I recently bought a Toja pergola kit, hoping it would be a straightforward project. I went with the 6x6 kit, but I miscalculated a few things. The pressure-treated wood isn't true dimension lumber, plus I noticed some splintering at the ends, which makes it difficult to fit into the brackets. I should have tested one piece first, but I assumed they'd slide in easily. Now, I have some stained and waterproofed wood that just won't fit! I need to cut about 1/2" off to get it into the 9" deep brackets. What's the best way to remove this amount from 16 ends? I was thinking about using a plunge router to take off 1/4" from all sides. Any suggestions? My wife wants her garage parking spot back! Thanks in advance!
1 Answer
Hey, don’t beat yourself up! It happens to the best of us. Maybe share some photos to get better advice? I assume your brackets are the standard 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" instead of the full 6". If they are U-shaped with screw holes, you could consider modifying the brackets by cutting them down and anchoring them separately – that might be easier than altering the beams. By the way, did the wood come with the kit? I think I only see hardware on the site.
Here's a link to the site for more info: https://tojaliving.ca/products/any-size-pergola-kit?variant=43984349462585. It’s advertised as a 6x6, but the inside dimensions are actually 5-1/2"!
Check out this image I found: https://imgur.com/a/DoMnnmM. It might help visualize the problem!