Wood Touch Pergolas and Trusses

At Wood Touch, we take pride in our craftsmanship and that is why our exquisite pergolas are so highly sought-after in New Jersey. We have the expertise to craft customized as well as contemporary pergolas that will win you over. We have use of trusses in many of our pergola designs and we will explain in-depth a little later so that you understand what are trusses and the different kinds of trusses that are most commonly used while making pergolas.

The credit for pergolas goes to the ancient Egyptians, who constructed them between buildings to serve as protection from the sun while walking to and fro. From ancient times, pergolas have evolved and become aesthetic structures that allow us to expand our living spaces and bring the inside of our homes to the outside. Besides adding beauty and character to your backyard or garden, pergolas create a space to rest, relax, and spend meaningful time with family and friends.

Why Should You Add a Pergola to Your Garden?

If you are wondering why you should add an architectural element that has no walls or a solid roof, let us, at Wood Touch, tell you that these features are responsible for making pergolas so aesthetically beautiful.

The lack of walls and solid roof work to your advantage. A pergola can help define your garden and outdoor space without limitations or restrictions. By itself, a pergola is a unique architectural feature that seamlessly enables you to be inside and outside simultaneously. It also adds character and life to the existing garden landscape.

Many of our customers use pergolas to frame a focal point while there are others, who use them to define a garden pathway. You can transform your pergola into an arbor-like structure by using the trusses or the frames to support climbing plants. That way, you will get some shade on a sunny day and also be able to relax amidst the greenery.

Before you decide to add a pergola to your garden, Wood Touch always recommends customers look at the following to make an informed decision.

Purpose of the Pergola: You should not add a structure to your garden for the sake of adding. It should have a clear purpose and you should be aware of it. Once you know the purpose, you will be able to decide the kind of space you should opt for, the amount of shade you want, how private the pergola should be, and the access to it. You can use it to highlight your garden path, extend your outdoor living space, or offer shade to ferns and shrubbery.

Shape and Size of the Pergola: Thankfully, Wood Touch is adept in woodwork and making pergolas. So, we can create pergolas of any shape and size as long as you have the required space in your garden. You can have a freestanding pergola or one that is attached to your home. We always take into consideration your home’s architecture and your wishes and concepts to design and build a pergola from scratch. We make sure that the structure blends with your home and offers the look and feel you envisaged.

Design of the Pergola: A basic design will effortlessly lend flair to your garden. However, we can easily design a more ornate pergola, depending on your requirements. We tend to splashes of color to make it look more vibrant and aesthetic. You can select from a wide range of shapes, right from hexagonal and circular to square and rectangular. In case you are looking for an attached pergola, we advise you not to go in for a circular one as it will not properly fit. Instead, choose a semi-circular design and it will fit your home like a glove.

Wood for Your Pergola

At Wood Touch, we have the expertise to work with cedar and hemlock. So, building your pergola will never be an issue. If your home is older, we would recommend going in for  cedar wood. It is durable and blends with the design and architecture of older homes.

On the other hand, if you are cost-conscious, you should go with hemlock. It will be treated wood and can easily be used to make the pergola and the trusses. You can stain the and give it a rich and captivating texture. We will plane the wood before using a wood stain. So, you have nothing to worry about.

We love working with wood for several reasons. One of them is that it can give a home a rustic look and feel. While we realize that there are other materials, wood is our only material of choice for designing and building pergolas. We are adept at woodworking and take great pride in our craft. We have designed and built spectacular pergolas in homes across New Jersey.

We would be happy to show you our portfolio so that you get an idea of our creativity and talent.

Wood is susceptible to fungi, boring insects like termites, and moisture. To prevent damage to the wood, we protect it with high-quality wood coating and preservatives. Since New Jersey receives rainfall and snow, we used oil-based wood preservatives as that is the best for wood that is used outdoors. If the wood does develop rot, you may require a remedial treatment. If you want a wood that is naturally resistant to moisture and critters, we suggest using Western Red Cedar to make your pergola.

Get in touch with us today to add a pergola to your garden and transform the way it looks and feels. You will be surprised to see our craftsmanship and innovative pergola designs.

Roofing and Lighting for the Pergola

While pergolas usually have trusses forged into a frame as a roof, you do have the option of getting a roof to keep rain, snow, wind, and sun at bay. This could be a good option if you are looking to use the pergola throughout the year and not just when it is sunny.

We can also install partial protection with the help of sails and cloths that are lightweight and do not detract from the beauty of the structure. In case you are looking to get an arbor-like ambiance, opt to plant trumpet vines, clematis, wisteria, and honeysuckle. They will give you the greenery you desire and also make the pergola look attractive and inviting.

You should think of installing lighting so that you can use the pergola at the night. It’s a great way to enjoy drinks and barbecues with your family and friends. Just ensure you always use a licensed, certified, and insured electrician for this purpose. You can install fairy lights or even opt for tiki torches if you do not want to electrify the structure.

We help you decide every aspect of the pergola so you are never alone making decisions hesitantly.

Get in touch with Wood Touch today and we would be happy to make customized pergolas for your garden where you can be with nature and also elevate the look and feel of your home.

Choose the Pergola Roof with Care

While we have discussed a bit about the roof a little earlier, we believe that the roof is an essential part of a pergola. It requires proper thought so that the roof meets your needs and expectations.

Typically, the pergola roof is flat but that should not stop you from looking at other structures in case you want more shape. The choice of the roof will have an impact on how the pergola protects your outdoor living space from the elements. It can have a significant impact on the aesthetics of the structure.

Here are some of the pergola roof types that you should be aware of:

Flat Roof: We can customize the roof and ensure it has lighting and fans as well as any other feature or option you want to include. We use beams and rafters of different widths and sizes to make a trellis-like frame to create a flat roof. You can look to cover it with solar panels or create a roof garden on the structure.

