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WARNING: If the information in these instructions is not followed exactly, weakening or failure of the erected structure may result causing property damage, personal injury, or loss of life. All brackets designed and sold by RioOutdoors.com are to be used for building pergolas only and are not to be used for other structure construction purposes.
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A properly sized pilot hole must be drilled before you attempt to drive lag screws into any pergola lumber member. See Table, below. Driving lag screws into lumber, without first drilling a pilot hole, can prevent the lag screw from driving fully into the wood or can lead to crack formation while driving the lag screw in, or later, as the wood dries naturally.
AFETY AND WARNING INFORMATION 1.2 T ............. 5 1.11 P OOLS REQUIRED ARTIAL OCTAGON PERGOLA ASSEMBLY WORK QUICK .............. 16 1.3 C # 6F-WP0 ........6 STEPS ONTENTS OF 1.12 A #6OL B ....21 1.4 O ....6 DDING FLOOR CORNER...
GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1 SAFETY AND WARNING INFORMATION 1.1.1 Building Permit & Inspection Requirements We recommend that you consult with your local building permit office and obtain advice and any required building permits and inspection approvals from the local building inspection department or the local authority over building codes. 1.1.2 Other Cautions CAUTION: Adhere to all s afety r equire ments.
1.2 TOOLS REQUIRED Listed below, are common tools required for pergola projects. These tools are not included in this kit. Your pergola project may not require all tools. Select and acquire the tools for your project from the “Required for” column in this table. Description Tool Purpose Required for...
If you wish to build a wooden deck as the floor for your floating pergola, you may wish to use our deck beam support brackets, SKU #24BS. This bracket can support 2x4 or 2x6 beams. You can order the required number of brackets at RioOutdoors.com.
1.5 LIST OF MATERIALS THAT YOU WILL SUPPLY, OR ARE RECOMMENDED This is the list of required materials which are not included in this kit. You will acquire these items locally for your project. Use this table to help you calculate your total project budget. Total Item Item...
1.6 GENERAL LUMBER REQUIREMENTS INFORMATION We have designed the corner elbow brackets to provide automatic alignment of the header 6x6s. By making certain all header 6x6s are of the same length and not warped, following the instructions properly, and securing the 6x6s to the elbow brackets as instructed, you will achieve a perfect hexagonal shape for your pergola.
To do so, you must add support beams every 24” to support the deck boards. You may toenail the support beams in place or choose an easier and more precise mounting method using our Beam Support Brackets (SKU# 24BS, available at RioOutdoors.com). P a g e...
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1.7.2 Floor Leveling and Preparation. Plan to assemble a floating pergola where you can excavate and create a level platform, at least, the overall outer dimensions of the pergola. If soil type is sandy, soft, or wet, you must consider adding concrete blocks or pier blocks under the posts of the pergola to prevent the pergola from sinking into soil.
1.8 OVERALL PERGOLA SIZE We have designed the corner elbow brackets to provide automatic alignment of the floor floating 6x6s and the header 6x6s. By making certain all outer perimeter “Header Lengths” are of the same length, following the instructions properly, and securing the 6x6s to the elbow brackets as instructed, you will achieve a perfect octagonal floating deck base for your pergola.
1.9 SIDE ELEVATION DIAGRAM Based on the height of the post used, the diagram below provides the side elevation profile for this pergola system. POST HEIGHT DIM A (in.) (in.) 90 1/2 102 1/2 114 1/2 126 1/2 138 1/2 The Post Height, above, equals the outer height of the pergola.
1.10 OCTAGON PERGOLA ASSEMBLY WORK OUTLINE 1.10.1 Brackets Application Depiction 13 | P a g e...
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1.10.2 Headers Preparation The diagram, below, provides detailed information about all lumber headers and footers required to build this structure. Prepare the specified lumber members by following the table and diagrams in this section. See section 1.8 Overall Pergola Size to determine the overall size and applicable lengths for items A, B, and C.
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1.10.4 Preparing lumber member “A.” Follow the steps below. Cut and prepare six (6) identical lumber members to be used as item A. Preparing lumber member “B” Follow the steps below. Cut and prepare four (4) identical lumber members to be used as item B. 1.10.5 Preparing lumber member “C”...
