New England Arbors VA84045 - Manual (Page 3)

I n t r o d u c t i o n & O ve r v i e w
3 10 x 10 Flat Top Pergola
Getting Started
First off, allow us to say thank you for the investment you have made in one
of our fine pergola kits. This kit is designed to be assembled and installed
ideally by two people with basic carpentry knowledge and tools. Do not
attempt alone, especially during the installation stage. Should you decide to
moderately modify the dimensions of your pergola from the standard kit size,
a circular saw with a sharp fine-tooth blade is all that is needed to cut, shorten
or modify the vinyl components. The steel stiffeners for the main beams and
rafters can be cut down using either a hacksaw or a motorized cutting device
designed to cut steel. When assembling components place on a non-abrasive
surface (ie: shipping box) to avoid scratching. We recommend a 15’x15’
area for unobstructed assembling. You should not need to use excessive force
when assembling any components.
Planning & Preparing
Because this project is made to stand independent of your home, you can
either locate it near your house or let it stand alone in the garden. By keeping
it unattached from your home you will not have to deal with moving existing
gutters or matching eave heights. If you plan to build your pergola close to
the house, please keep the outer extremities of the pergola a minimum of 4
inches back from your eaves.
What looks like the toughest part of this project is actually the easiest, the
graceful, solid-looking columns. We’ve designed these columns to simply be
slipped over treated 4x4 wood posts that are either embedded in concrete or
directly mounted to a concrete or wood surface using our bolt down brackets.
See pages 7, 8 and 9 for more details.
It is critical before you start that you consider the current slope of elevation
where the pergola is planned - if there is any. Also utility or sprinkler line
location is important to identify prior to excavating holes if necessary.
You should also check to verify local building codes, ordinances, neighbour-
hood covenants, or height restrictions regarding this type of structure.
Restriction of Use
This product is not designed to carry additional
weight loads such as swings, people or other
objects.
Please take the time to read this instruction
guide thoroughly prior to the construction
of your pergola. If you have any questions,
feel free to contact our technical dept by calling
1 800 282 9346, ext #20 (Mon to Fri 8:00 A.M
to 4:00 P.M. EST).
(Venetian Pergola with Accessoies Shown)
www.newenglandarbors.com