Cedar Pergola Construction
Handis cedar pergola construction puts a Western Red Cedar timber-frame open-roof structure on a residential deck, patio, or backyard — 6x6 cedar posts on concrete-set Simpson ABU anchors, 4x8 or 6x8 cedar beams across the top, 2x6 or 2x8 cedar rafters with chamfered tails, attached to the house with a ledger or freestanding on its own footings — from $5,000 for an 8-by-10 freestanding plan to $14,000 for a 12-by-16 attached cedar build. Cedar is the natural-wood answer most Seattle backyards ask for when they say they want a pergola. It weathers from honey-amber to silver-grey over 12 to 18 months in PNW exposure, requires no sealing or staining (we recommend leaving it to weather), holds its dimensional stability in the wet-dry cycle better than fir or spruce, and reads as honest furniture-grade woodwork rather than manufactured product. The build runs 2 to 4 days on site — power-auger the footings, pour concrete with post-base anchors set in the wet pour, 48-hour concrete cure, post-raise / beam-set / rafter install over the next two days.
Service
How a Cedar Pergola Build Works
Seven sequential steps from site review through the rafter-tail chamfer — the actual sequence we follow on every Western Red Cedar pergola build.
Site Review and Post-Location Layout
Tech walks the deck or patio, confirms the post locations against any septic, gas, irrigation, or buried utility lines, marks the footing centers with stakes and string, and validates the layout square (3-4-5 method) against the deck edges or property lines. The layout review IS the work at this stage; a mis-located footing is a footing dug twice.
Power-Auger the Footings to 24-30 Inches
Power-auger every footing to 24 to 30 inches below grade, depending on the IRC R403 frost-line for the jurisdiction and the wind-load calc for the structure. Footing diameter 12 to 18 inches depending on the post size and the load. Manual post-hole digging in PNW clay is a week of labor we are not going to pass along.
Pour Concrete with Simpson ABU Anchors Set in the Wet Pour
Pour ready-mix concrete around a Simpson ABA or ABU post-base anchor set plumb in the wet pour. The anchor takes the post; the concrete cures around the anchor over the next 48 hours. Anchor positioning checked against a 4-foot level and a chalk line so every post lands plumb and the structure reads square.
48-Hour Concrete Cure Between Pour and Post-Raise
Concrete cures 48 hours before the post is raised. The cure delay is fixed (not negotiable — green concrete pulls the anchor when the post load goes on). On a two-day build window we pour day one and raise day two; on a one-trip build we pre-cure the footings on a prior visit and raise on the second visit.
Raise the 6x6 Cedar Posts and Set the Beams
6x6 cedar posts lifted onto the cured ABU anchors and through-bolted with the post-base hardware. Each post plumbed against a 4-foot level on two faces and braced with 2x4 cedar braces to the ground until the beams go up. 4x8 (standard span) or 6x8 (over-12-foot span) cedar beams raised with a deck post jack and two installers, set into Simpson ZMAX post-cap hardware, through-bolted with 5/8 inch carriage bolts.
Install the 2x6 or 2x8 Cedar Rafters
Cedar rafters (2x6 standard, 2x8 on larger plans) cut to the planned length with the decorative end-detail chamfered or scalloped at the chop-saw station. Rafters set into Simpson H1 or A35 hurricane ties on the structural attachment points, concealed structural screws on the decorative connections. Rafter spacing 24 inches on center (standard) or 16 inches on center (larger plans for additional stiffness and visual weight).
Chamfer the Rafter Tails and Finish-Detail
Rafter tails get the final chamfer pass with a router or chop-saw jig, sanded smooth, and the leading edges eased to a 1/8 inch radius so a sleeve does not splinter against them. Post caps installed (square cedar caps, ball-top caps, or simple flat-cut depending on the design). Post-base trim hides the post-to-anchor connection. Tools off site by end of the second day on standard plans.
Cedar Pergola Pricing
Final pricing depends on plan size (footprint in feet by feet), attached vs freestanding configuration, beam up-size requirement on spans over 12 feet, rafter spacing (24 vs 16 inches on center), decorative rafter-tail detail (chamfered vs scalloped), and whether any low-voltage lighting integration is in scope. Attached cedar pergolas include the structural permit fee as a pass-through line item. Request a free estimate for an accurate quote.
Tell us the footprint, whether it attaches to the house or stands free, and whether you want the chamfered or scalloped rafter tails — we will quote the full cedar build with the hardware and permit scope called out.
Why Handis for Cedar Pergola Construction
The reason cedar pergolas read as furniture-grade carpentry instead of a kit assembly is the hardware spec and the rafter-tail detail. Simpson ZMAX hardware in galvanic-corrosion-compatible coating, post-base anchors set plumb in cured concrete, beam-to-post connections through-bolted with 5/8 carriage bolts and not toe-nailed, rafter-to-beam connections with concealed structural screws and hurricane ties at the structural points, and rafter tails chamfered or scalloped on the chop saw with the sanding pass and the 1/8 inch ease on the leading edges. None of those details are visible from a Pinterest photo — and skipping any of them is what makes the difference between a cedar pergola that reads as honest woodwork and one that reads as a backyard project. The cedar weathering to silver over 12 to 18 months is the design intent; the underlying carpentry is what makes the structure last 25 years instead of 8.
Estimate
Tell us the footprint (rough length by width — a 12-by-14 measurement off the deck or patio), whether the pergola attaches to the house or stands free, the rafter-tail detail you prefer (standard 45-degree chamfer or decorative scalloped), and any low-voltage lighting you want integrated in the rafters. We name the structural permit scope on attached configurations as a pass-through line item.
Customer Reviews
Cedar pergola reviews from real Handis customers.
12x16 freestanding cedar pergola over our flagstone patio in Magnolia. Handis power-augered the six footings, set 6x6 cedar posts on Simpson ABU anchors, raised the up-sized 6x8 beams with a deck post jack, and chamfered the 2x6 rafter tails. Two summers in and the cedar is right at that silver-grey patina we wanted. Reads exactly like the inspiration photos.
10x12 attached cedar pergola off the back deck in our 1962 Mercer Island split-level. Handis pulled the Mercer Island permit, through-bolted the ledger into the rim joist with the Z-flashing kit at the top to keep water out of the wall, set the two outer posts on auger-dug footings. Cedar reads as if it has always been there. Final inspection cleared first pass.
12x14 freestanding cedar pergola in our Ballard backyard — covers the full dining table. Heavy clay in the lot meant the manual post-hole digging would have taken a week. Handis brought the power auger, dug all six footings in an afternoon, poured the concrete, came back two days later and had the structure up by end of day two. Scalloped rafter tails, ball-top post caps, looks like furniture.
8x10 freestanding cedar pergola over our hot tub in Kirkland. Smallest standard plan but Handis took the same care — power-augered footings, plumb posts on the Simpson anchors, chamfered rafter tails, low-voltage LED strip in the rafters they ran from the existing exterior receptacle. Under 200 sq ft so no Kirkland permit. Five days from booking call to finished pergola.
14x16 freestanding cedar pergola in our Sammamish backyard — the largest plan they recommended for our space. Up-sized 6x8 beams because the 14-foot span needs the bigger beam, 2x8 rafters at 16 on center for the visual weight. The carpentry is dead-square — I checked it with my own framing square after they left and every corner reads true.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Handis cedar pergola construction.