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Pergolas That Attach to House

A pergola that attaches to the house creates a permanent shaded extension of your indoor living space — directly over your patio or deck. Our attached pergolas are built with aluminum-reinforced frames and maintenance-free extruded vinyl, available in traditional and modern styles with slatted roofs for shade or solid polycarbonate roofs for full rain protection. Choose your size, style, shade coverage, and color to configure the right structure for your home.  [read more]

What Is a Pergola That Attaches to the House?

An attached pergola is a permanent outdoor shade structure that mounts directly to the exterior wall of a home or other structure. Unlike a freestanding pergola, it uses the wall as one side of its support system, reducing the number of posts required and creating a seamless connection between indoors and outdoors.

How an Attached Pergola Differs from a Freestanding Pergola

A pergola that attaches to the house requires only two or three posts along the outer edge, because the home's wall serves as the fourth side. A freestanding pergola requires posts on all four corners and stands independently anywhere in a yard. Attached layouts are typically better for patios and decks directly adjacent to the home, while freestanding layouts suit backyard destinations set away from the structure.

What a Ledger Board Does

The ledger board is the horizontal member that fastens to the home's exterior wall, anchoring the pergola in place. It transfers load from the roof structure into the wall and creates the attachment point for the rafters. All of our attached pergolas include a ledger board as part of the kit.

Attached Pergola vs. Patio Cover: Key Distinction

Both can attach to the house, but they serve different purposes. A pergola with a slatted roof provides filtered shade — it is not rainproof. A rainproof patio cover uses a solid polycarbonate roof and keeps the space dry during rain. If weather protection matters as much as shade, a patio cover is worth considering alongside a traditional pergola.

How a Pergola Attaches to the House

The attachment process is straightforward but requires proper preparation to ensure the structure is secure and level. Our attached pergola kits are designed to be DIY-friendly while still meeting the structural requirements of a permanent installation.

Wall Attachment and Ledger Board Installation

The ledger board fastens to the home's exterior wall using lag screws driven into the structural framing behind the siding. Proper fastener placement and wall material compatibility are the most important factors in a secure installation. Our assembly guides walk through the process for common wall types including wood-framed siding, stucco, and similar exterior finishes.

Post Placement and Foundation Prep

The outer posts are set into the ground or mounted to an existing surface such as a concrete patio or deck. Post footings or surface mount hardware are typically required depending on the installation surface. Traditional attached pergolas allow posts to be placed in the corners or inset up to 36 inches, giving more flexibility around existing patio layouts. Modern attached pergolas place posts in the corners for a clean rectangular footprint.

DIY Installation vs. Contractor Installation

Our attached pergola kits are designed for homeowner installation and include all structural components, hardware, and detailed instructions. Many customers complete installation without professional help. For those who prefer to hire out the labor, any general contractor familiar with outdoor structures can work from our assembly documentation. Visit our assembly information page for guides and installation videos.

Attached Pergola Styles: Traditional vs. Modern

Our pergolas that attach to the house are available in two design styles — traditional and modern. Both use the same aluminum-reinforced frame construction and extruded vinyl exterior, but they differ significantly in visual profile and customization options.

Traditional Attached Pergolas

Traditional attached pergolas feature beam and rafter overhangs, decorative end cap options, and post trim rings that give the structure a more classic architectural appearance. Overhangs can be set anywhere from flush to 36 inches, allowing flexibility in how pronounced the look is. Post styles range from 5-inch square to 10-inch round, and end caps are available in scrolled, beveled, or flat profiles.

Modern Attached Pergolas

Modern attached pergolas use flush square corners with no beam or rafter overhangs and no decorative end caps. Posts are always placed in the corners, creating a clean, rectilinear profile that suits contemporary home exteriors. Post options are 7-inch square (or 8-inch square for black), with or without a lower trim ring.

Which Style Works Better for Your Home

Traditional styles tend to complement craftsman, colonial, farmhouse, and other classic home architectures. Modern styles work well with mid-century, contemporary, and minimalist exteriors. Either can be finished in white, tan, or black vinyl — white is the most affordable option and black is the most expensive across both styles.

Size Ranges by Style

Traditional attached pergolas are available from 8 to 44 feet along the wall and 8 to 44 feet out from the structure, depending on post configuration. Modern attached pergolas range from 8 to 32 feet in either direction. For help finding the right size, our shop by dimensions page lets you filter by width and depth.

Shade and Roof Options for Attached Pergolas

The amount of shade an attached pergola provides depends on the roof type and, for slatted pergolas, the spacing of the shade purlins. Our attached pergola lineup covers two distinct roof approaches: open slatted roofs for filtered shade and solid polycarbonate roofs for full rain protection.