Gabled Roof: In case you want a high roof that has opened ends, a gabled roof is the best. It will ensure that there is ample air circulation and keep the space cool and light. We can customize the roof so that it blends with the roof of your home and creates a sense of harmony in the garden.

Using Trusses for Gabled Roof

We, at Wood Touch, specialize in using a variety of trusses to create a gabled roof. Here, the roof is raised at the center and sloped at both sides, just like the roofs of homes. To support this design, it is necessary to use trusses and we can create a range of trusses to meet your requirement.

You have the option of leaving the rafters open like it happens with a flat roof. Alternatively, we can put covers. This roof has a formal look and feel, and it is the right choice for homes with gabled roofing. It will make your pergola weather-resistant and at the same time, ensure it is airy and spacious.

Timber trusses are important structures to create the frame of the gabled roof. It comprises triangulated units that are interconnected and joined to create a framework on the two ends of the pergola’s roof so that it can support the rafters and beams without a problem. The purpose of trusses is to ensure that there is minimal pressure on the main joints of the roofing structure and ensure the longevity of the roof. It helps to distribute weight and is ubiquitously used in timber construction.

We are proud to inform you that at Wood Touch, we have the expertise to design different types of roof trusses to make your pergola not only stand out but also create a functional and utilitarian structure.

Some of the most commonly used trusses for pergolas are as follows:

King Post Trusses: Here, the weight of the pergola’s roof is distributed horizontally so that you have a solid and stable framework and roof. We usually create four timber triangles that are installed around a vertical main post or king post and they are supported by principal rafters that function as side supports and are slanted. The rafters are connected and secured with the help of struts to the king post and this helps to distribute the weight of the principal rafters to the king post.

Queen Post Trusses: In case you want a bigger roof space based on the size of your pergola, we can create the queen roof trusses for the roofing. This roofing design comprises two principal rafters and has two queen posts instead of a middle king post on either side. These queen posts are supported by principal rafters and the top has a horizontal beam. These trusses are the perfect choice if you want to add a level of dimension to your pergola and later on if you want to convert the roof space into something else.

Timber vs Steel Trusses

Many of our customers ask for steel trusses until we explain the pros and cons of both. At Wood Touch, we prefer working with timber and believe it is the material of choice for constructing pergola roofs.

Lower Cost: Compared to steel, timber is more cost-effective. So, it can bring down the overall cost of constructing your pergola compared to what you would pay when you use steel trusses.

Fire-resistant: It may come as a surprise to learn that timber is more fire-resistant compared to steel. The posts and rafters require high temperatures to begin showing the ill-effects of heat. On the other hand, if you use steel trusses, they tend to become unstable at lower temperatures. Remember, wood gets a coating when it catches fire and this same coating helps the timber stay upright for a longer period when it is on fire compared to steel.

Treatment for Longevity: No doubt that steel does not require further treatment to protect it from rot, mites, and other pests like wood does. Thankfully, when you collaborate with us, you never have to worry. We make sure that we treat the timber so that you never have to contend with rot, pests, and boring insects. So, you can rest assured that the timber we use to create trusses and the other parts of your pergola’s roof will last a long time before requiring replacement.

Understanding the Benefits of a Pergola

While we, at Wood Touch, have discussed a lot about the different options for pergola, trusses, and roofing, you should also be aware of the benefits of installing this structure in your garden. We have listed a few of the benefits so that you know what a wonderful investment a pergola can be.

• Maximizing Your View: You will enjoy an unobstructed view of your garden. A pergola does not have walls, and as a result, you will be able to see the flowers, birds, bees, and butterflies that visit your garden. This beautiful sight can be relaxing and rejuvenating.
• Staying Cool in the Summer Months: Who doesn’t love spending time in the sun, especially after a grey, cold winter. However, the sun brings heat and that can be unbearable. With a pergola, you will not only be able to stay outdoors but also cool as the open-wall structure facilitates the movement of air and breeze. Depending on your roof choice, we can install fabric or static panels to block the sun rays.
• Relax and Rejuvenate: The space can be used for just about anything you desire. It can be your haven when you want to be alone, read your favorite book while sipping a cooling drink, enjoy the company of your friends and family, and indulge in alfresco dining. If you are adventurous, you can place an inflatable pool in your pergola to cool off when the need arises.
• Enjoy Outdoor Living: If you enjoy outdoor living but rarely find an opportunity to fulfill this wish, a pergola is just what you need. It can allow you to spend time outdoors, in your garden, without having to travel or drive elsewhere to experience this.
• Up the Resale Value of Your Property: People tend to love homes with pergolas. That is because pergolas have a penchant for making the garden more functional and aesthetically pleasing. So, if you plan to sell your home at a later date, you can rest assured knowing that your property will fetch a higher price compared to similar properties with no pergola.
• Block Unwanted Views: While pergolas have an open-structure design, you do not have to see and take in unsightly gardens and contend with nosy neighbors. You can opt for privacy screens to block anything you do not want to see and that will ensure you enjoy total privacy while you are resting and spending time in your pergola.

Contact Wood Touch Today!

We have the expertise to create stunning pergolas for homes in New Jersey. We are creative and adept at making customize pergolas in all shapes and sizes. We endeavor to add flair to your garden or backyard with our innovative designs.

At Wood Touch, we can make contemporary or traditional pergola designs, or even come up with something that is more out-of-the-ordinary. We help you create an outdoor ambiance that will look elegant, inviting, and eye-catching.

You can send us an email or visit our store. We encourage shop visits solely on appointments and Wood Touch is open from Mondays through Fridays by appoiment. We would love to discuss pergolas and trusses with you and help you design and make your dream structure.