Historical Pergolas Pt. 2

Doug Abernathy was a trim carpenter, and these are a few more shots from the home he lived in for many years. Covered in vines, barely visible, why was I shocked to find this pergola?

We learn from the past, what worked, what didn't... This looks to me like the rafter was steamed into shape. I couldn't find any lamination lines in the rafters. I could be wrong, however, even numerous coats of paint would not hide the seams, and as far as I know, the epoxies we use today just didn't exist back then.

 

Take a look at the notch in the post that secures the lamination. It looks to me like the steamed lamination wanted to spring, so they cut a notch in the post to prevent spreading of the curve... That is a cool technique!

 

Proportionally, the structure is perfect. The detail on the rafters, the overhangs with crisp profiles, this is something a landscape architect may have worked a few days to conjure up, not normally something just cobbled together by a mere carpenter.

The structure is listing due to a splint being attached to a post that was likely broken...the patch actually is causing the structure to lean excessively. Sure, the posts need replacing, but the rest of the structure is solid. This is worth restoring.

The question in my mind is, what did this genius carpenter use for wood, and adhesives to make it last nearly 60 years exposed to the elements.