Building an open roof over an existing patio

[kujo8me]

I'm new to building things for myself but I tried and I have new respect for the people who do this for a living. I saw a design in a book and it called for 4 by8 beams with a box of the same around the perimiter of the patio and a checkerboard pattern on the inside, and lattice panels held in place with 2 by 2's. I have 19.5 foot square and have posts every 10 feet around the perimeter of 4*6's i have 4*6*20 treated beams going across held in with 6 inch lag screws 3 for each beam on each side and i have one of those every 45 inches. The plan calls for 4*6's to be cut and placed the other direction held in with angle brackets. is that to much weight to be held up without a post in the center of my patio (where my table goes) if so does anybody have any solutions to this problem.thanks in advance

Paul

[jloomis]

[willshak]

on 5/3/2008 11:37 PM kujo8me said the following:

Just for your information, it is called a 'pergola', in case you want to Google it.

[Dioclese]

Inexpensive and lighter weight method is to use 1X4s, and 2X2s to fabricate a non-structrual beam if you will. Checkerboard effect is there. The only drawback is that the resultant beams will be 1/2" less high.

My preference in your project would to cover the roof conventionally, and put a skylight in one location in the center.

[Edward Hennessey]

P:

I have another suggestion for you to tumble. If what you want is filtered light, look at the various meshes of greenhouse shade cloth. It is a lot lighter than lath, doesn't need painting, gives a uniform dispersion of light instead of the staggered light of lath, does much better wind screening and it is not terribly expensive to have made up in edged and grommeted panels that can be affixed to supports in a number of ways. You might get wind whip in some locations on a big panel though.

Your notations permit of more than one interpretation. Clearly differentiating what superstructure you have in place now, outside, I assume, a concrete pad, from what you want to put up will help. If you don't get real top heavy, I've seen some work along the line of your notion that pleasantly incorporated pipe as supporting elements. For that matter, if you wanted to use pipe or track overhead, you could always grommet the shade cloth with rings to make the whole covering slide back on gloomy days.

I don't have any immediate information on dedicated track elements but a greenhouse supply outfit would. Good catalogue request idea.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

[kujo8me via HomeKB.com]