Working With Wire Rope Hardware
Suspending the wire ropes that will serve as cables for the canopy is done with a special type of hardware, known as a thimble-and-wire rope fitting. The process involves first threading the horseshoe-shaped metal thimble onto a screw eye anchored to the pergola’s beam. Then, the wire rope is fed through the screw eye so it fits into the groove of the thimble. Last, the free end of the wire rope is doubled back onto itself and secured with a specially designed clamp. This type of hardware is necessary since the wire ropes will be stretched between beams under tension.
This hardware is stocked along with other metal cable fittings in your hardware store or home center and is also available from online retailers.
Stain The Support Bars
Cedar wood naturally weathers to a silvery-gray color and its oils keep it protected for many years. But if you would like added protection or a different look, you may choose to treat the cedar boards with semi-transparent stain or solid color stain.
Let the stain dry fully before proceeding to the next step.
How To Build A Diy Retractable Pergola Canopy
Ralf Geithe/Getty Images
- Working Time: 4 – 6 hrs
- Total Time: 4 – 6 hrs
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Estimated Cost: $150 to $400
A pergola is a fantastic addition to a yard, deck, or patio, lending an architectural flair to your landscape. But one thing that a pergola does not provide is adequate shade. Traditionally, the solution to the lack-of-shade problem has been to intertwine trailing plants or vines, such as grapevines, jasmine, or wisteria. But plants take time to train upward, and many homeowners don’t like the shedding leaves and debris. Plus, some trailing plants may not cover the middle sections of the pergola.
The low-cost solution for many homeowners is a retractable pergola canopy. Building a do-it-yourself retractable pergola canopy is a moderately easy way to provide an instant cover for your structure, at a fraction of the cost of commercial canopies.
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Why Choose Custom Shade Sails
Custom shades from USA SHADE can help draw attention to your venue. A colorful shade in the shape of an animal above a playground, for example, can attract families to your play space. If you own a business such as a car wash, custom shade sails can create a long-term visual impression and can draw customers to you through bright colors and shapes.
USA SHADE’s custom solutions are also a great option for those situations where traditional shades just won’t do. Whether you need an extra-large shade to cover a big area or a shade to shield you from the elements while offering great sun protection, custom solutions keep you in the driver’s seat and give you the results you want. We do a number of custom shade structure projects with architects and landscape architects, as well – we even have a dedicated Architectural Specialist Division. To learn more about how we support architects and landscape architects, and request a consultation.
Add Extra Shade & Privacy With A Colorful Pergola Canopy

Canopies are fade resistant, easy-to-clean, and block over 92% of UV rays. Made in the USA.
Description
Create a beautiful shaded area by adding a colorful canopy to your Pergola Depot pergola kit. Custom-made to fit our pergolas, our pergola canopies are an affordable way to transform any outdoor living space. Choose from popular industry-leading outdoor fabrics and colors to enhance your pergola. Add an Infinity retractable pergola canopy to any of our attached pergola kits or our freestanding pergola kits in sizes 8×8 up to 20×20 to create extra shade and privacy. The canopy sizes listed on our website are for our standard pergola kits and are custom-made to fit Pergola Depot pergolas. Canopies ship within 4-5 weeks of paid order. Canopy panels ship separately from the canopy hardware.
Canopy Sizing
Canopy Fabrics and Accessories
A favorite for outdoor use, Sunbrella fabric offers excellent fade and weather resistance and blocks 100% of UV rays. The fabric is water repellent, yet is also soft and easy to work with. A wide selection of colors are available for retractable canopies built for Pergola Depot pergola kits. Functional and durable, Phifertex Plus Mesh fabrics block 92% of UV rays, are easy to maintain, and are resistant to mold and fading.
Adjust your canopy with the included pull cord or upgrade to a magnetic latch or pulley & rope systems. The magnetic latch keeps the canopy in the shade position, and the rope and pulley keeps the canopy where you leave it.
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Diverse Options For Easy
- 7 ft. to 8 ft. Wide Vertical Shades Available in Textilene 90%-95% UV-Protectant Mesh Fabric
- 6 ft. to 7 ft. Wide Vertical Shades Available in Either Select Sunbrella Solid Fabrics or Textilene Mesh Fabrics
- 5 ft. Vertical Shades Available in Most Solid Colors or Any Mesh Fabric
- 4 ft. Vertical Shades Available in All Fabrics, Including Striped Patterns
What Is The Estimated Delivery Time
We aim to ensure that you receive your order as quickly as possible. Once your order is successfully submitted, our warehouse processes your order the same business day. It is then picked, packed, and dispatched. Please note delivery times vary depending on your location and the possible courier screening that the package goes through. Our standard delivery times are estimates and may vary due to external factors outside of Giantex, and our couriers, control. These factors may include but are not limited to, extreme weather conditions and technical failures.
