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Pergola Footings/suggestions?

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BrooklynBravest

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Didn't really know what section to put this in. Figured it was closest to a deck.

Anyway, I really dont do framing/decks and whatnot anymore. I've done them as a helper in the past but I mainly do finish work now.

A coworker asked me if I could build them a pergola off of their raised deck. The deck comes off the second floor and the pergola will extend off of it against the house.

Building the pergola is no problem but I wasn't sure the best approach to the footings.

Should I did a hole, drop in a paver and sit the 4x4 post on top and fill with concrete or should I go with a sonotube and anchor bracket and add the 4x4 after?

The frost line here is 36". It doesn't have to be built to code though.


Also any issues with my design? Its 10'x12' and the posts are 4x4. All treated standard lumber. Either 2x10 or 2x8 Whatever matches his deck I haven't been to the house yet.
 

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#5 ·
I'll second hdavis... You are adding LOAD to the end joist of that deck, you may not like it but that is reality and that comes into play when sizing joists and loadings. You may be overloading the pier that the deck sits on if it was built to the minimum spec.
 
#7 ·
From a technical/liability stand point, you are adding load to the existing structure and should have stamps and plans and all that.

From a real life, if it were my house view... You are talking about adding half the weight of a couple hundred pounds of framing. If the existing deck can't take the extra load it is probably under built or falling apart already.
As far as footings, I like concrete with brackets above grade, but I live/work in an entirely different climate/world.

If the existing deck is at all questionable it wouldn't take much to add a couple more posts and make the new work completely independent. That way when the deck needs replacement it won't affect the pergola. Might be worth it regardless of decks condition.


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#8 ·
That deck looks old. Check it closely for rot. It's amazing how much more rot there is that you can't see. I certainly would allow him to risk it, but without me.
 
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Discussion starter · #10 · (Edited)
mtb said:
From a technical/liability stand point, you are adding load to the existing structure and should have stamps and plans and all that.

From a real life, if it were my house view... You are talking about adding half the weight of a couple hundred pounds of framing. If the existing deck can't take the extra load it is probably under built or falling apart already.
As far as footings, I like concrete with brackets above grade, but I live/work in an entirely different climate/world.

If the existing deck is at all questionable it wouldn't take much to add a couple more posts and make the new work completely independent. That way when the deck needs replacement it won't affect the pergola. Might be worth it regardless of decks condition.


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Click to expand...
Thats kind of how I viewed it. Hes my captain at work. He isn't worried about liability or anything. There isn't going to be a record of me even doing the work. If the whole thing collapsed he isn't going to sue me. I'm just helping him out.

The deck looks like a weird setup as is. Maybe it just seems odd because it isn't capped off on the end and looks unfinished?

I like the idea of the sonotube and anchor because If I set the 4x4 even slightly off and it hardens its game over. An adjustable bracket is a nice luxury I would think.


I guess it really is going to come down to when I see it. I'm not a framer/deck builder thats why I came for the opinion of you folks.

When he originally asked to build a pergola I thought it was going to be free standing to begin with. He threw the curveball.

I do have to unfortunately agree already though, the pictures really look like a thrown together strange deck design. It looks like whoever did it just kept throwing pieces on.
 
#11 ·
BrooklynBravest said:
I imagine if I tell him the concern he will say hes willing to take the risk.
Click to expand...
They're always willing to take the risk, until something happens and then you get to pay for it.

I'd consider putting a ledger on the house and run the rafters out perpendicular to the wall. Still only 2 posts and a beam but now there's no load on the old deck and it can stay up when they replace the deck. Plus I think the rafters will look better that way.
 
#12 ·
I missed the pics while posting, maybe they hadn't come up yet.

Based on what I can see, I would not attach anything to that personally.

It won't take much extra to go freestanding and the new work will look so good he'll have you replace that mess of a deck as soon as your done. [emoji3]


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Discussion starter · #13 ·
mtb said:
I missed the pics while posting, maybe they hadn't come up yet.

Based on what I can see, I would not attach anything to that personally.

It won't take much extra to go freestanding and the new work will look so good he'll have you replace that mess of a deck as soon as your done. [emoji3]


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Click to expand...
I would love it to be free standing. But without digging up some of those bricks I have nowhere to put a footing. I don't think he wants a footing in the middle of the bricks either.
 
#14 · (Edited)
BrooklynBravest said:
I would love it to be free standing. But without digging up some of those bricks I have nowhere to put a footing. I don't think he wants a footing in the middle of the bricks either.
Click to expand...
You can remove/cut the bricks and do a raised footing a little bigger then the footing hole. That way it will cover up any saw cut edges.
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
heavy_d said:
Here I removed the necessary stones, did sonotubes, cut the stones to fit around the hole. Hard on the back but looks great.
Click to expand...

That looks great! Looks like a 6x6 on the corners?

Problem is you don't have the deck next to it. It's a weird setup I don't know what made him want a pergola next to a shaded area already.
 
#18 ·
BrooklynBravest said:
...He isn't worried about liability or anything. There isn't going to be a record of me even doing the work. If the whole thing collapsed he isn't going to sue me. I'm just helping him out.
Click to expand...
We all have to be better than that. For all anyone knows, someday a birthday party of second graders gets messed up when it fails.

In other news of the whacky, yesterday I was asked to find a workaround for powering an infrared hot tub. Panel is full, etc., so they were inquiring about using an extension cord from the electric dryer :blink: (among other things).....and they were willing "to take the risk". I made it perfectly clear about how I felt about that.
 
#20 ·
BrooklynBravest said:
That looks great! Looks like a 6x6 on the corners?

Problem is you don't have the deck next to it. It's a weird setup I don't know what made him want a pergola next to a shaded area already.
Click to expand...
Yes they are 6x6. I wouldn't dream of using 4x4 on a large pergola. Pretend it's a deck of its own... I think code says any deck over 4 feet high requires 6x6 support posts..
 
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