Secure one cross brace to one of the 4x4 posts and to the side of the 2x4 facing away from the pergola’s interior. Repeat this step on the other end of the 2x4, cross-bracing it to the other post.

Secure one cross brace to one of the 4x4 posts and to the side of the 2x4 facing away from the pergola’s interior. Repeat this step on the other end of the 2x4, cross-bracing it to the other post.

Secure one cross brace to one of the 4x4 posts and to the side of the 2x4 facing away from the pergola’s interior. Repeat this step on the other end of the 2x4, cross-bracing it to the other post.

Pergola plans are an enduring favorite in Popular Mechanics ... Step 6: Lay the 2x4 slats in place and secure them to the rafters with a pair of 3-inch decking screws at both ends of each slat.

Secure one cross brace to one of the 4x4 posts and to the side of the 2x4 facing away from the pergola’s interior. Repeat this step on the other end of the 2x4, cross-bracing it to the other post.

Secure one cross brace to one of the 4x4 posts and to the side of the 2x4 facing away from the pergola’s interior. Repeat this step on the other end of the 2x4, cross-bracing it to the other post.

Dear Pat: My children and I like to spend time on the patio, but it gets hot in the sun. What type of attractive cover can I build myself to shade it? I still want some indirect light to come ...

What you’ll need. Materials and tools needed to build a pergola on your deck that stands 8 feet high by 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep: 4x4 pieces of lumber cut to four 96-inch lengths and four ...