Pergolas and canopies are structures whose purpose is to repair by creating a protected outdoor space. Generally they are used to gather and have lunch or dinner open air in a welcoming and chic setting; they can be aesthetically enriched by vases with colored flowers or by climbing plants grown on the very structure of our piece of furniture. They represent an indispensable tool for those who love to organize garden parties without exposing their guests to the elements; these canopies are in fact ideal for protecting above all from too much sun and wind and, if equipped with windows, they also shelter from the cold.The prices of the cheapest models start from 80 euros up to 450 euros for simpler independent structures, while it must consider an expense that is around and often exceeds one thousand euros for more complex and more repaired and elaborated structures.

We will need little: four bearing posts, four galvanized square section floor anchors, beams and joists. To start you will need to create a project with the measures, after having identified the area to work on. Trace the perimeter of the project, on the floor, with a piece of chalk: during this operation it is important to be careful to identify the 90 degree angle points where the support poles will be placed. Therefore we can fix the four galvanized anchors to the floor; once blocked, they will be the base to rest the first two support poles that we will have to connect with a beam.With a drill make a through hole both on the poles and on the joist and block everything with round head bolts. repeat the fastening of the beams for the various sides. Once the external structure has been obtained, we can take care of the roof by fixing to the perimeter beams, with nails, joists of at least 20 cm longer than the basic length of the pergola.It is important to build a solid composition but do not make the complex too heavy, which will then be covered with a plexiglass plate.

To draw up a fundamental project, identify what type of pergola we are interested in based on the spaces we have available and the materials we want to use. particularly large spaces are available and are a ploy to give a feeling of continuation of the interior spaces, a pergola as its ideal in very large gardens.Our project will be almost completely free if we decide to build an independent system, and it will be enough for us to equip ourselves with a meter and use our imagination to choose the measures, which will instead be in relation to those of the facade of the building on which we wish to place the construction, in the case of a lean-to canopy. and above all based on the use intended for our small do-it-yourself work.

Building a canopy yourself is possible and can also be fun, wooden ones are probably the simplest to build, but it is essential that this is treated with specific substances (such as natural oils) so that the material does not risk being damaged due to atmospheric phenomena. Being a rather large and therefore very visible construction, it is important to keep aesthetic aspects in mind and therefore pay particular attention to the choice of the color of the wood and play on the choice of flower and plant pots that we are going to combine with our canopy, possible for example, to exploit supporting poles or beams to grow beautiful climbing plants, perhaps with colorful flowers.Strategic lighting can make our shelter more atmospheric when we find ourselves living it in the evening, to do this you can buy street lamps, lights from ground and spotlights better if in warm light. Even a careful choice of shelves, chairs or benches will be essential to make your new space in the garden truly special and not just useful.