Everything you need to know about do it yourself pergolas.

Have you been wondering about these backyard structures called pergolas? You see them everywhere across the country. Pergolas started out mostly on the east coast and in the south but their popularity has spread thanks to home improvement TV shows and, of course, the internet! Once you know what they are, you realize how many you have seen in your own neighborhood.

The picture above is of a pergola build over an entry gate. It's a fairly large one with three rows of supporting posts for a total of eight. Two in the front and then two rows of three on the inside of the gate. The roof line is very simple with just one layer of rafters and single beams spanning the posts.Since it really isn't providing a lot of shade, this pergola is primarily there to create a dramatic visual effect. It sure does that quite well! The use of the darker paint to match the trim on the house and the gate makes it really stand out especially among the lush green landscaping surrounding it.

On the surface, you might look at that and think it had to be quite expensive to build. However, it really is not at all that high priced and it is also much simpler to build than you might think at first glance. A great resource for information on everything pergolas can be found here. Take a quick survey and you will be given a code for a set of free pergola plans. You will also be enrolled in a very informative email series that will answer a lot of the questions you will have about building your own pergola. But, the best part is the discount link you will receive to the Guide to Building a Pergola in One Weekend. There you will see exactly how you can built any type of pergola - even one like the photo above - for less than $1000 and using just a few days of your time.