Fit check
Key measurements
Plans dimensions govern — do not scale
Cut list every post, beam, brace, rafter and slat with its code
Parts checklist every part to proportional length, with its code — tick each off as you cut and label it
Lumber list & cutting diagrams what to buy, and what gets cut from each board
Shopping list & estimated cost typical Home Depot prices — click a price to match your store
Fastening schedule how each joint is bolted, tied or screwed
Hardware & fasteners
Build steps
Build it step by step each page adds the next stage — new parts are outlined in orange
Important: read before building
Plan a DIY wood pergola
Pergola Planner sizes a freestanding wood pergola to your footprint: two rows of posts, a doubled beam on each, rafters across the beams and slats on top. It sizes the beams for the span between posts and the rafters for the span between the beams, adds posts when the beams need them, braces every corner, and draws the decorative tail cuts — with full-size templates in the PDF to trace. Everything is a preliminary DIY estimate: your building department sets the final requirements.
1. Size it
Width along the beams, depth along the rafters, and the clear height under the beams.
2. Pick the look
Cedar or pressure-treated, and square, bevel, curved corbel or step tails on the beams and rafters.
3. Shade and bracing
Slats on top for shade, and knee braces so the frame can't rack in the wind.
4. Check, buy and build
Fix anything the fit check flags, then work from the plans, templates, cut list, shopping list and build steps.