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Print at Jan 27, 2026, 11:01:37 AM

Posted by bbxrider at Jul 24, 2023, 3:50:20 AM

easiest and best way to build a custom pergola
I have not seen any already made pergola's that I want to use. the only thing I can think of is building it with a bunch of wood colored walls with pergola board dimensions like 4x4 and 2x6 and 2x8 etc. thankfully the plan is use sliders for most of the 3 walls, it will butt up to the backyard house wall where there is an existing slider to enter the P. I will attempt to have a sloping roof line with the house end going up the roof about 2-3' for optional full enclosure style that could be a additional room, fully weather proofed.
any suggestions?

Posted by hansmex at Jul 24, 2023, 7:51:00 AM

Re: easiest and best way to build a custom pergola
Instead of walls, use long, thin boxes. You can then texture all six sides with a better results.

Did you look here?

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new website - under constuction
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Posted by Keet at Jul 24, 2023, 8:06:07 AM

Re: easiest and best way to build a custom pergola
There's a Dimensional Lumber library with all kinds of pre-designed construction parts but you might prefer to use boxes as Hans suggested. I would use boxes or custom shapes too, not walls.

For the sloping roof check the forum post about a skillion roof from a few days ago: https://sweethome3d.com/support/forum/viewthread_thread,12532
In short: for the roof you can use a box too. Size it and tilt as you need.
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Posted by bbxrider at Jul 24, 2023, 9:37:40 AM

Re: easiest and best way to build a custom pergola
thanks... boxes look to be
very adaptable probably the way to go, why did you send a link to sketchup files?
can they somehow be imported into sweet home?
I've used sketchup in the past, found it very difficult to work with, it seems to fight everything or just get it crazy, kinda like using photoshop or worse yet, gimp, totally illogical and unintuitive unfortunatly for me, too bad it is very powerful.

Posted by hansmex at Jul 24, 2023, 10:13:02 AM

Re: easiest and best way to build a custom pergola
If you like a particular Sketchup model, click the image and a window opens with info (like size) about that model.

There's also a big blue DOWNLOAD button. If you click that button, a dropdown list appears with available formats. The COLLADA format can be imported into SH3D without any alteration.

That makes the Sketchup repository the biggest source of 3D models.

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Posted by bbxrider at Jul 24, 2023, 5:46:30 PM

Re: easiest and best way to build a custom pergola
WOW... thanks so much, wish I knew that for the last 4 years, looking fwd to using it now

Posted by bbxrider at Jul 25, 2023, 12:01:55 AM

Re: easiest and best way to build a custom pergola
not getting the collada download option from the sketchup site, should have tried it first, the 2 greyed out options are for paid subscribers only, is there another website that will have the collada option?

and for some reason the link to google photos is not coming up here
this is the link I tried to put up with the [img] tags above
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ba4KrHndtdP8GD1T9

Posted by hansmex at Jul 25, 2023, 12:09:59 AM

Re: easiest and best way to build a custom pergola
You need to make an account on Sketchup before you can download.
Not all models are available in Collada format.

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Hans

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hansdirkse.info

Posted by bbxrider at Jul 26, 2023, 2:55:29 AM

Re: easiest and best way to build a custom pergola
ok thanks again, I found one and downloaded, it opens ok and I have it instantiated on a plan. it does not appear to be modifiable, ie, change the pillers, etc. are the models locked for editing, sort of read only?
is there a way to unlock for editing?
this is the sample I tried:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/69e04d69d44edae41fbee54b979d00b5/Pergola

Posted by hansmex at Jul 26, 2023, 8:31:23 AM

Re: easiest and best way to build a custom pergola
Sketchup models can be altered in Sketchup, not in SH3D.

Once imported, textures can be changed in SH3D. Every colour or texture can be changed, meaning that if a model only has 1 texture, you can only change 1 texture.

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Hans

new website - under constuction
hansdirkse.info

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Jan 27, 2026, 11:01:37 AM