DIY Wooden pergola – simple hints and ideas for the garden

The traditional wooden pergola makes a perfect complement to the beautiful garden design. On one hand it is a good support for vines or climbing plants. On the other hand, it can act as a visual extension of the entrance, define a cozy private place in the garden and give it character and personality.

Rustic furniture from branches and tree trunks has been very popular for decades. The style is still alive today. A wooden pergola with a rustic look is easy to build by yourself. There are no specific rules that must be observed in the construction, so we offer you a few helpful hints. Everything depends on your own imagination and original ideas for design and construction.

This simple design can easily be personalized for your garden and combined with many planters, green trellis or bamboo fences. The creative ideas for a wood pergola and simple construction techniques of Bim Willow would help you.

Here is everything you need to build a wooden gazebo by yourself:
– Thick branches of solid wood (about 2 feet long)
– Short straight branches and decorative branches
– Hammer, loppers, pruning shears, side cutters (for cutting the nail heads)
– Nails
– Wire

Step 1: Gather your materials

Use either dried or fresh wood for the construction. If the wood is dry, you first need to drill holes before nailing the branches. While the example of Willow Sassafras uses traditional willow wood, you can select other types of solid wood for your gazebo.
Step 2: Assemble two rectangular parallel side frames

Assemble the two side panels. The X-shape makes the design robust and secure.
Step 3: Add decoration to the side frame – Thin willow branches and climbing plants would be a delicate decoration for your wooden pergola. Use some of the decorative branches, to create an attractive pattern on the side frame. The branches add an aesthetic element and provide a grid for the meandering vines. Here Willow creates a series of Gothic arches, fixed with nails and cuts off the excess branches with his pruning shears. Tip: The thicker the wood, the greater the nail.
Step 4: Fix the upper part

To create a triangular pediment for the upper part of the wooden gazebo, mount the thick branches together. Make two triangular gables.
Step 5: Decorate the gable – Add decorative poles or branches around the gable to decorate. Excess branches can be cut off.
Step 6: Assemble the pergola – Attach the side frames with larger nails and place the gable. Then go one step back in order to assess if everything was okay and the construction is square.
Step 7: Add battens in the middle of the top part of the pergola

The battens serve as a support and to fix the gable. Then you could add the sides.
Step 8: Install corner bracket on the front and back, so that both are parallel and the wood pergola is upright.
Step 9: For additional support, you can make long metal posts next to the gazebo and use additional wire to attach the legs of the pergola. Tip: Extend the life of the rustic pavilion by spraying with a mixture of 2 parts linseed oil and one part turpentine. Use a pump sprayer and clean the tip when finished.

Also read: 16 Ideas for Pergola Design – Functional Designs for the Garden