How to Mount a Pergola on a Deck
- 1). Measure the pergola legs' bottom dimensions, to determine the right size brackets to use to secure the legs to the deck surface.
- 2). Slide the brackets under the pergola's legs and place the legs onto the desired spots on the deck. Use a 4-foot level to ensure that the pergola's legs are plumb and trace around each bracket base using a pencil. Leave the pergola with the brackets in place while drilling holes through the deck.
- 3). Slip a 1/2-inch drill bit into an electric drill's chuck. Tighten the chuck to lock the bit into place before drilling holes. Drill 1/2-inch holes through the deck material using the predrilled slots in the bracket for placement. Slip threaded ½-inch-by-10-inch bolts through each drilled hole.
- 4). Crawl underneath the decking and locate the bottom of the threaded bolts. Measure the span between each deck joist and cut a board to length using a circular saw. Slip the board between the deck joists so that the threaded bolts cradle it. Nail or screw the board directly to the deck joist making sure that the top edge is sitting flush against the bottom of the deck boards.
- 5). Slip the bottom plate over the threaded bolts. Thread a washer and a nut over each bolt to secure the plate over the added boards. Check that the pergola legs are still inside the traced lines and tighten the nuts with an adjustable wrench.