Build a Curved Rafter Cedar Pergola - Sawn Arches

[@pauldobler2779]

Your videos are the most comprehensive instruction videos any where. The animations are also the best. I have a question regarding the curved pieces: will they split? Cutting a curve in a piece of wood makes a short grain line from edge to edge. I would worry most about the location of the birds mouth cut. With that being said, after five years they seemed to have survived. Great video.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thank you very much for your kind words and support! I really appreciate that. I have added some recent photos of the pergola at the end of my blog post here: manabouttools.com/build-a-curved-cedar-pergola/ They were taken in November which is not the most flattering time for pictures but, they show how the structure is weathering.

[@Gen2026]

@@MANaboutTOOLS Was there any type of sealer put on the wood? Would this have possibly prevented some of the cracking?

[@alvisjoubert9998]

This is an amazing build..! And the plans makes me want to build one already since their so well explained! You deserve a 👍 for sure and a follow! Looking forward to see and learn more from you! Very skilled crafter! 🔨 📐✏💪

[@kylephillips2030]

I’m a woodworker in Ghana west Africa and I love and admire your craftsmanship sir. Salute 🫡

[@d.beaumont9157]

It's a cold, wet miserable March Sunday morning here in England. Your video was just the tonic I needed. I can't wait for the weather to improve, I can't wait to get out there with my tools. I'm 61 now but still get excited about creating things with wood. It was the same 45 + years ago making tree camps with my dads tools. Love the video, thanks for going to the trouble of making it.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thank you very much! Cheers from Vancouver Island!

[@iancrossley6637]

That WR Cedar is so nice to work with, and it looks great when stained. I just finished a project and built it with cedar decking from lows, very economical.

[@TheClaudos]

Thanks for sharing with metric measurements for countries using metric system. Love your videos by the way.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

You are very welcome!!

[@sanhlao9488]

I AM A RETIRED CARP BUT I LIKE YOUR SHOW VERY MUCH, THANKS

[@scottcates]

This video was superbly helpful to show me a reliable way to bore the 20-degree-from-90 lag holes in the curved braces. The rest of the layout steps were great too but the drill layout helped me actually understand it. Thank you.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Glad it helped! Cheers!!

[@rimaggio]

Such a pleasure to watch a true craftsman at work!

[@IANSINCLAIR100]

Amazing, I was looking for instruction on arched pergola roof and yours was exactly what I wanted your description and instruction is first class thank you.

[@sacdigitaldesignweb]

You are the best in terms of explaining and diagraming everything out

[@kevincris0615]

Great now i need thousands of dollars worth of tools and decades of carpentry experience to do this awesome project!

[@Chef1Mat]

excellent. i will try this in the next few weeks. I have an elderly couple who were looking to get this done.

[@simeonslayton8082]

Beautiful !!

[@thomassutherland5188]

Wonderful speaking voice and narration.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thanks!

[@stephenmabry2866]

Brilliant animation.

[@tommyandresen8160]

Came here to say that, so thumbs up..

[@tomaszenteno5912]

Hermoso trabajo felicidades 👏👏👏👏 saludos desde Tehuacán Puebla México 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗👍👏👏👍

[@mykhe5725]

VERY NICE- THIS WAY MAKE EASY TO LEARN ! THANK YOU ! I LIKE THIS WAY !

[@tsuchang1]

Thanks. I'm another old guy that likes to see quality construction.

[@jmwoods1428]

Wow, I would love this in my yard. Beautiful

[@toolsavvyhandymanservices7736]

Very nicely done.

[@RasmusDK..]

beautifull work. and thanks for not makeing its to short and sped up. ❤

[@JJKWoodworkingDesign]

Great video. Excellent step by step instructions. Plenty of great tips for the design and angles. I am about to build a pergola over our hot tub and this video will definitely help. I was originally going to glue strips of wood to create the rafters but I prefer this method. I also plan to coat the rafters with expoxy and use the Lichenberg method for more detail. Not sure if I will tint the expoxy. I may also I plan to add some privacy lattice between the 2x4's and the curved rafters for further weather proctection.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Excellent!! Thanks for watching and thanks for the comment.

[@Padredemanzana]

Best video ever, your explanation is so clear make it easy understand, Thank you for sharing

[@wood4me]

Yes. Excellent work. A very pleasing design. Thank you.

[@Name-oc1mq]

nice idea to have a water tank underneath!

[@TMHSproductions]

this video was so relaxing - loved the pace, great content!

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thank you so much!

[@Mr_Kweeba]

Once again, pure class.

