Elevate Your Outdoor Space: Embrace the Charm of Curved Cedar Rafter Pergolas

Build your own Curved Rafter Cedar Pergola. This pergola design incorporates curved sawn rafters made of Western Red Cedar.  Plans available for download in PDF Format.

See the How to Video.

For this blog post I’d like to go back and revisit a curved pergola I built with my friend Doug a few years ago. As far as pergola designs go I think this one is unique.


the Pergola Design

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The Sketchup Model

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Pergola sits on lid of cistern
Concrete Cistern lid

The pergola is made from rough sawn Western Red Cedar and sits on the lid of an underground 2800 gallon concrete cistern. The homeowners collect rainwater in the cistern for use on their gardens in the summer months.

Overall Pergola Dimensions

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Overall size of pergola

The six posts are spaced 8′ apart across the front, and about 6’6″ on the sides.

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Overall height of pergola

The overall height of the curved pergola is 9’5″ with a head clearance of 7’3″.

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Max head clearance

The posts are 6×6 and, in this particular installation, simply are held in place by weight and galvanized alignment rods that are set in shallow holes in the concrete lid and up into the bottom of each post.

Post attachments

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Pergola sits on lid with alignment pins

Alternatively the posts could be attached to concrete footings with galvanized saddles.

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Alternative footings for pergola

Two 6×6 beams are bolted to the posts and run North to South.

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Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Curved pergola beams

Fourteen curved rafters are attached to a 6×6 beam and a 2 by 9-1/2″ ridge beam.

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Curved pergola rafters

Along the sides of the pergola are 8 curved corner braces.

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Curved side braces

There are 6 slightly larger curved braces that stiffen the structure side to side and add support to the rafters.

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Slightly larger curved braces for from view

Topping the structure are three 2×4 louvers.

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Simple cedar louvers add shade

The number and spacing of the louvers can be changed to increase the shade under the pergola.

The Pergola Design – Making the POSTS

The posts, and all other parts, true full dimension.

Construction of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
True 6″ x 6″ posts and beams

The posts are 6″ x 6″ and cut to length with a circular saw.

Construction of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Using a circular saw to cut beams

For this video I have enough lumber around from other projects to show the steps to make each part of the curved pergola

Construction of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Hand saw to finish the cut

I draw a pencil line around the post with a speed square. If the post is square and true then the lines will meet.
I make 4 cuts with a circular saw. Rotating the post a quarter turn each time. Then finish the cut with a hand saw.
They are then chamfered using a power plane. A sanding disc on an angle grinder will work for this as well.

Alignment Rod

Construction of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Drill guide used for galvanized alignment rod hole

A hole is drilled in the center of the bottom of each post for the galvanized rod.

Construction of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Post ready to be installed

This rod will keep the post in position. I use a drill guide for this to ensure the hole is square to the end of the post.
If you want to see how to lay out the post locations for pouring concrete footings have a look at my previous pergola video.
A shingle is added between the concrete and post as a moisture barrier.

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Shingle used as moisture barrier between bottom of post and concrete cistern lid

Stakes are driven in and temporary braces are added as we set each post in place, then plumbed with a spirit level.

Temporary Braces

Animation of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Posts in place held with temporary bracing

The layout and size of this pergola was determined by the size and dimensions of the concrete cistern lid.

Construction of a cedar pergola designed with curved rafters and curved corner braces
Pic of the site during assembly

The lid was found to be square and level so this made everything easier.

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