# Forum Home Renovation Pergolas, Gazebos, Strombellas & Rotundas  Pergola with Concealed fixings.

## drunkmeerkat

Hi Folks. 
I am planning on building a pergola over deck similar to this one in the attached image. I have no problems calculating spans etc.. for the deck, but am having some trouble working out how to put together the Pergola.  
It's only 3 posts with 3 beams connected to a ledger beam on the end connected to the internal rafters through the fascia  
Dimensions are 4900 fascia to posts. 2 x 2500 spans between the 3 outer posts.    
My biggest question is how I can get a clean look minimising the use of external hangers. At the very most I would like to keep it as simple as a couple of nice SS coach bolts .. 
1. Anyone have any tips on how I can achieve the post/beam fixings with concealed hangers (they don't have to be totally concealed, but at least as hidden as much as possible) 
Also, 
2. I am considering using 240x240 Ironbark for posts and 240x120 (or similar, for beams). Can anyone point to some span tables to see if 240x120 will single span 4900 ? 
3. Attaching the ledger beam to the rafters, are there any Aus Standards, regarding reinforcing the rafters ? 
Any other general tips will be appreciated... 
Thanks, cheers.

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## Gaza

you slot the rafter & the column then use a connecting plate which is cut from 10mm steel, that is inside the timber with bolts through this the bolts are timber pluged. 
we have done some big timber structers with this method you will need an engineer.

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## Pulse

1. Anyone have any tips on how I can achieve the post/beam fixings with concealed hangers (they don't have to be totally concealed, but at least as hidden as much as possible)  You need woodworking joints such as mortise and tenon probably with dowels, not easy. Glue would need to be waterproof also and then appropriate detailing such as weatherproofing.
What about some steel plate hot dipped and custom made?  
2. I am considering using 240x240 Ironbark for posts and 240x120 (or similar, for beams). Can anyone point to some span tables to see if 240x120 will single span 4900 ?  There will be no span table for this since the timber is not graded. The photo shows glulam timber that is graded by the manufacturer. I think you either use this at your risk or you could get an engineer to sign off on it... at their risk. 
3. Attaching the ledger beam to the rafters, are there any Aus Standards, regarding reinforcing the rafters ?  Should be fine just to coach screw into the end grain of the rafter through the existing fascia but he best bet is to bolt to an  gal steel angle that is bolted to the side of the rafter behind the fascia.  
Cheers
Pulse  
Edit - good advice form Gaza above

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## Master Splinter

On that photo, the answer could be to use photoshop to clone out any distracting fastenings; quite how you'll achieve that in real life is another matter.   
Could probably be done with epoxy adhesive (see the West epoxy site); those beams look like they are made up of smaller sections anyway and could even be concealing a steel frame.

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## SilentButDeadly

> On that photo, the answer could be to use photoshop to clone out any distracting fastenings

   :What he said:   and Gaza said it too 
Google 'portal frames' and 'laminated timber beams' (not LVL!) to get a better idea of how it might go together.   From a materials perspective alone...it will not be cheap. Nor will it be cheap to maintain...

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## Gaza

> and Gaza said it

  The building in the pic we did rafters where 13mts long 600x80mm glue LAm. 
We have also done a walkway from Blackbutt 200x50 but can not find pic

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## shauck

> those beams look like they are made up of smaller sections anyway and could even be concealing a steel frame.

  That's what I thought too. Would make it all much easier.

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## Master Splinter

On further inspection, I'm getting really tempted to say that the photo is actually a 3D render, so you can pass on the laws of physics (and council approvals) altogether!

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## SilentButDeadly

> The building in the pic we did rafters where 13mts long 600x80mm glue LAm.

  My eyes water even just imagining the cost of just one of those rafters...

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