Slatted Roof Pergolas: 50%, 75%, and 90% Shade Coverage

Traditional and modern attached pergolas use fixed angled roof slats — also called shade purlins — that can be spaced to yield 50%, 75%, or 90% shade coverage. The 50% option allows more light through and suits spaces where some sun is desirable. The 75% option balances shade and filtered light for most patio uses. The 90% option provides the densest shade available in our slatted systems and is well suited for patios with heavy direct sun exposure. Browse our full selection of pergolas with slatted roofs.

Solid Roof Patio Covers for Rain Protection

If keeping rain out matters as much as blocking sun, an attached patio cover with a solid polycarbonate roof is the right choice. These structures attach to the house the same way as slatted pergolas but use an opaque roof panel that blocks rain entirely. Roof panels are available in white or bronze, and both options provide 100% UV protection while reducing patio temperature by up to 15 degrees.

Slatted Pergola vs. Patio Cover: Which to Choose

A slatted attached pergola is the better fit when filtered light and an open-air feel are priorities. A patio cover is better when the goal is to use the outdoor space year-round regardless of weather. Climate, sun exposure, and how the space will be used on rainy days are the most useful factors to weigh when choosing between the two.

Attached Pergola vs. Freestanding Pergola

Both layout options serve as permanent shade structures, but they function differently and suit different outdoor setups. Understanding the difference helps clarify which configuration is the right fit for a specific space.

Structural and Installation Differences

An attached pergola mounts to the home and requires fewer posts — typically two or three — along the outer edge. A freestanding pergola requires posts on all sides and is entirely self-supporting. This makes freestanding pergolas more flexible in placement but also means they require more post footings and a fully independent foundation.

Which Works Better for Patios Next to the House

For patios and decks directly adjacent to the home, an attached layout typically makes more sense. It provides shade directly off the back of the house, creates a visual connection between the structure and the exterior, and requires fewer posts in the usable patio space. A freestanding layout is better suited for backyard zones, poolside areas, or any space that is not directly connected to the home.

Post Placement and Patio Flow

Post placement affects how furniture arranges and how people move through the space. Traditional attached pergolas allow posts to be inset up to 36 inches from the corners, which can help preserve walkways and furniture clearance on smaller patios. Modern attached pergolas place posts strictly in the corners. Freestanding pergolas also offer corner and inset post options depending on the style.

How to Choose the Right Attached Pergola for Your Home

Selecting the right pergola that attaches to the house comes down to five main decisions: size, style, shade coverage, color, and whether to add a solid roof. Working through each in order keeps the selection process focused.

Start with Size

Measure the width of your patio along the house and the depth you want to cover going out from the wall. Allow clearance for post placement, furniture, and walkways. Traditional attached pergolas support widths up to 44 feet and depths up to 44 feet depending on post count. Modern attached pergolas support up to 32 feet in either direction. Larger configurations require additional posts to maintain structural integrity.

Choose a Style Based on Your Home's Architecture

Traditional pergolas suit classic home styles and offer more decorative options including overhangs, end caps, and varied post profiles. Modern pergolas suit contemporary exteriors and offer a cleaner, more minimal look. Both are equally durable — the choice is primarily visual.

Select Shade Coverage or Upgrade to a Solid Roof

If shade is the primary goal, choose slatted roof coverage at 50%, 75%, or 90% depending on sun exposure and personal preference. If keeping the space dry is also a priority, consider upgrading to an attached patio cover with a solid polycarbonate roof instead. Both options are available in the same vinyl colors and with similar size ranges.

Consider Color, Post Style, and Add-Ons

Vinyl color options are white, tan, and black across all styles — white is the most affordable and black is the most expensive. Post style and trim ring options vary by pergola type. Optional add-ons include fan mounts for ceiling fans and hurricane brackets for areas that experience winds of 80 MPH or higher. Adding hurricane brackets to a traditional pergola or patio cover also includes a lifetime wind damage warranty. All pergolas carry a lifetime warranty on the structure; patio covers carry an additional 10-year warranty on the roof panels.

Factor in Long-Term Value, Not Just Upfront Cost

Our attached pergolas are permanent structures built in the USA with heavy-duty aluminum frames and thick extruded vinyl that does not require painting, staining, or refinishing. The upfront cost is higher than lightweight import structures, but the structure is designed to last the life of the home with virtually no ongoing maintenance. For homeowners comparing vinyl pergolas to wood alternatives, the reduction in long-term maintenance cost is a meaningful factor.