Checked out a friend's pergola build in Phoenix and the 120 degree heat exposed every mistake
Went over to my buddy's place last weekend to see the pergola he finished back in March. Looked great in photos, but standing under it at noon was brutal. He used pine instead of cedar or metal, and it's already warping. The worst part? He skipped the shade cloth because he wanted it to look open, so the whole thing just cooks you. I didn't say it to his face, but it felt like standing under a heat lamp with extra steps. He spent about $900 on lumber and hardware, and I think he needs to rip it down and start over with aluminum louvers or something. Has anyone else seen a backyard build that looked fine for a few months but failed once real weather showed up? What would you have told him before he poured the concrete?
Man, give the guy a break. Pine in Phoenix is rough, sure, but he built the thing himself for $900 and it stood through spring. Ripping it all down for aluminum louvers would cost him five times that, and plenty of folks just add a shade sail or a vine and call it good.