Are Pergolas Wind Resistant? (What to Look for When Buying)
A pergola can be a great investment for your side or backyard. Of course, if you’re planning on building a new pergola, you need to consider the elements it will be facing. One question you’ll run into is, are pergolas wind resistant?
Most pergolas are designed to be wind-resistant. This means they’re built with rough weather in mind to be able to withstand hurricanes and hurricane-strength winds. So as long as you anchor your new pergola correctly, it should be wind resistant.
Of course, anchoring your pergola correctly is important, but it’s not the only tip we have to get your new pergola built safely. So stick with us while we discuss all the pertinent matters for your pergola!
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Here’s a Quick Pro Tip!
Pergolas may be a great visual for your sideyard, but they’re no fun if you’re always worried about them blowing over during a windstorm. If this is a concern of yours, don’t fret!
Instead, consider one of these great options to support your pergola instead of worrying about the weather:
1. Weights– These removable weights help add to the overall stability of the pergola.
2. Guy Line– A great option for hurricane season and easily removable!
3. Brackets– These can add to the aesthetic and help the stability and functionality of your pergola!
Rain and Wind Concerns
When building an outdoor structure for your property, you have to consider the weather. This section will discuss the best ways to keep your pergola safe from wind and rain.
How Do You Keep a Pergola From Blowing Away?
If you’re concerned that your pergola isn’t safe from blowing away during the next strong wind storm, you need to anchor it. You can anchor it in several ways. The most common way to anchor it is to purchase ground anchors.
Ground anchors are only one option. However, you can also try:
Are Pergolas Hurricane Proof?
While brands may vary, it’s a safe bet that your pre-built pergola is designed to sustain heavy winds. Not even a hurricane should bring it down as long as it’s been built and anchored properly!
Because pergolas are designed to withstand bad weather, including hurricanes, they are naturally very wind resistant. For example, this rainproof pergola is designed to withstand hurricane-strength winds!
Are Aluminum Pergolas Wind Resistant?
Aluminum pergolas are just as wind resistant as their wooden counterparts. Because a pergola’s ability to resist wind mainly depends on the anchoring, it should withstand wind no matter what material it’s built from.
There are many ways to anchor a pergola, but one of the most common is adding some weight. They make bags you can strap to the pergola or physical weights that you can add to the pergola’s legs.
Can a Pergola Withstand Strong Winds?
Pergolas are designed to withstand strong winds. Typically, a pergola will remain standing in winds up to or over 65 miles per hour. So, your pergola needs to be properly built to withstand these winds.
If you’re unsure your pergola will withstand the wind, ensure it’s been properly anchored. Try to wiggle one of the legs of your pergola.
If it wobbles, you may want to consider bracing it to prevent it from succumbing to strong winds.
How Much Wind Is Too Much for a Pergola?
If a pergola is built properly and anchored correctly, it should have no problem withstanding winds of over 110 miles per hour. Anything over 110 is starting to push it, and you may need to give it some extra bracing.
If you want to know how strong the wind is around your home, you can always check out the National Weather Services website.
According to them, anything over 75 miles per hour is considered hurricane weather.
Weight and Stabilization
If you’re concerned that your pergola is light enough to be damaged by strong winds, a logical step is to weigh it down.
That being said, not all weights are, well, equally weighted. So, let’s talk about the best kinds of weights for a pergola!
How Do You Stabilize a Freestanding Pergola?
You can stabilize your shaky freestanding pergola by adding weight to it. This may come in the form of literal weights attached to the base of the pergola or using sandbags or guy lines to strap the pergola down.
Guy lines can help you keep your pergola in place without having to add anything to the pergola itself.
They can be attached and removed as needed and feature adjustable tension to ensure your pergola is stable and wind resistant.
How Do You Weigh Down a Pergola?
The easiest way to weigh down a pergola is to add literal weights. These weights brace the bottom of the legs of the pergola to ensure it stays in place. No wind is going to move those!
You can also use screws and posts to stake your pergola into the ground. This will help weigh it down without detracting from the aesthetic.
Of course, if you just need to add weight, you can always put a roof on your pergola!
Can You Put Pergola Legs in Concrete?
Unless you need to pour concrete anyway, don’t feel like you need to add concrete before you build your pergola. However, if you are building your pergola on concrete, you can brace it to the concrete to give it extra stability.
Most pergolas come with bolts and all the necessities to anchor them to concrete. Installing your pergola legs in concrete can help keep it secure and extra wind resistant.
It should withstand hurricane-strength winds as long as it’s installed correctly!
How Do You Make a More Heavy Pergola?
Adding weight to your pergola can be a breeze if you need to make it heavier. You can either add sandbags, waterbags, or even actual weights. You can also brace the legs for stability and not have to deal with extra weight.
You can also add other aesthetically pleasing options to give your pergola weight.
For example, adding an adjustable canopy not only adds the needed weight but also provides you with a great way to cool off.
Plus, since it’s retractable, you don’t have to worry about it being damaged by the wind!
Fixing Insecure Pergolas
Having a shaky pergola is not a good time. So next, we’ll discuss why your pergola may be shaking in the wind and how to make them more wind resistant. That way, you can enjoy your pergola without worrying about the shakes!
