Anchor an arbor

[grahamw01]

I've brought one of these pergolas, the 2.4 x 3.6 one

Sculpted Wooden Garden Pergola Kit - Large Range of Sizes

Please note that the advertised size is the length of the top rafters, the first dimension is for six runners on top and the second dimension is for two main beams. To calculate the footprint between the inner edges of the uprights you need to take 1m off the longest dimension and 86cm from the...

arborgardensolutions.co.uk

but not sure of best way to anchor it. The area it's going to is covered by paving slabs, they look like they're about 500mm deep. Can I anchor it to those?

The pergola posts are heavy, but with the beams etc I'm thinking it might be a bit top heavy to be left free standing, esp with the high winds at winter?

Any advice welcomed

Thanks,
Graham

 

[Burnerman]

For sure, you need to fix it down with something....how about:

EasyGrip Post Shoe 100 x 100mm | Toolstation

Boltless design which secures timber posts in a wedge type grip without additional fixings. Powder coated for protection.

www.toolstation.com

It seems unlikely, in this case, to fix the pegs down into concrete?
John

 

[grahamw01]

those things any good? there's not going to be a roof as such but I wanted to grow a natural canopy out of climbers so worried about the strong winds?
Was hoping to not have to concrete

 

[grahamw01]

also the beams are 90x90

 

[Burnerman]

The various sheds have a few designs of these bolt downs.....some galvanised, some not.
If you cant get your exact size, the legs can be packed out with 10mm timber slips to make up the difference. For sure, if you lived up here then the winds would have the structure over - at least until the creeper had anchored it!
You'll need a decent SDS drill of course to insert the anchors into the flags.
John

 

[grahamw01]

will the creeper add much anchor? Hadn't thought about that tbh.
Does it matter how deep the flags are? I think they're just lying on dirt/top soil. They aren't decorative by any means.

it's going to be positioned in the corner in the attached pic

 

[grahamw01]

I can't attach the posts to anything because of how far the beams pertrude from the posts if you get what I mean

 

[grahamw01]

another option would be to hack the one end and attach to that out building and just have 2 posts?

 

[Burnerman]

They look pretty substantial flags, looking at the size of them - but of course we don't know how thick they are.
Either way, you'll get a good enough fixing with rawlbolts or whatever and the structure can be modified at will with extra timber if you like.
As the creeper matures it will certainly help to lock the thing in place, but ensure you can check for rot etc at the base and wherever the timber has joints..
Why not pop the structure into place, see how it looks and decide from there?
Good luck with your project! If you have trouble with rawlbolts then resin fixings are a good alternative.
John

 

[grahamw01]

I've just lifted one, they're 50mm as I thought

 

[grahamw01]

so I'd need 75mm rawlbots (not sure they do smaller lens?) with the same width as the holes in those post shoes?

 

[grahamw01]

https://www.screwfix.com/p/rawlplug-rawlbolts-m8-x-65mm-5-pack/62313 they do 65mm

 

[grahamw01]

what's the diff between these types

Easyfix Shield Anchor Bolt Type M8 x 60mm 5 Pack

Order online at Screwfix.com. Use in brick, block, concrete and stone. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 5 minutes.

www.screwfix.com

 

[Burnerman]

Personally I'd go for 10 or 12mm bolts, but either way, do a test drill somewhere and see how you go with them. All of these types work on the same expanding sleeve principle, and need a clean drilled hole to work easily.
John

 

[grahamw01]

10 or 12mm? doesn't it need to go deeper into the slab?