Strong joints without the joinery

1. Knock in a peg at each corner of your pergola footprint (the outside faces of the posts).
2. Mark the width along the wall, then measure out the projection at each end, square to the wall, and peg the two front corners.
3. Run a string line between the pegs.
4. Measure both diagonals. When they're equal, the layout is square. Adjust the pegs until they match.
5. Mark the position of any middle posts along the string.

Tip: the 3-4-5 rule. Measure 3m along one side and 4m along the other from a corner. If the diagonal between those points is exactly 5m, the corner is square.

On a patio, decking or concrete: stand a 4771 Base Sleeve Bracket at each post mark, check they line up with your string, and fix them down with suitable anchors.

On uneven hard ground: use a 4750 Swift Leveller Mini at each post, adjusting each one so the tops are all at the same level.

On soft ground or lawn: dig a hole at each post mark and concrete in a 4751 Swift Leveller Flexi. Let the concrete set before loading it, then adjust the height to level.

Anchor type and size for 4771 into patios/concrete, minimum distance from slab edges, and hole size/concrete for the 4751.

• Cut posts, beams and rafters to the lengths on your planner cutting list. Measure twice, cut once.
• Keep cuts square so joints sit tight inside the brackets.
• Cut the knee braces with a 45° angle at both ends.
• Treat every cut end with end-grain preservative. Pressure treatment doesn't always reach the centre of the timber, so cut ends are where rot starts.

1. Mark a level line on the wall at the height of the underside of your rafters.
2. Mark the rafter positions along the line at 600mm centres, plus a bracket at each end for the side beams.
3. Hold each 4774 bracket to the line, mark the holes, drill and fix with masonry anchors.
4. Check the line of brackets is level and straight before moving on.

Tip: keep clear of windows, gutters and the damp-proof course, and avoid drilling into mortar joints where possible.

Recommended masonry anchor type/size and minimum embedment for the 4774.

1. Stand each post in its base.
2. Hold a spirit level on two adjacent faces to get it perfectly upright (plumb).
3. Screw two temporary battens from the post down to pegs in the ground to hold it in place.
4. Fix the post into its base bracket.
5. Check all post tops are at the same height. Run a string or long level across them.

Screw length and number of fixings per post into the 4771 / Swift Leveller.

Screw lengths, number of screws per bracket and whether pre-drilling is needed.

1. Hold a 45° brace between the post and beam so it sits tight at both ends.
2. Fix it in place with a 4765 135º Heavy Support Bracket.
3. Fit braces on both sides of each post along the beam (end posts can brace to the inside only).
4. Once the braces are in, recheck the posts are still plumb and remove the temporary battens.

Brace length (planner assumes 600mm) and exact bracket position at each end.

1. Mark the rafter positions along the beams at 600mm centres, starting from one end.
2. Lay each rafter across both beams with an equal overhang at each end.
3. Rest each rafter in its wall bracket and lay it across the front beam with an even overhang at the front.
4. Fix the two end rafters with 4763 L Shape Brackets and the middle rafters with 4764 T Shape Brackets where they cross the beam.
5. Fix a 4773 Rafter Support Bracket to the inside face of the front and back beams at each mark, then drop the rafters in so the tops sit flush.
6. Fix a 4773 Rafter Support Bracket to the inside of the front beam at each mark, then fit each rafter between the wall bracket and the front beam.
7. Fix each rafter into its 4774 wall bracket.

Tip: cut a 600mm spacer block. Use it between rafters to keep the spacing even without measuring every time.