There are designs that house an outdoor kitchen island, integrate a handsome porch swing, are planted on outdoor decks, sit beside pools with plant hangers, and overhang a garage door to provide a decorative architectural element to a traditionally generic driveway. Scroll through and choose a woodworking project to build, or simply get inspiration to custom-create your own innovative design. Regardless, we’ve compiled a list of the 61 best DIY pergola design plans below. The difference between a pergola and an arbor is that arbors are generally simpler, smaller structures, generally with curved arches and are almost always freestanding. They can also be either freestanding or attach to the side of your house.

Their roofing grid can remain open are be covered with weather-resistant canvas or vinyl sheeting for enhanced outdoor protection. These decorative yard designs are frequently built from wood, though there are fiberglass, vinyl, aluminum and chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) options available as well.

The word pergola originates from the Latin “pergula” which loosely refers to a “projecting eave” ( Source).

They are built from vertical posts and frequently include an open lattice for trained vine plants. A pergola is a garden structure with a trelliswork roof that creates a shaded passageway, outdoor sitting space, or walkway.

Free pergola design tool