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What Can I Do In Case Of Stains
The shading sails can be cleaned with neutral detergents , left to act for a few minutes, and thoroughly rinsed. To remove stains or halos we recommend first of all to remove it, first loosening the anchor , releasing the corresponding carabiner and subsequently removing all the other carabiners. With the sail removed, you can proceed with soft brushes to remove the most persistent stains with the help of water and possibly neutral detergents.
Viking Pergola Diy Kits
Our Viking Pergola was originally designed to mimic a Viking Meeting house.The customer took over a month to design it with us.We will email drawings of your order for your review.With a couple of drawing revisions with your assigned designer, your perfect pergola will come to life and then magically be erected a couple months later in your yard! Need assembly help? Let us know.Free nationwide shipping.
Need help to choose the correct pergola or pavilion?Click here to download our checklist: From Design to Done.
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The La Modern Pergola
The L.A. Modern Pergola was a custom job for a customer in L.A. Although we sometimes lack imagination naming our pergolas, we hope you find the design and construction quality to your liking.The L.A. pergola is built to order you can dress her up with privacy panels and other accessories as you like.And, if you have no time for assembly, please ask about our White Glove Assembly service.Free nationwide shipping.
Need help to choose the correct pergola or pavilion?Click here to download our checklist: From Design to Done.
Fan Shaped Pergola Kit
The Fan Pergola is always one of a kind.She is Available in diameters of up to 20 ft and can be any portion of a circle you’d like.She offers many shade options and can be customized as needed.She takes extra time to figure out the geometry, but she is one of our most loved shade structures.Let us know what you are daydreaming and we will roll up our sleeves.We use only stainless steel hardware and offer warranties of up to 20 years.Free nationwide shipping.
Need help to choose the correct pergola or pavilion?Click here to download our checklist: From Design to Done.
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The Traditional Wooden Garden Pergola
Looking for a traditional pergola that will hold up fine in any weather for 20 years plus? Want to be sure it is truly environmentally friendly? We have over 25 years experience making the Design to Install process simple. Let us know what you need in rough terms. One of our experienced designers will email you drawings back and forth until you say perfect, build it!.
Need help to choose the correct pergola or pavilion?Click here to download our checklist: From Design to Done.
Can I Install Poles On The Terrace

Installation on terraces and balconies is only possible with the collar version, for which you will need a wall at least 45 cm high. Poles can be installed either inside or outside the terrace. Installing a pole with a ground base is strongly discouraged: it will damage the terrace or balcony sheathing and compromise the safety of the house.
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Creative Ways To Add Shade To Your Pergolas
Pergolas are unique structures that have been in use for hundreds of years. They were originally used to train vines to grow over the top, which created a type of canopy and shade for the user.
Today, pergolas are often left open to add definition to an area. They may also have covers, canopies, or other types of top added that can provide shade.
Pergola tops come in a wide range of styles both permanent and temporary, and can add a lot of style, interest, and function to your outdoor design. If youre wondering how to incorporate shade into the pergola that youre building, check out these 11 pergola sun shade ideas:
The Wooden Dome Pergola
The Dome Pergola takes your breath away.It is the instant centerpiece of any landscape.Its meticulously handcrafted finely finished wood adorns every inch of the structure.Built using extremely resistant California Redwood, it is a wooden temple that will adorn your landscape for decades.From 8 ft diameter to 32 ft plus diameters, let us know what you need and we’ll get her built per your instructions.Can also help with assembly anywhere in the Continental US.
Need help to choose the correct pergola or pavilion?Click here to download our checklist: From Design to Done.
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Size The Canopy Fabric
When fully extended, the canopy must be the size of the pergola’s area, plus at least 20 percent longer to accommodate draping. Heavier cloth such as sailcloth will sag more muslin and linen will sag less. Determine the look you wish to achieve when the canopy is extended. Tighter cloth has a trim, finished look. Cloth with deeper sags gives your pergola an airy, fanciful look. Find the area of your pergola by multiplying its length by its width.
Cut The Canopy Support Bars
The canopy fabric will be stabled to 2×2 cedar supports bars, which will then be suspended from support wires using eye screws that allow the canopy to slide back and forth.
With a power miter saw or circular saw, cut 2×2 boards to the width of the canopy. Generally, plan on one board for about every 18 inches of the canopy’s length, though the exact spacing is up to you. Increasing the number of boards creates a scalloped, ribbed look. Fewer boards produce larger, lower drapes.
