Pergola Rafter Tails

There is one plain design and seventeen other pergola rafter tails to choose from, which have curved edges and classy lines! Included are designs for both 6" and 4" deep rafters.

There are 18 pergola rafter tails here to choose from, ready for you to use. All you do is simply place the template onto your rafter end, draw the outline and then cut with a saw. Easy! The templates show how to cut the notches for rafter tails that sit flush with one another.

These modifications mean that you can make significant style changes to your pergola, not only with the different pergola rafter tails, but also in the way that the rafters are fixed together. Choose which style you would like. Mark the rafter tail and notches with your template, and you are ready to go!

They are the bits you can see sticking out of the end of the rafters on the top of the pergola. You can see a curved rafter tail design in the photo below. It’s great to have your own individual style, and the pergola end design templates will help you to achieve a truly individual look for your pergola.

Step 1 – Installing the Posts. The easiest way to build a freestanding pergola is to start with post holes. Use an auger to dig two post holes per row, each hole 8’ apart. The depth of the holes should match regional building codes pertaining to the frost line. In most cases, that means 24” holes with a width of 9”.