How Do You Fix a Pergola That Shakes in the Wind?
If your pergola shakes in the wind, it’s not anchored correctly. You can fix that by adding braces or weight to the legs of the pergola to stabilize it. This should only take about ten minutes to fix.
No one wants a pergola that doesn’t feel secure, so bracing it to concrete or even a porch or other fixture is easy to secure.
If you don’t want something that permanent, consider using weights instead.
Is It Normal for a Pergola to Wobble?
While a pergola may normally have the slightest wobble in heavy wind, anything beyond that is concerning. It needs to be anchored if your pergola wobbles without hurricane winds.
You may want to consider adding some weight to your pergola to stop the wobble. You can do this permanently by bracing it in place. All you need is a bracket kit and the proper tools.
How Do You Secure a Pergola Without Digging?
You don’t need to dig in order to secure your pergola! You can anchor it using braces and screws or guy lines to brace it into the ground. No digging is required. In fact, there is really no good reason you would need to dig at all.
If your pergola is on something other than the ground, you can brace it to the porch or concrete using brackets.
If it’s out in your yard, use a guy line to secure it to the ground. Then, all you need is the line and spike anchors.
How Do You Make a Brace for a Pergola?
You can brace your pergola by adding a piece of wood or aluminum between the pergolas’ roofing and post. This may be called a knee or curved brace, depending on how you design it.
Once you’ve measured and cut the brace to the correct size, you’ll just need to screw it in place. You should use heavy-duty wood screws to ensure they stay in place long term.
Adding braces should help you stabilize your pergola and increase its wind resistance.
Building
If your pergola is still in the dream state, it’s best to know exactly what you want before you start building.
So, how do you ensure you have the best quality, most wind-resistant pergola out there? We’re talking about it now!
What Is the Best Wind-Resistant Pergola?
To have the best wind-resistant pergola possible, build or purchase a wooden pergola with braces or brackets. You can attach your pergola straight into the ground or add it to a porch or concrete area.
Having the braces is truly what makes any pergola wind-resistant.
These days, you can purchase a prefab pergola kit with all the necessary parts for a high-quality wind-resistant pergola.
Which Pergola Is the Most Wind-Resistant?
The most wind-resistant pergolas are made from hardwood or reinforced metal. Metal pergolas can stand up to high winds but corrode over time. Steel pergolas should be treated to prevent this from occurring.
If you like the idea of getting a metal pergola, this galvanized steel option from Amazon has 4.5 stars and is highly rated for its wind resistance.
Of course, adding brackets can ensure your pergola won’t go anywhere.
How to Build a Wind-Resistant Pergola?
To build a wind-resistant pergola, start with hardwood that isn’t very flexible. Make sure that you have braced your pergola’s legs properly to ensure it will not blow over in the wind.
You may also want to add weights to the pergola legs to make them extra wind-resistant.
Additionally, ensure you’ve added knee braces between the legs and roofing of the pergola to ensure it is as wind-resistant as possible. Do that, and it should withstand a hurricane!
Is It Better for a Pergola to Be Open or Enclosed in High Winds?
While it may seem counterintuitive, it’s actually better for a pergola to be open during high winds. Because the wind has somewhere to go, it doesn’t buffer the pergola as much as it would if the pergola had a solid wall.
A great option if you like the aesthetic of a solid walled pergola but are worried about wind is to get a retractable awning and curtains.
This allows you to have a roof and walls when you want and to tuck them away when not needed.
Related Questions
How Do You Move a Heavy Pergola?
Before attempting to move a heavy pergola, ensure that all floor brackets and weights have been removed. This may lessen the weight of a pergola substantially. Also, ensure you have enough help to move the pergola, don’t try to do it yourself.
Depending on the weight of the pergola, you may not be able to move it by hand. Instead, you may have to get a trailer to pull it.
One fun trick is to get four frisbees and put the top of the frisbee on the ground under each leg, then pull or push the pergola to where it needs to go!
What Are the Cons of Having a Pergola?
While there are many plusses to having a pergola at your home, there can be a few drawbacks. The most common complaint of having a pergola is that they wear down over time. Metal corrodes, wood rots, and the pergola suddenly isn’t as aesthetically pleasing.
Over time, this corrosion or rot can also affect its wind resistance, so if your pergola is getting up there in age, it may need more braces, or you may need to replace whole sections.
While this can get expensive, it’s worth it if you spend lots of time outside.
Are Pergolas Rustproof?
How to rust-proof a pergola depends on what it’s made of. Wooden pergolas are rust-proof, considering there is nothing metal on them to rust. Aluminum pergolas are also slow to rust, and they also make galvanized steel pergolas that are resistant to rust.
If you’re concerned your pergola is going to rust, consider purchasing a rustproofing paint or spray to help keep the metal fresh.
If you can, try and cover the pergola for a harsh winter to help prevent rust.
Final Thoughts
Having a pergola is a great way to add value to your home and provides a great aesthetic to an otherwise boring yard.
Just ensure you know how to anchor it down properly, so you don’t have to worry about its wind resistance!
