How a custom cedar pergola actually goes together

Industry-standard sizing for a 12'×12' freestanding cedar pergola: 6×6 corner posts (5.5"×5.5" actual), doubled 2×10 girders along the long axis with ~12" cantilever past the posts, 2×8 rafters at 24" on-center across the short axis with ~14" overhang each side, and 2×2 top slats at 12" on-center for the shade pattern. Aluminum kit pergolas use thinner extruded channels (typically 4"×4" posts + 5"×8" beam channels) because aluminum has 5–6× the stiffness of cedar per inch.

Both. The 45° corner brackets between each post and beam (sometimes called knee braces, gussets, or brackets) triangulate the post-beam corner so the pergola can't rack sideways under wind load. IRC R301.2.1 wind loads for residential exposure category B can easily generate 200+ lbs of lateral force at the top of an 8' post during a 90-mph gust. A doubled 2×10 girder + 4 properly-bolted 2×6 or 2×8 knee braces handles that. The braces are also the iconic visual element that separates a kit pergola from a custom build — almost every pro-built cedar pergola has them.

A cloud-lift (also called Greene & Greene-style, scrolled-end, or hammer-end) rafter tail is a sculpted profile at the rafter's end — not a straight chamfer or simple taper, but a curved Bezier shape that lifts the bottom of the rafter up at the end. It serves three purposes: visual rhythm (the shadow line follows a curve, not a line), water shedding (drips off the curved end rather than wicking back into the rafter), and craftsmanship signature (it's labor-intensive — band-saw work — so it instantly distinguishes a custom build from a kit). Greene & Greene Arts & Crafts pergolas from the 1900s set the standard most modern premium pergolas reference.

Most jurisdictions require a permit if the pergola is attached to the house OR if any single dimension exceeds 12'. Freestanding pergolas under 12'×12' (sometimes 10'×10') often qualify as an "accessory structure" exemption — check your local code office. Footings: any freestanding pergola in a frost-prone climate needs concrete piers below the frost line (12"–48" depending on state, per IRC R403.1.4.1). Surface-mounted post bases on a paver patio work for warm zones but fail in cold zones — the post will lift annually with frost heave. The Deck Footing Calculator gives the exact frost depth for your state.

Open lattice = fixed 2×2 (or 2×4) top slats spaced 6–12" on-center. Casts the iconic striped shade pattern. Lets ~40–60% of sunlight through at noon (depends on slat depth/spacing). $0 ongoing — totally passive. Louvered = motorized aluminum slats that rotate 0°–180°, going from fully open (no shade, like an open lattice) to fully closed (waterproof roof). Pelican State, Struxure, Equinox, and Outdoor Elements are the major brands. Louvered kits run $14k–28k installed for a 12×12 footprint vs $4k–7k for a custom cedar open-lattice pergola — but the louvered version doubles as a covered patio in rain.

Three options, ranked by code-strength. (1) Best: 4 concrete piers cast through the paver field (lift the pavers, dig 12"+ piers to frost line, pour, set Simpson ABA66 stand-off anchors, reinstall pavers around). The piers carry the wind load. (2) Mid: bolt to the existing concrete pad UNDER the pavers using 5/8" wedge anchors + Simpson stand-off post bases — only works if there's a thickened slab under the patio. (3) Surface-mount post-base anchors driven into the pavers — never code-compliant, fine for kit aluminum pergolas in calm climates only. The animation shows option (1) — the only universally code-compliant approach.

Western Red Cedar: 25–40 years with re-stain every 3–5 years, structural integrity past 50 years if not in ground contact. Will silver gracefully without stain. Pressure-treated pine: 20–30 years, requires re-stain every 2–3 years to avoid checking. Aluminum (powder-coated): 30+ years with essentially zero maintenance — minor scratches touched up every decade. Cedar is the classic pro choice; aluminum is the maintenance-free choice; PT is the budget choice. The animation models cedar — the highest-detail visual reference.