grape vines. There's something very satisfying about just reaching overhead to pick the grapes.
Hi and welcome. The problem with store bought wooden garden furniture, is the wood itself. These days it's mostly low density softwood, that's "been shown a coat of preservative." You are far better constructing one yourself. The less it comes in contact with the ground, the better. I built two pergolas 30 years ago. One on the side of the house, the other on the side of the garage. Best seen in this video. The constructions are of tanalised softwood. The one on the back of the house has a "9 x 2" beam screwed to the side of the house, there are two more at the front either side of 4" x 4" posts. Coach bolts pass through the posts and beams and there are triangular supports between the beam and the posts. The posts are set in concrete "elephant's feet" to keep the wood clear of the patio. The base of the posts were sitting in Cuprinol overnight before assembly. Everything gets a coat of Dulux trade ultimate woodstain every few years. It's now £72 for 2.5ltrs. There's a bead of silicone between the wood and the elephant's foot. Concrete will shrink slightly when it sets, so you can end up with a slight gap between the foot and the wood. The silicone will need renewing from time to time. The cross-beams on the house pergola are 4" x 2". Two main beams support the cross braces on the garage pergola, supported by posts with a balustrade for more stability (and originally to stop my wife falling in the 5ft deep koi pool we had for thirty years, then retained as a "feature" when we closed it down four years ago). I had to make special wooden brackets to attach it to the garage to incorporate the gutter. Both are rock solid and will take my weight. You don't need special tools to make these. Just a conventional hand tools and a hand-held electric belt sander cuts down the work.