[@emmanuelgarcia-cabrera5468]

Woow genius! I hope you can share more video 🙏👍

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thanks! More to come!

[@tedtolentino4955]

Quite beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

[@danielhanawalt4998]

Nice pergola. Not something I'll be building, but your video gave me some ideas. I bought a used gazebo made of metal. One those you get from Amazon or some place. Has no top but has the side curtains. I want some the roofing that lets sunlight come through but not rain. I like sitting out side in the rain but don't care for getting wet unless I'm taking a shower. lol. Anyway, good video.

[@geloyspirc]

that was very soothing to watch!

[@josereyna851]

very nice work

[@dayosingh]

Nicely done.

[@thefrub]

You use nicer wood for patterns than I use for finished projects

[@delprice3007]

Safety precautions for power tools important! Great video.

[@HanginOutWithStan]

Beautiful work. It's refreshing to see a carpenter who knows what he's doing on KZbin.

[@renoholland7090]

Excellent quality work and the video is outstanding. Clear in picture and word, animations are very helpful. Thank you.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thanks!

[@marioalejandro9563]

Awesome I loved it can’t wait to start building my in the Near future

[@CatherineSTodd]

Love your videos and channel... you have inspired me to get back to work as soon as possible. GRACIAS, AMIGO! Made my day!

[@hendrymuljadi739]

Wow!! Absolutely great work!!!

[@lewchaney2138]

Beautiful job.

[@anri1255]

Very informative and very good explanation. Good job .

[@tucob9114]

Nicely done sir, Thank you.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thank you kindly!

[@house.with.vulcano]

Спасибо большое за размеры в мм! С огромным удовольствием смотрю все ваши видео! Thank you very much for the dimensions in mm! I watch all your videos with great pleasure!

[@Name-oc1mq]

a few more videos and I will learn this imperial system :)

[@alsammak71]

excellent work 👍👌

[@Chef1Mat]

excellent, i will try your method

[@tiendong7912]

Good job

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@throngcleaver]

No questions here, but I've gotta say, I love that design and the quality of workmanship!

[@unclemony5939]

You are perfect in every way.

[@sergiopolanco5126]

I love it great work sir

[@mikeash7428]

Really nice. Thanks.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thank you too!

[@zaneh6188]

Awesome skills and I love the video.

[@bbbnz50]

Looks great

[@paulbrown9415]

Dude!, you Rock!!!!🥌

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thanks!!

[@hirammartinez952]

I love long videos is where you learn more from a good teacher thank you for your time I’ll keep on following maybe someday I could build something nice as this at home👍👍up

[@patrickflanagan8008]

Brilliant. I love the wood you used, though I think it would cost an arm and a leg in the UK

[@Ho1yhe11]

English oak is probably more expensive for him than that cedar is for you

[@apostoloskoritas9149]

7 minutes in the video and I really like the presentation. Really nice work. Thanks for sharing.

[@gregpaterson330]

Not sure about your pin alignment system although it might prevent lateral movement it offers no uplift protection. I would recommend using any type of post base connector of which there are many. I do like using rough cut wrc on all my hard scape projects it’s a little pricey but you can’t beat the look and workability. Thanks from Atlanta Georgia

[@duramaxmak]

Fantastic demo on this nice work

[@CarolReidCA]

This is beautiful work! Easy to follow directions if someone wants to build it too, although wood prices are through the roof lately, so maybe by next summer?

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thank you very much!

[@idontthinkso666]

@@MANaboutTOOLS I can't imagine what you paid for 12" wide WRC boards!? Luckily the client paid, but DAMN!

[@doubledarefan]

I'm used to watching loooooong videos by Wood By Wright, Matt Estlea, hffcom, ILTMS, and others. If your vids end up an hour long, so be it. I'll watch it to the end.

[@rebarsulaifany9290]

Thanks for this video hope best for you

[@rayparr1]

Great video. Just subscribed. Greetings from Hermosillo.

[@tommycone6277]

Very nice I love a well build arbor.

[@wendyfountain2958]

Awesome instructions. Thank you so much!

[@Daniel-yn4tx]

Great video impressive work thanks you for sharing Is it possible to make the pergola in wider opening of 3 meters of 3.5 meters?

[@Warwick_zlyuka]

спасибо что используете метрическую систему)))

[@JohnMartinez-sm1sk]

Great video, I really like the step by step instructions.

[@lesoutside]

Very nice! Thank you!

[@danielcanchola1070]

Nice work! Do you use your own SketchUp 'Style' or which SKP Style do you use for your 3D models and construction drawings? The animation is nicely done too so thanks for sharing!

