The placement of a pergola is just as essential as any other part of the process.
You don’t want a situation where the pergola is a danger to the house or other features in the yard. This does happen when the pergola was installed with a purpose.
You have to go in with a plan to make sure the pergola is going to hold up and is going to stay out of the way too.
This is why you want to ask, how far should a pergola be from the house?
A pergola can be attached to the house. If the pergola is not attached to the house, it should be far enough to maintain clearance both to the side and overhead. Always plan the anchor points and focus on usability when installing a pergola close to the house.
In a tighter yard, it’s common to want to attach the pergola to the house. This keeps things simple and allows for additional anchoring by using the house’s stability to hook the pergola into place.
If you don’t want to do this and it’s better to put the pergola further away from the house, you will need to think about the tips in this guide.
Table of Contents
Tips On How Far Pergola Should Be From The House
1. Consider The Layout
Start with the layout.
You want to know where the pergola is going to be set up and what the condition of the base is. Are you going to be using concrete or will the pergola posts go into the ground?
These are key details.
If you are unsure about the size of the pergola in the yard or how it is going to look, this will make it much harder to know how far away the pergola should be from your house.
Plan these details out to make sure you are using a stable anchor point.
This is how you are going to know the pergola will not let you down and it is going to function as you want it to. If you are taking the time to do this, you will know the pergola is going to be a good part of your setup.
2. Plan The Anchor Points
Are you taking the time to plan the anchor points?
The anchor points are important for the pergola.
Some people like to anchor a pergola using planters while others are going to go for something that is in the ground. It comes down to what you are hoping for with the pergola and what is available to you based on spacing.
Always go for the most robust possible option when it is time to anchor the pergola posts.
This will bode well for how it is going to do if it is close to the house. Even if it is not close to the house, you do want to think about this in greater detail.
3. Consider Usability
You have to focus on usability.
A lot of people will only measure how far away the pergola is from their home but that is not enough. You do want it to be in a position where it will be easy to use.
After all, the pergola is not just a decorative element in your yard. You are going to want to make the most of it too.
This is why a lot of people do think about how usable the solution is and then take a look at their options moving forward.
4. Focus On Attached Or Unattached Pergola
You will also have two factors to account for.
You will need to pinpoint whether or not it is better to go with an attached or unattached pergola.
The attached pergola to the house is going to have to sit right next to the house. This is the only way you are going to get it to hook into place as you need it to.
On the other hand, an unattached pergola is going to be set further away. This gives you more leeway as to how you are going to install the pergola and where it is going to go.
Final Thoughts
How far should the pergola be from the house?
A pergola can be attached to the house. If the pergola is unattached, it should be far enough away to avoid damaging the property and/or other elements in its vicinity. It’s commonly recommended to focus on a level base and make sure the pergola posts are anchored. This will keep the fixture safe along with the property.
If you are doing this, the pergola is going to be stable enough to not be a concern.
It’s easy to overlook this and only focus on the design of a pergola. Don’t do this and make sure you are thinking about the anchor points too.