1.11 PARTIAL OCTAGON PERGOLA ASSEMBLY WORK QUICK-STEPS Lay out three item “A,” two item “B,” and one item “C” in a rough partial octagon shape, as shown below, adjacent to the wall with item “C” placed next to the wall. Starting at corner#1, add a #6OL octagon Elbow on top of the two “A”...
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Insert a vertical post inside all six post receiver tubes. Slide post all the way down. If you feel any resistance, tap the top of the post lightly with a hammer. 10. Secure the posts to the elbows per instructions in section 1.13. 11.
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14. Place a header “A” loosely between the two posts in the U-channels of the post top #6OL octagon elbow brackets. See section 1.16. 15. Adjust position of posts until the header fits snugly between the two post top octagon brackets. The miter cut edge of header “A”...
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16. Place remaining headers “A” and “B” between designated posts. See image below which shows the location of headers “A” and headers “B.” See sections 1.16 and 1.17. 17. Verify that the header ends make contact with the corner square tube faces, as depicted, below. Secure the headers to the post top brackets.
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18. Your pergola project is now complete. Consider adding some additional decorative elements like the lattice fence and upper horizontal divider lumber. Also consider our solid roof brackets kit which makes it extremely easy to add an all-weather solid roof structure. The structure you have built is compatible with our partial octagon solid roof kit.
1.12 ADDING FLOOR CORNER #6OL BRACKETS Before starting assembly work, make certain each member is straight (has no bow nor is warped). On the ground, mark the location of corner #1. Start assembly at this location and continue assembling floor members and corner elbow brackets around the perimeter.
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Wrap a piece of electrical tape around the drill bit, spaced 2” from the drill bit tip. This will act as a hole depth indicator when you drill each pilot hole. Pilot holes should be drilled at least 2” deep. A little bit deeper is acceptable but do not drill less than the required 2”...
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Use a ratchet driver and a 9/16” socket to drive one 3/8” X 2” lag screw through the pilot holes you drilled. Total of eight (8) lag screws are required at each corner bracket. Repeat steps 6 and 7 to secure all floor 6x6s to the corner elbow brackets. 23 | P a g e...
1.13 ADDING FLOOR #6C2L BRACKETS At corner #5, slide one #6C2L elbow over two adjacent 6x6s so the U-channels in the 2-way elbow bracket are inverted and over the 6x6s. Place two shims under each 6x6 near the 2-way elbow. Push #6C2LL elbow bracket downward until the horizontal part of the U-channels touch the 6x6 top surfaces.
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Wrap a piece of electrical tape around the drill bit, spaced 2” from the drill bit tip. This will act as a hole depth indicator when you drill each pilot hole. Pilot holes should be drilled at least 2” deep. A little bit deeper is acceptable but do not drill less than the required 2”...
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Drive one 3/8” X 2” lag screw through four pilot holes you drilled in the outer faces. Repeate step 8 for the holes in the inner corner faces of the U-channels. 10. Repeat Steps 2 to 9 at corner #6 and add the second 2-way 90 degree elbow bracket. 11.
1.14 POSTS INSTALLATION Slide a 6x6 post inside the open vertical tube in all corners’ elbow brackets. If the post resists sliding easily, tap the top of post lightly with a hammer. Post must slide all the way down to the bottom of the square tube. Identify the 7/16”...
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Drive one 3/8 x 2” lag screw through each pilot hole you drilled and tighten down using a ratchet and 9/16” socket. Repeat steps 2 to 3 at all corners. Check top of floor 6x6s for level one more time and adjust as necessary to maintain level. 28 | P a g e...
1.15 POST-TOP #6OL BRACKETS INSTALLATION Slide a #6OL octagon elbow bracket’s tube on the 6x6 post top #1, 2, 3, & 4 after aligning the header receiver U- channels in the proper directions. Let gravity work and pull the bracket all the way down on top of the post. If you feel resistance tap lightly on top of the elbow bracket until it slides all the way down.
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Identify the four 7/16” holes which are on the sides of the gussets in the elbow bracket. Drill 11/64” X 2” deep pilot holes at the center of four 7/16” Holes. Locate pilot holes at the center of each 7/16” hole. Drive one 3/8 x 2”...
