A Pergola Addition to the Deck

I would like to introduce a new addition to our deck that was just completed. For many years, we have wanted to add a pergola/roof over part of our deck. The structure is now complete and it just needs a coat of stain in a few weeks when the weather permits. The purpose of the pergola/roof is varied.

The biggest reason for adding the roof is to provide some shelter from rain and snow near the deck door. Our deck door is already rotting and I figure one reason for this is that it had no protection from the elements and there is no drop from the level of the door to the level of the deck. Also, having the roof will allow us to keep the door open when it is raining outside without getting the kitchen floor soaked (and I love the smell of a rain shower!).

Another reason is to help provide shade from the sun in the summer time. Although the pergola itself will not provide much relief, we will probably put up some hanging baskets and other plants that will help diffuse the strong evening sun.

One other reason we thought a pergola would be a nice addition to the deck is that we just didn't like the plain vanilla feel of the back of the house. Having this structure adds some character to the backyard.

We used a local company, Outdoor Spaces Design and Build, to design and build the structure. Although they had never done a pergola/roof design such as this, they did a great job envisioning it and carrying it through to completion.