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What You Will Find In The Guide
In the free MAXI GUIDE in PDF format you will find information that will help you choose the shade sail that best suits your needs!You will find characteristics and technical specifications of waterproof and breathable sails, when to choose one fabric rather than another.How to choose the size of a sail, detailed instructions on how to best assemble the sail up to instructions to keep the product in excellent condition., you will receive news on new products, offers and news on the world of shade sails.
Information
Small Arched Open Sky Pergolas
The Small Arched Open Sky Pergola is a popular variation on our best selling Arched Pergola.Its graceful open roof design can be built up to 14 x 12 and it is a popular way to stretch your invested dollar.Re-assembly on site is usually only 4 to 5 hours.Free nationwide shipping.Need assembly help? Let us know.
Need help to choose the correct pergola or pavilion?Click here to download our checklist: From Design to Done.
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Install The Wire Rope On The Eye Screws
Looping the ends of the wire ropes around the screw eyes is a somewhat tricky operation:
The three wire ropes should now be anchored to the support beam at one end of the pergola, with the opposite ends of the wire ropes still hanging free.
What If I Have Received A Damaged Order

Please initiate a return request from your personal center and within 3 business days after receiving your package. Note any visible damages or operationally damaged , take the digital photographs and provide Giantex with proof of the damage in detail as this will assist us in processing your order refund.
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Small Garden Pergola Kit
The smaller brother of our Traditional Garden Pergola, the Small Garden Pergola can be made up to 14 x 12.If you want to stretch your budget and want something you don’t have to replace for 20 years and that is truly environmentally friendly, this surprisingly strong and attractive pergola may be for you.Like all our shade structures, you will have an assigned designer/architect that will prepare detailed drawings of your order to fine tune your pergola to be sure it is exactly as you want before we build.Free nationwide shipping.On site assembly service is available if needed.
Need help to choose the correct pergola or pavilion?Click here to download our checklist: From Design to Done.
Attach The Drawstring To The Canopy End
Cut two pieces of nylon rope, each the length of your pergola plus another 4 feet. Tie each to the end support bar, one at each end. Drape each drawstring over a horizontal support beam at the end of the pergola.
Pulling the drawstrings down will move the pergola canopy horizontally along the wire ropes to extend it. Loop the drawstrings around the cleats to hold them in place. Retracting the canopy will involve removing the drawstrings from around the cleats, and sliding the canopy back to the fixed end by hand.
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How Much Do Deck Roofs And Pergola Covers Cost
Since a regular or traditional pergola does not have any type of cover to protect from sun, rain, or snow it is difficult to compare it to a retractable roof pergola. To be fair, one needs to add the cost of the regular pergola to the cost of a waterproof cover itself and then compare that to an “all in one” retractable roof pergola like out Salerno model for example. Our experience is that the cost of the regular/traditional pergola and a waterproof cover such as our Firenze model is higher than that of an “all in one” unit such as our Salerno model plus the customer needs to work with 2 different vendors as Retractableawnings.com does not provide traditional wood pergolas. For a range of pricing, see each specific model’s web page.
Is It Better To Have A Waterproof Sail Or A Breathable Sail
It depends on the functionality you are looking for.
- Sun protection: all our breathable sails and premium waterproof sails made of Purishade® fabric provide effective protection from the sun by creating a shaded area.
- Rain protection: all waterproof garden sails provide protection from the rain. However, only the Saill and Solaria in Purishade® prevent that cape effect under the sail due to their high degree of breathability.
- Rain and Hail protection: If you are looking for protection from both rain and hail, breathable sails are more resistant, because hail bounces off the fabric without damaging it, while rain passes through the fabric, which then dries quickly. Purishade® fabric is also very durable and is excellent for protecting against rain.
- Sun, Rain, Wind and Hail protection: we recommend the Purishade® fabric of the waterproof Saill and Solaria.
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Retractable Roof And Pergola Systems
Create the perfect dining or entertaining area at your home or place of business with retractable shade coverings that enable you to enjoy the outdoors any time of the year. In Melbourne, where you can experience every extreme of weather on any given day, outdoor entertaining and dining isnt always easy. But with Retractable Pergola Systems Victorias quality range of retractable shade awnings and pergola awnings, youll have the protection you need to withstand any weather conditions rain, hail or shine!
Were proud to be a distributor of a quality range of retractable roof systems and solutions for patio weather protection. Each retractable roof pergola system is handmade with precision engineering, giving it absolute sustainability for commercial applications.