1.16 POST TOP #6C1L BRACKET INSTALLATION Slide a #6C1L bracket’s tube on the 6x6 post tops #5 & 6 after aligning the header receiver U-channels in the proper direction. Let gravity work and pull the bracket all the way down on top of the post. If you feel resistance tap lightly on top of the elbow bracket until it slides all the way down.
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Drill 11/64” X 2” deep pilot holes at the center of four 7/16” Holes. Locate pilot holes at the center of each 7/16” hole. Drive one 3/8 x 2” Lag Screw through each 7/16” hole into the pilot holes you drilled in step 4, using a 9/16” Socket and Rachet driver.
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1.16.1 Header “A” Installation Lift and place one “A” 6x6 header into the U-channels between post #1 and post #2. 2. Locate the two 7/16” holes on each vertical face of the U-channels holding the 6x6 header. Drill 11/64” X 2” deep pilot holes at the center of four 7/16”...
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3. Before driving lag screws, review the position of the header ends on both ends of the header. Make certain that it conforms to the image below. The mitered ends of the headers should touch the bracket’s corner square tube face or be close to touching the tube face.
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1.16.2 Header “A” Installation Lift and place one “A” 6x6 header into the U-channels between post #1 and post #2. 7. Locate the two 7/16” holes on each vertical face of the U-channels holding the 6x6 header. Drill 11/64” X 2” deep pilot holes at the center of four 7/16”...
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8. Before driving lag screws, review the position of the header ends on both ends of the header. Make certain that it conforms to the image below. The mitered ends of the headers should touch the bracket’s corner square tube face or be close to touching the tube face.
1.17 HEADER “B” INSTALLATION Lift and place one header “B” between post top #3 & #5 and one header “B” between post top #4 & #6. The miter cut ends of header “B” are to be positioned against post #3 and post #4. At both ends of header “B,”...
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Drill 11/64” X 2” deep pilot holes at the center of 7/16” holes at both ends of the header and on both sides. Locate pilot holes at the center of each 7/16” hole. Perform this step for both “B” headers. Drive one 3/8 x 2”...
1.18 SECURING VERTICAL POSTS TO THE WALL Vertically locate the wall anchor brackets, one above the bottom elbow bracket and one below the top elbow bracket. Vertical location of the wall anchor bracket is flexible. Use the supplied ¼” X 1-1/4” lag screws to secure the wall anchor brackets to the side of the vertical posts.
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Did parts fit easily and properly? Do you like the quality of our products and design styles? Is your pergola structure sturdy and strong? Please go to RioOutdoors.com and provide us with your review. Thank you for being a RioOutdoors.com customer.
1.19 INSTALLING DECK BOARD SUPPORT BEAMS Decide on which direction you would like the deck boards to run. Deck support beams run in a perpendicular direction to the deck boards. Support beams should be spaced, approximately, every 24” or less to support the deck boards. 41 | P a g e...
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If using Beam Support Brackets, secure the support beams to brackets using ¼ X 1-1/4” lag screws. Two screws on each side of the Beam Support Bracket are required. ¼ X 1-1/4” LAG SCREWS 1.19.1 Installing Deck Boards Plan and lay down your deck boards starting in the center of the pergola. Work outward from the center in both directions. Use the thick end of a wood shim as a spacer to leave an 1/8”-1/4”...
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2. When you approach the vertical post corners, create notches in the deck board ends to fit around the corner post bracket and the gussets. The gussets are 1/8” thick. Make a cut the width of a carbide tipped circular saw blade to create a clearance slot for the corner gussets.
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Was it easy to do? Did parts fit easily and properly? Do you like the quality of our products and design styles? Is your pergola structure sturdy and strong? Please go to RioOutdoors.com and provide us with your review.
The warranty protects against defects in manufacture only, unless herein specified otherwise. Any part(s) found to be defective during the warranty period as outlined above will be repaired or replaced at RioOutdoors.com’s option provided that the defective part is returned, if requested by RioOutdoors.com. Alternatively, RioOutdoors.com may at its own discretion fully discharge all its obligations under the warranty by refunding the verified purchase price of the product to the original purchaser.
Parts where the RioOutdoors.com logo has been altered, deleted, removed, or made illegible will void this warranty. Minor movement, expansion and contraction of the steel parts is normal and is not covered under the terms of this warranty.
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