Advice on groundworks and preparing for Installation
Advice on groundworks and preparing for installation
GUIDANCE FOR PREPARING TO INSTALL A PERGOLA WHERE CAN A PERGOLA BE INSTALLED?
It is important to understand first exactly where it is sensible and appropriate to put a pergola. It should be said from the outset that a pergola must be fitted on a solid surface. Beneath the finished surface should be something that the pergola can be secured to, for example, a concrete pad. If you are having the pergola installed professionally, this surface would need to be in place before our installers arrive. Our experienced pergola installers do not deal with groundworks, so this is something that you need to arrange independently. Look for a company that specialises in groundworks or a local handyman with specific experience in this area. SLOPING SURFACES If you are building your pergola on a sloped surface this is not a problem. Aluminium louvered roof pergolas make use of the natural fall of your surface to make it easy for rain to drain off. This means that there should always be a slight slope. Our fitters can adjust the legs to sit flat, using spacers up to 50mm, though this can affect the look of the footplate. If packing more than 50mm is required the legs can be reduced, but this can sometimes affect the warranty on the product as bespoke work may be required.
MANAGING THE GROUNDWORKS
Before you begin any groundworks, it is advisable to choose the size of the pergola that you are going to have installed. We can provide you with a floor plan. This plan will allow you to understand where the footplates for the pergola will sit. It is recommended that you use concrete pads of approximately 40x40x40cm beneath any tiles (or similar surfaces). If you have decking, you should do the same, or alternatively, add extra joists below the decking for a secure fixing. Your surface can then be finished with tiles or decking on top. This means that when the pergola installers arrive, they are able to simply drill through any tile or decking and secure each footplate to the pads or joists below.
WHAT IF YOU HAVE ALREADY LAID A PATIO OR DECKING?
If you are hoping to simply affix a pergola to an existing surface, such as a patio or decking, it is a good idea to check what is beneath the surface to establish whether it is secure or not. Sand, for example, which is often used below decking, would not be secure enough, nor would composite decking without something stronger underneath. However, there may also already be structural beams underneath where the footplates would sit. This would not be a problem per se, as long as the footplates are on structural beams that are wide enough to allow the footplate to be securely bolted. No matter what kind of surface you are putting the pergola on, it is important to check what is beneath the surface. The pergola should not be unsecured, and if you are planning to install it without professional help, this is an important aspect to be aware of.
WHAT IF YOU ARE INSTALLING LIGHTS, SCREENS OR SIDE OPTIONS?
If your pergola has LED lights, our installers will fit the light kit to the inside of the pergola, but they are not able to undertake any electrical works, so you may need an electrician to help with this. We can advise you on this. If your pergola installation includes screens or side options, you should consider that the pergola needs to be levelled accurately. The legs will need to be correctly measured at both the top and the bottom for the side options to operate as designed. The Pergola legs can then be bolted down before any side options are fitted.