TIMBER LENGTHS AND SIZES

DETERMINING WIND CLASSIFICATION

The force of the wind is a factor in choosing the type of timber to use for your pergola and its dimensions. In fact, the building code of Australia has a separate set of recommended timber lengths and sizes for areas with high wind classification and for low wind speed areas.

Determining the wind classification of your area requires identifying four variables: Region, Terrain Category, Shielding Factor and Topographics Classification. For a complete and detailed procedure on how to estimate these factors and your area’s wind classification, check out Stratco’s guide to “Determining Wind Speed”. It should be noted that for engineering purposes in Australia there are very few areas that are affected south of Brisbane.

ROOF LOAD WIDTH (RLW)

The other important consideration in determining timber lengths and sizes of your pergola is the size and weight of the roofing material the timber structure intends to hold up. The size of the roofing material is needed to calculate how much load the roof members and substructure need to support, and therefore what size the underlying timber parts need to be.

SINGLE SPAN AND CONTINUOUS SPAN

Finally, the type of support needs to be considered — single span or continuous span. Continuous span support allows the structure to carry heavier loads, and so requires longer timber lengths and larger sizes. Here’s a review of the math behind all these.

With these three factors in hand, all you need now is to consult a span table such as this “Pocket Span Table Book” from the Timber Promotion Council to find the right timber lengths and sizes for your pergola roofing project.

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2 WAYS TIMBER DECKING MAKES THE WORLD BETTER

SUSTAINING THE ENVIRONMENT

It sounds like we contradict ourselves, but when we build timber decks and pergolas, we actually help preserve the environment. Timber is a totally renewable resource and all of our decking species are sustainably sourced. If managed properly the world will never run out of building materials for decks, pergolas, carports, fences and screening, among other things.

Other great things happen when people continue to plant and nurture trees. Trees soak in much of the CO2 that warms up the climate and causes the extreme weather that we’ve seen more and more of recently. Trees also provide habitation and food for many other plant and animal species, so they are great for sustaining the biodiversity that the planet needs.

The carbon footprint left when trees are processed into timber is also a lot less than when producing other building materials such as concrete and steel. The timber industry’s impact on the environment is a lot less than these other industries.

Softwoods carefully sources its timber only from certified sources and we are extremely proud of the great environmental story that timber represents in it’s uses as a building material.

PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELLNESS

There’s no question that spending time outdoors helps fight stress and improves health. And now there’s a growing body of evidence that says if you can’t get outdoors, the next best thing is to hang out in an environment that brings nature into your home. Timber decks have been shown to provide the same soothing and calming effect as taking a walk outdoors.

The health benefits offered by timber environments include:

• Improved air quality as the timber moderates humidity of its surroundings;
• Lowered blood pressure, heart rate and stress levels; and
• General well-being and improved emotional state from feelings of warmth and comfort.

Health is happiness. The resulting happiness that we help generate from promoting physical, emotional and social well-being is Softwoods’ contribution to the well-being of our planet.

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How to Build a Pergola – Step One

What You Need To Consider Before You Build

In building a Pergola, you can save yourself a lot of time and hassles down the line if you give some consideration to a few things before you start.

It is very important to check with your local council or shire before building any structure. It is your responsibility to ensure that all relevant approvals have been obtained and that the structure that you are attaching to (likely your home) is suitable to support the additional load imposed by your new pergola. In the absence of approval, a council or shire can reasonably demand that any structure you have built be pulled down. Obviously this is not a desirable outcome so we strongly recommend that you get your approval first!

Most local councils or shires require an application to be lodged detailing the proposed works and whether they meet engineering standards and local guidelines. Generally speaking a fee is required to lodge an application, and an approvals process is undertaken which usually takes a number of weeks (the timing can vary wildly from council to council) Plans and elevations are needed with the application, and if there are any issues your council or shire will usually contact you for clarification or further engineering.

If you are using Softwoods for your materials we will provide your plans and elevations free of charge for your application, and all of our pre cut structures are certified by our engineers. We also have a plan service, which charges a nominal fee for the preparation of plans for you should you require them.

Once you have approval, you will need to ensure that you have all of the necessary materials to make building your Pergola as safe and simple as possible.. Below is a list of these tools.

Easily the most important thing that you need to do in preparing to build your pergola is to create a safe work site. As you will no doubt understand, your well being is essential and it’s worth making sure that you feel safe at every stage of the building process.

Various stages of construction will require at least two people to complete so make sure that you have some helpers on hand for these. Also ensure that appropriately tall ladders are used when required and that your work site is clean and clearly flagged during construction to avoid children or other unauthorised people entering the potentially dangerous area. You will find handy safe work methods and tips on our website which we advise you to read carefully.

It is also worth your time to make sure that if your timber is delivered in advance of your intended build date, that you ensure it is stored correctly. Timber will be subject to some movement if not stored correctly, so please ensure that it is tightly packed, off the ground and in a dry area (avoiding placing it on lawn is a good idea).

The last thing that you need to consider before you start to build is the painting of your timber. Not many people enjoy this part, but unfortunately it needs to be done, as a painted structure will withstand the weather infinitely better than one that’s unpainted. Again if you are buying your materials from Softwoods we can offer a painting service and deliver you your materials fully painted and only in need of a minor touch up upon completion of your build.

Use two painting trestles, and a roller or spraygun to paint all of the timber, and ensure that you use the paint to the manufacturers specifications. It’s important to get the painting right while the timber is on the ground as it is very difficult to repaint once your structure is built. Once you have painted your timber, store it with spacers so that the timber wont stick together as it dries. Once you are done with painting, it’s time to commence the build!


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