# Forum Home Renovation Pergolas, Gazebos, Strombellas & Rotundas  Pergola support question

## jryan

Hi all. Im lookingat building a pergola with moving blades similar to a Vergola system. It willbe 8m long and 3m deep and comes in a kit. The long side will be along the rearwall. Because there is a gutter system already with the house, I wanted to mountthe 8m beam beside the gutter. I propose to screw brackets into the metalfascia and directly into the wooden rafters behind it via 2x coach screws perrafter. 8m span @600mm intervals = 13 rafters. Weight of the pergola is about600KGs. The other long side of the pergola will be supported by 3 metal posts.   If i used 8x raftersto support this beam, do you think the weight of the pergola will be supportedby 8 rafter ends?  Some maths 600kgs /2 = 300kgsper 8m side.  300kgs / 8 rafters =37.5kgs.  Will each raftercomfortably support 37.5kgs? Will the coachscrews give way as its only the ends that are holding the bracket and weight of pergola?  Thank you kindly.

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## METRIX

You would be better off using 1 x decent length fixing rather then two fixings, because the bottom fixing wont really have much timber to bite into due to the angles of the rafters.
I assume this structure is made from steel ?

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## jryan

Hi Metrix.  
Thanks so much for your reply. The structure is mostly aluminium with some steel. The actual weight of the pergola roof is about 400kgs. Do you think the 8 right angle brackets bolted into the trust will support the 200kgs side of the roof, with the other side of pergola supported by 3 posts? 
Thanks again.

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## Bushy

https://www.bunnings.com.au/dunnings...acket_p1076113 
Screwing into end grain is not structurally sound and fascia is only decorative.  Vergola type systems get a lot of bad reviews, research thoroughly.

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## jryan

Thanks Metrix. The structure is mostly aluminium. Weight of the pergola without the posts is 400kg. Do you think brackets connected to the rafter ends will hold up the 200kg whilst the other half is held up by the 3 posts? 
Thank you.

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## jryan

> https://www.bunnings.com.au/dunnings...acket_p1076113 
> Screwing into end grain is not structurally sound and fascia is only decorative.  Vergola type systems get a lot of bad reviews, research thoroughly.

  Thanks Bushy. I do know of this rafter bracket but was hoping i would not need to mount it this way as it requires a fair bit of work in cutting slots into fascia etc. I will do some research into vergola type pergolas. It seems like a great idea. 
Cheers

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## METRIX

> Thanks Metrix. The structure is mostly aluminium. Weight of the pergola without the posts is 400kg. Do you think brackets connected to the rafter ends will hold up the 200kg whilst the other half is held up by the 3 posts? 
> Thank you.

  Yes easily. 
A better way to connect it would be to either use some pre fabricated brackets as has been shown, or connect timbers in between the rafter ends with brackets where you want to fix to, then connect to these rather than directly into the ends of the rafters. 
Vergola is a good product but expensive. 
400Kg is nothing spread over that distance.

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## jryan

Thanks again for your advice Metrix. Much appreciate it.

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## cyclic

Most people don't understand metal fascias are usually bracketed away from the existing rafters, by 50mm or more, so bolting through a metal fascia to the ends of the rafters will never work. 
Only way to do it is nogging between the existing rafters hard against the back of the metal fascia, and it usually it requires 2-90x45 to get good fixing. 
But I would caution against an upstand bracket as you have shown, much better to remove the existing gutter and fix to the fascia after nogging as I have explained, and allowing the existing roof to flow across the vergola to a new gutter at the outer. 
This will also alleviate overflow of the existing gutter due to the extra roof catchment. (If you were intending to flow the vergola to the existing gutter)

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## Mike8136

No one has mentioned council development approval. That will specify the structural attachment, which will typically involve the 'hockey stick' brackets shown PLUS stiffening of the truss up to the next web connection. 
Remember, it is not the weight of the pergola that governs the design, it is the wind load that will act on that whole area and want to rip the pergola off and the connected house roof.
The supplier / installer will have to lodge a DA with council and sign off on the structural design. If you don't do this your insurance won't pay any claims

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## METRIX

> No one has mentioned council development approval. That will specify the structural attachment, which will typically involve the 'hockey stick' brackets shown PLUS stiffening of the truss up to the next web connection. 
> Remember, it is not the weight of the pergola that governs the design, it is the wind load that will act on that whole area and want to rip the pergola off and the connected house roof.
> The supplier / installer will have to lodge a DA with council and sign off on the structural design. If you don't do this your insurance won't pay any cla

  The OP is from Sydney, depending on the size of the pergola it will probably come under complying development, so no DA required.

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