[@sagescott285]

Thank you

[@yannkitson116]

Solid work...

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thank you very much!

[@daviddavis1322]

Man this is great!

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thanks David!

[@asifahmedgsxr]

wow, thank you for this video. everything is explained in soo much detail.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

You are very welcome! I appreciate your support!

[@fredpruitt6031]

Very Nice !

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thanks Fred!

[@billmacgregor6797]

Wowsa! A Masterclass.

[@erlpen2016]

thank you for sharing your skills with us...it is quite a beautiful pergola...i can only imagine the cost of the timber....

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thank you very much! It depends on where you live. Red Cedar here on the west coast is not too bad.

[@dc-wp8oc]

Kent, very nice information and presentation. The result is fantastic. See and issue substituting 5-inch cedar posts for the 6-inch? Do you have any information on the cistern? For example, how water is collected and extracted from this system and any maintenance requirements?

[@ilducedimas]

I'm hooked on your channel. Thanks so much for your great work!

[@danieldelange4116]

I really enjoyed the effort of this vidéo and got some great idées. Thank you.

[@micah_noel]

I tried to do similar curves with a bandsaw last night but my cuts were way off the mark. I’m used to this and I didn’t mind having to sand, except I was using 1/4” plywood and it gummed up the belts right away and was so difficult that I don’t even want to use it. It was only the first of 7, so I figured I can scrap it and try something else before I get too deep into it. I’m redesigning the whole thing so that I can use hemlock instead.

[@micah_noel]

I honestly thought that plywood would help me keep the cost down and be a breeze to cut. I haven’t started on the hemlock yet but it’s much lighter weight and seems like decent wood. I’ll do one before I commit and then use the first one as a template for the rest of them if I like it.

[@paulboyle9605]

Brilliant and very informative. Hooked and subbed. Regards Paul

[@DennisKeibler]

Very nice! The pace of the instruction and level of detail is just right for me. I also appreciate the alternative tools you mention. Thanks.

[@derekolsen7859]

Hello, I need to make some curved corner braces. What size was that lumber you used, 2"x12"? Very nice work, thank you.

[@patrickarchuleta9594]

Great job God bless.

[@fndel9295]

Excelente 👏👍👍CDMX.

[@tedtolentino4955]

Over the years have you had to do any maintenance on the pergola to prolong its life, such as wood sealer, additional bracing, etc? Thanks

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Last I saw it when I did the video it was looking fine. The owners did not want and "traditional" stains or finishes. I didn't see any issues with the structure and no additional work needed.

[@tomspallone1868]

You know what you’re doin, that’s for sure.

[@brianjohnson4724]

Great video and a pleasing design thank you for sharing it. If I wanted it to be wider(about 4600mm total) could I just make the curved top rafters longer (where they straighten out to join the central beam. I am not sure about whether this would compromise the structural integrity ? Thanks

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thanks! I can't say for sure what the implications of that modification would be.

[@mattevans-koch9353]

Beautiful pergola. And yes it does look like an upside down boat frame which I as an amateur boat builder find very pleasing. It also looks like a Roma caravan. Excellent step by step video and great narration. Thank you so much.

[@yourfriendlycook]

I agree with Paul, Beautiful work! Greatly appreciated.

[@g1mpster]

It was a long video but worth it. I don’t think I’ll ever build a pergola like this but watching your workflow was very educational. Time well spent and thanks for sharing so much detail about your process. 👍

[@stephanelarose9165]

Not only this video was well done but it gave me ideas for my future gazebo that I'm planning to build this summer. Thank you so much ;)

[@tl7209]

nice!

[@chamuco3135]

Love it

[@VertigoGTI]

Looks great! I built a similarly styled pergola in 2013, but elected to use a router with bearing bit to make my rafters. Works extremely well, especially if you’re making a pattern with some height to catch the bearing.

[@kevinraber7823]

What kind of glue do you use

[@blandry021]

I see 2 years ago I watched and comment on this pergola. A question about your plans, does the plans explain how to make the curves?

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

The video does the explaining and the plans have all the details. The plans have plotted points on a grid to form the curve on a pattern and well as the radii of the curves.

[@mariangiefarias2584]

About how much will an arbor like this will cost? I will like to do this for my porch, main entrance, to break the roof line, I have a ranch style home in Miami and I am looking for this but only four posts, not six. This is a work of art and thanks for sharing.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Thanks! You would need to get a few quotes from carpenters or builders in your area

[@dangatto8666]

what drawing app do you use for the drawings.