Poolside view with a pergola and construction materials

Poolside Ramada and Pergola: Two Arizona Timber Installs

These two Arizona pool projects show the two ways to shade a backyard: a 16′ × 16′ hip roof ramada with a solid metal roof, and a 12′ × 14′ timber pergola with open shade planks. Both have TimberVolt® power posts, so the lights and outlets are built right into the timber for evening entertaining.

Hip roof timber ramada with a red metal roof and arched knee braces standing beside a backyard pool in Arizona
A timber ramada beside the pool.

Key Takeaways

  • Ramada: 16′ × 16′ hip roof with a solid metal roof
  • Pergola: 12′ × 14′, 6000 Series, open shade planks
  • Power: TimberVolt® posts with hidden wiring
  • Purpose: shade and shelter beside the pool, day and night

Why Add Shade Beside an Arizona Pool?

A shaded area that also protects from the weather lets a family use the whole backyard at any hour. A gazebo, pavilion, pergola, or ramada all do the job, and with lights and power built in, the space works for evening entertaining too. The tight timber joinery keeps the look clean, with little visible hardware.

What Is a 16′ × 16′ Hip Roof Ramada?

A ramada is an open-sided shelter with a solid roof. This one has a hip roof covered in red metal, a tongue and groove ceiling, and arched knee braces, so it blocks both sun and rain beside the pool.

Newly built 16 by 16 foot hip roof ramada on a sandy desert yard next to a kidney-shaped pool and a block wall
Just installed.
Timber ramada with a red metal hip roof seen across a sparkling backyard pool on a sunny Arizona day
Across the pool.
Looking up at the tongue and groove ceiling, hip rafters, and arched knee braces inside a timber ramada
The tongue and groove ceiling.
Underside of a timber ramada roof showing the hip framing, beams, and a curved knee brace against blue sky
Hip framing overhead.
Front view of a timber ramada with arched knee braces and a red metal hip roof beside a pool in a sandy yard
Arched knee braces.
Hip roof ramada at the far end of a backyard pool, with a pine tree and a tan block wall behind it
At the end of the pool.
Front view of a timber ramada with arched braces, a smoker grill beside it, and a palm tree behind it
Next to the grill.

What Does the 12′ × 14′ Pergola Look Like Before and After?

The 6000 Series pergola went into a bare, sandy corner beside the pool and diving board. Its open shade planks filter the sun while letting air move through.

Before: a bare sandy corner beside a backyard pool with a diving board and a tan block wall, waiting for a pergola
Before.
After: a dark timber pergola casting striped shade over the sandy corner beside the pool and diving board
After.
Dark-stained 12 by 14 foot timber pergola with arched braces standing beside a backyard pool and block wall
The finished pergola.
Timber pergola with shade planks seen across the pool from the diving board in a desert backyard in Arizona
Seen from the diving board.
Side view of a 6000 Series timber pergola near the pool, with a palm tree and a block wall behind it
Side view.

How Does TimberVolt® Power Work?

The TimberVolt® power posts are drilled through their full length, so the wiring and outlets are hidden and protected inside the timber. That makes it easy to add lights for evenings by the pool.

Questions About Ramadas and Pool Pergolas

What is a ramada?

A ramada is an open-sided shade shelter with a solid roof, common in the Southwest. A timber ramada works much like a pavilion.

What is the difference between a ramada and a pergola?

A ramada has a solid roof that blocks sun and rain. A pergola has open rafters and shade planks that filter the sun.

What size are these structures?

The ramada is a 16′ × 16′ hip roof structure, and the pergola is a 12′ × 14′ kit from the 6000 Series.

How is power added?

TimberVolt® power posts are drilled through their full length, so the wiring and outlets are hidden inside the timber.

Is timber comfortable in the Arizona heat?

Wood is a low conductor of heat, so the posts get warm in the sun but not hot enough to burn on contact the way metal can.

Western Timber Frame has designed, handcrafted, and delivered more than 7,000 outdoor structures in all 50 states since 2008. See pavilion or pergola: a complete guide and more Arizona projects, or request a free design consultation and call 877-870-8755.

Western Timber Frame™ — Payson, Utah | Since 2008 | 7,000+ structures in all 50 states
2026 SBA Manufacturing Award | HGTV Design Excellence Award | 28 Best of State Awards

Content Writer, Architectural Photographer & Outdoor Living Author, Western Timber Frame

Marilynn Thompson is a content writer, architectural photographer, and outdoor living author at Western Timber Frame™, where she specializes in custom timber pergolas, pavilions, gazebos, and heavy timber construction. Since joining the company, she has helped document thousands of custom projects through technical research, homeowner interviews, jobsite photography, and educational articles that explain complex building concepts in clear, practical language.

Her work combines engineering research with real-world project experience, covering topics such as structural design, building permits, installation, timber species, joinery, maintenance, and outdoor living design. She regularly collaborates with Western Timber Frame's designers, engineers, and project specialists to ensure every article reflects current building practices and accurate technical information.

As the company's architectural photographer, Marilynn has photographed custom timber structures across the United States, documenting how they perform in different climates, landscapes, and architectural styles. Her writing is informed not only by research, but by conversations with homeowners and business owners who have lived with these structures for years.

Her goal is simple: to help homeowners understand the decisions behind a custom timber structure so they can build with confidence, not guesswork.

You may also like