Custom Western Timber Frame pergola in Bleach stain with curved knee braces, open timber rafters, and colorful patio seating beside a two-story home.

Shade for 3 Families: DIY Timber Frame Pergola Kit Installs

The Reah, Hazer, and Baumrucker families each installed their own timber pergola kit for backyard shade. Because the interlocking corners, drop-in rafter layout, pre-drilling, and stain are all done in the shop, the work on site is mostly assembly, and most DIY installs take a day to a weekend.

Dark 18 by 22 foot timber pergola over a paver patio with red chairs and a fire pit in a shady wooded garden — The Baumrucker family’s 18′ × 22′ pergola.

Key Takeaways

Pre-done in the shop: cut, drilled, mortised, and stained
Simple layout: interlocking corners and drop-in rafters
Clean look: timber joinery instead of metal hangers
Fast: a day to a weekend for most DIY crews

What Makes a Timber Pergola Kit Easy to Install?

The hard work happens before the kit ships. Experienced craftsmen cut the joinery, mortise the posts, pre-drill the layout, ease the edges, and stain every timber. On site, the corners interlock and the rafters drop into place, which leaves little room for mistakes.

Pre-drilled and mortised: posts and beams arrive ready to assemble
Pre-stained: no finishing work on site
Eased edges: on every timber
All fasteners included: nothing extra to buy for the frame
Clean finished look: joinery instead of metal joist hangers

How Did These Three Families Use Their Pergolas?

The Reah family attached shade to a sunny patio beside the house, with room for chairs and a grill. The Hazer family covered a 16′ × 22′ patio with a pergola that throws striped shade across the lounge chairs. The Baumrucker family built an 18′ × 22′ pergola over a paver patio and fire pit in a wooded garden.

Weathered gray timber pergola with knee braces beside a cream house, shading a patio with chairs and a grill — The Reah family’s patio.

Brown 16 by 22 foot timber pergola casting striped shade across a patio with lounge chairs beside the house — The Hazer family’s 16′ × 22′ pergola.

Do You Have to Install It Yourself?

No. There are three install paths: build it yourself, hire a local contractor, or, in some areas, have the Western Timber Frame crew install it. Many families across the country choose the first path and enjoy saying they built it themselves.

Questions About Installing a Pergola Kit

Is a timber pergola kit hard to install yourself?

Not usually. The joinery is cut, drilled, and test-fit in the shop, so the work on site is mostly assembly. A DIY install typically takes a day to a weekend, depending on size and crew.

What if I do not want to install it myself?

There are three install paths: build it yourself, hire a local contractor (most finish in a day), or, in some areas, have the Western Timber Frame crew install it.

Does the kit come stained?

Yes. Every timber is stained before it ships, with eased edges, so there is no finishing work on site.

What hardware is included?

All of the fasteners come with the kit, and the posts arrive mortised and pre-drilled for the layout.

How big were these pergolas?

The Hazer pergola is 16′ × 22′ and the Baumrucker pergola is 18′ × 22′. Every kit is cut to the size the space calls for.

Western Timber Frame has designed, handcrafted, and delivered more than 7,000 outdoor structures in all 50 states since 2008. See timber pergola kits, 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

Marilynn Thompson

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.