Sam's Amazing Project!

 

Building a Pergola in their backyard......

 

 

starting with digging up the old cement,

 

 

 

 

a dumpster-ful,

to create a channel for cable

 

 

like this to run electricity to the patio,

 

and holes for the pergola posts, hacking through maybe 6 inches of cement.

 

 

 

The steel beams arrived along with the gantry, a lifting machine--necessary because Sam is doing this project  by himself.

 

 

 

 

Then came the cement. 

 

 

to secure the steel posts in the holes--

 

 

 

 

all four of them. 

 

After cutting the top beams to the proper size, the welding started

(posted before, but love this welder's outfit).

 

 Sam spent a lot of time on a ladder, welding, getting the cross beams in.

Much of the time on super hot days!

 

Finally looking like this.

 

Now the sanding and painting of the beams, a messy job.

Next will be finishing filling in the post holes with cement and ordering, cutting, preparing and placing wood slats over the roof.  It'll be a grand, shady place when done.

 

I know I'm skipping important steps but kudos to Sam on this amazing project.

It's already great- truly a bunker or maybe a man-style pergola.