New Pergola advice needed.

[tiger07andbeyond]

Any advice on what material to use?

I have a 5.6m x 8.6m space to cover. It is to join onto 2 existing sides of the house. I like the 'flat deck' (or similar look). I think it just gets away from the boring coregated iron look. Is it much more expensive for the flat deck?

Has anyone had any experience with heat/ light / looks ? Any info would be greratfully appreciated.

[Johno6]

Go to fielders...

i used to work there. they will help.

the centenary units look good but are expensive...

[Dog_ger]

In my new back yard I will only use steel.

I pulled everything that was timber, down.

It is permanent.

My backyard could be used in a Stratco add....

Yes it's expensive, buy it looks good.

How long do you want this structure to last?

Your decision.

[Psyber]

The trap with timber pergolas is that some builders don't use treated timber and the white ants destroy them fast.
Galvanised steel sounds good and we are told it is for life.
But, I do worry about drilling screw or bolts holes in it and giving rust somewhere to start by breaking the completeness of the coating.
I'd want to touch up every one with galvanised paint, even though the proponents of steel construction claim the galvanising layer gets pushed through by the drill.
That doesn't quite convince me...

[Dirko]

Do NOT use Australian Outdoor Living. Vastly overpriced.

Find a decent local builder and use them.

We used the our builder who did our reno's and he was 16k cheaper the AOL, and gave us way more then what AOL ever would.

[gadj1976]

DO NOT use Pergola's of Distinction.

DIY, seriously you'd have more of a clue than those guys.

[Iron Fist]

you got three options
steel, but like physber said everything can rust.
especially if u live in close proximety to the beach.

I would use LOSP if I was you.
If you are worried about termites then get a spray done before you erect it, dont have plants hanging or growing onto/over it.
Then you should be ok.

[Punk Rooster]

you got three options
steel, but like physber said everything can rust.
especially if u live in close proximety to the beach.

I would use LOSP if I was you.
If you are worried about termites then get a spray done before you erect it, dont have plants hanging or growing onto/over it.
Then you should be ok.

Or just make sure the posts are on metal stirrups off the ground, so there is not timber-soil contact!

[LMA]

I built one recently 5.5 x 8.5 off 2 sides of the house gable style using treated pine and cream laserlite 2000 for roofing, looks good and happy with the result we had a small budget so that was best for us, but if you got the money I'd go metal I think they look better, less/no maintenance and looks new for longer. LOSP as fisty mentioned is also a good material it's alot more truer than the traditional timber and as also mentioned post stirrups are a must to keep the timber off the soil if your a DIY'er and go the way of timber.
As for the roof sheets flat deck or supa deck vs corrugated I dont think there's too much variation in price, that's just going by the price of fence I had just got put up, had quotes on both types. The costs get up when you want color on both sides of your sheets, that why we went laserlite, aswell as to let light in. Most sheet designs will allow you to add a few sheets of poly carb sheeting for lighting too if you need it.
Also go around to new home display villages and look at the materials used on their pergolas and how much sun gets in or blocked out in comparison to what you want out of your pergola.