Thank you for purchasing a do-it-yourself pergola kit from Average Joe’s Pergola Depot. We appreciate your business, and we are here to help you in any way possible. Read this entire Instruction sheet before beginning so you can get a feel for what you will be doing. If take your time and follow these instructions you can do it. We have faith in you!
If you are installing this kit on a concrete patio, we advise that you use a 6X6 Galvanized post base on each post secured with ½” red head concrete anchors which can be purchased from your local hardware store. You will need some additional tools for this. Ask your hardware salesman for instructions on how toinstall them.
Step By Step Assembly Instructions for The Big Kahuna Pergola Kit
Step 1- Remove the wrapping from the outside of the crate
Step 2- Lay out all parts next to where you will be installing the pergola.
Step 3- Place all four beams on the ground (with the x’s facing up) exactly where you would like the pergola to stand like so:
Step 4- Slide one of the rafters down onto the outermost X marks on the beams. You may have to move the back beam around a little to get it into place. Make sure you have the rafter on top of the same mark on both beams. The X marks look like this: lXl
Step 5- Take another rafter and slide it down on the next X mark to the inside. Keep placing rafters on the x marks until all rafters are resting on the beams You should now have this lying on the ground:
Step 6- Step back and take a look to see how square everything looks. Take a tape measure and hook it on the outside corner of one of the beams, and pull the tape to the opposite corner. Write down the measurement. Then hook it on the other corner and pull to the opposite corner like this:
Move the back beam from side to side until you have the same measurement both ways. When you have the same measurement, it is perfectly square.
Helpful Hint: This is done easier if you and your helper both have a tape measure and pull them across at the same time.
Step 7- Now you can see where you have to dig your holes for each post. (Or mount your post bases if you’re on concrete.) Look at the top of the beam just inside the first rafter where it says post. If you are on concrete, make a mark on the ground directly in the center of the lines where it says post on all four corners. If you are on grass or dirt, stick the flags that are provided with the kit into the ground on all corners where it says post.
Step 8- Take all of the rafters off of the beams and move everything out of the way. Now you should be left with four marks where your holes or post bases will go.
Step 9- Dig 2 or 4 foot ft deep holes (depending on the depth desired) or install your post bases directly over top of all 4 of your markers.
Step 10- Lye the four posts on the ground with the bottoms at the edge of each hole, with the tops facing away from each other. Like This:
Step 11- Lay one beam down on the ground near the top of the posts. Slide the posts up and onto the beam between the lines on the beam where it says post.
Step 12- Set the other beam on top sandwiching the post in between the two beams.
Step 13- Place 1 washer on each ½” bolt. Lift up the beam assembly enough to fit the bolts between the ground and the beam and insert the bolts into the holes from the bottom.
Helpful Hint: You may want to use a block of wood to place on the ground under the bolt so you can push the beam down to get the bolt to come up through the hole.
Place a washer and nut on each of the bolts and make them snug but do not tighten them down yet. Now you should have this:
Step 14- slide the corner braces, with the long side towards the top, up in between the two pieces of wood that make up the beam. Get it flush with the top of the beam and push the bottom side against the post. Make sure everything is nice and flush to the post and to the top of the beam. Screw in two 3” deck screws through the angle brace into the post through the predrilled holes, then screw the top through the face of the beam into the angle with 4- 3” deck screws. (There are no predrilled holes in the face of the beam) Repeat for each angle brace.
Step 15- With one person on each side, tilt the assembly up and drop the posts into the postholes (or into the post bases if on concrete). Have your helper hold the assembly plumb. Refill the holes around the posts with dirt or dry concrete. If you are using concrete, do not water it in yet. Check for level across the top of the beam and on the sides of the posts. If you are installing the pergola on top of a concrete patio with post bases, you will need to prop the assembly up so that it does not fall. The crate that the kit came in works well for this purpose. Once you have the bottom of the posts in the post bases, put one nail on each side to hold them in place.
Step 16- Repeat step 15 for the other side.
Step 17- Move your stepladder in between the two sides. Take one of the rafters and slide it onto the outermost X mark on the beams just like you did on the ground. Now move to the opposite side and slide another rafter into position on the outermost X mark. Now your helper should be able to let go of the assembly.
Step 18- Install all of the remaining rafters on the remaining X marks and secure them to the beam with 3” deck screws through the predrilled holes. (If on concrete, now is the time to finish securing the posts to the bases.)
Step 19- Place the top slats into position in the layout lines across the rafters labeled with an S and screw them down to the rafters. Make sure you have the same overhang on all of the top slats. Be careful screwing the screws in because stainless steel is a soft metal and they strip VERY EASILY! Push down hard while screwing them in. There are extra screws in every kit just incase you strip some, but if you need more you should be able to find them at any Ace Hardware, Home Depot, or your local hardware store.
Step 20- Check for level and plumb, tighten down nuts, and water in the concrete or dirt.
Thanks again for your business. We really do appreciate our customers and their feedback on ways to improve our products. So after you’ve completed putting your kit together, sit down, have a cold drink, and drop us a line via email to tell us what you think about our products. Any feedback on how we can make our kits easier to install will be very helpful. Pictures are always welcome! Don’t forget to check back often for new outdoor living structure kits coming soon!
