How to Cap Pergola Posts for Longevity & Weather Protection
Whether y'all have merely built a pergola or fence or you have an existing wooden structure with exposed post tops, you lot will likely want to consider capping them off. Wood has a trend to split over time – particularly a vertical exposed piece of forest, such as a pergola post. Sun beats downwards on the exposed wood (fifty-fifty if it's stained and sealed thoroughly), drying out and shrinking the wood fibers, and and then whatever pelting or snow or ice or other weather penetrates into the forest end. This causes swelling, warping, or but regular weather condition damage over time. Good news: At that place'southward an easy and cost-effective way to preclude this, by capping off the tops of your exposed posts with plastic post caps.
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View in gallery Postal service caps are available in a variety of different sizes. You'll desire to measure out the true size of your beam – in this case, a 6×half-dozen cedar beam measures just shy of v.5"x5.v". Pay attending to the interior measurements of your post cap, especially if yous're ordering online.
View in gallery The underside of the cap looks something similar this. Pretty straightforward.
View in gallery Before you practice annihilation else, place the cap on the meridian of your pergola mail service. If your postal service is at the meridian you desire it, and if the cap fits perfectly, judge what? You're done. Congratulations. No gluing or screwing required, as long as the cap is a snug fit. Merely if you want to trim downwardly the height of your pergola post, information technology'due south fourth dimension to measure and mark the acme you desire.
View in gallery Brand sure at that place'due south plenty space on your remaining pergola postal service that the cap can slide downwards over it. Now connect your marks with flat, level lines across ii sides of your pergola post – the side you lot'll be sawing from, and the side y'all'll be looking at as you lot saw.
View in gallery It's important that yous purchase a reciprocating saw bract that'southward large enough to hands cutting through the width of your pergola mail service. Remember to account for the back-and-along movement of the bract while sawing; this volition require a few actress inches on either end. Consider the diagonal distance as well. A 4×4 mail service, for example, will cut but fine with an eight" saw blade. Only a half dozen×vi mail, as shown in this example, requires a much longer blade of 12" in length.
View in gallery Line up your reciprocating saw blade with the outset apartment, level line you've marked.
View in gallery Agree it at this level firmly every bit you begin sawing, making sure you lot stay level on both ends of the saw.
View in gallery As your saw blade gets farther into your pergola post, this is where your second fatigued line comes into play. Practice your all-time to maintain level on the far side of the saw (since you can't see over there), and exist sure to follow along your second flat, level line. This will help to maintain a flat, even cut for your pergola post.
View in gallery Just set your pergola cap on acme of the pergola post, pressing it down as tightly equally it volition get for a flat, fifty-fifty finish.
View in gallery This really completes the look for a mod pergola frame, with the added benefit of existence a protective final step as well.
Source: https://www.homedit.com/cap-pergola-posts/
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