Picture this: you’ve found a pergola that’s just the right height and length for your back garden. You can’t wait to install it and begin relaxing underneath its shade, or hosting some small parties underneath it.
However, you understandably want to make sure that it’s securely held down, so that it won’t fall over. How can you anchor it to pavers?
Well, we’ve got the answers for you! In our handy guide below, you’ll find out all about the different ways that you can anchor a pergola to pavers, with a detailed breakdown as well as the reasons behind it all. Read on!
A General How-To
To start, a general way to anchor a pergola to pavers is by putting some post footings into your ground. Alternatively, you can use concrete to secure your post bases, or drill into the pavers to add brackets.
If those are too difficult, you can simply use some weighted bags to hold the pergola down - though this can be dangerous, and should only be temporary and for very light pergolas.
Why Should You Anchor A Pergola To Pavers?
There are many reasons as to why you should anchor your pergola, but safety is the main one. Anchoring will hold the pergola and stop it from falling over or blowing away.
If you don’t anchor it, then it could topple over or a storm could sweep it away - and who knows where it would land and do further damage? If you have guests under the pergola, you don’t want it falling on them either.
Additionally, you don’t want it blowing into your house and breaking a window or dislodging some roof tiles.
Other options for securing the pergola down do exist, but you may not have them. For example, a fence can help fasten it, or easy to break soil will allow you to bury the pergola deeply into it.
However, even these aren't fully secure alone, and therefore anchoring to pavers is a much better - and safer - idea on top of them.
Should You Anchor The Pergola Before Pavers?
The answer is yes! It’s a good idea to anchor your pergola down before you then anchor it to the pavers, because the ground is going to be a much easier terrain to dig into, allowing you to easily secure down each pergola post.
On top of that, you can anchor it in concrete. All of these will not only make things easier, but add an extra level of security and safety to your pergola.
You can also take the opportunity to replace any pavers that are already there for ones that better suit you.
However, we understand that not everybody will be able to anchor their pergola into the ground before they anchor it to pavers. Some people may not have appropriate ground to dig into, or perhaps it’s too firm.
On top of that, you may be renting the property, and will get sued if you damage the grounds.
4 Ways To Anchor A Pergola To Pavers
Drilling Into Pavers, Adding Post Brackets
Post brackets are specially designed to be drilled into existing pavers, making them a great way to secure your pergola, with some careful drill work.
Each bracket has holes in them, which are there for four screws to go through, adjoining to the pergola supports.
However, you must be careful when drilling into the pavers. Firstly, you need to make sure that you have the correct drill bits in your drill. You need ones that will be strong enough to penetrate the paver, but not cause it to crack.
On top of that, you need masonry screws to grip the pavers, keeping the pergola in place without breaking the concrete further.
If you have the funds, you may want to keep some extra pavers on hand, in case you do crack the ones you have. Under no circumstances should you anchor with a broken paver.
Remove Paver, Add Post Footings To The Ground
This will take the most effort, but will be one of the best results. Post footing brackets are specially designed to secure the pergola and set in wet concrete, which then harden and help hold down the pergola.
However, that means you’re going to have to remove the old pavers to install these. Then you need to pour some fresh concrete into their place (where you want the pergola legs to go), which will harden and act as the new pavers.
We recommend that you get professional help to do this. On top of this, you will need to buy post footings that fit the exact dimensions of your pergola and its supports. If you don’t, then it won’t work.
Use A Concrete Post Base
This also involves pouring concrete, so get help if you aren’t a professional. Basically, you want to get a large container for each pergola leg, like a barrel planter.
Then place the legs in their containers and fill them up with concrete, which should dry and make the pergola stable. However, make sure that your pavers below the containers will be strong enough to hold them without getting cracked.
Weight Bags
This should only be a last resort, and a temporary one at that! This cheap method involves using filled weighted bags planted at the base of each pergola leg, which then hold it all down.
This should only be tried on light pergolas, and even then it should only be temporary, before you use a secure anchoring method from above. Not for heavy pergolas!
Final Thoughts
And there you have it! Pergolas can be expensive house features, and you don’t want them falling over or blowing away. Keeping them anchored is essential, so get a professional to use the methods above!