Fostering natural outdoor spaces that can double as living areas encourages spending more time outside and expands the usable areas of the home. Homeowners may have grand visions for designing outdoor spaces, but making them all work together can be quite a feat. Understanding the current trends in deck, pergola and fence design can help you construct a space that incorporates all the necessary elements to give clients the backyard of their dreams.
Simpson Strong-Tie dealer sales rep John Ross has gained recognition for his innovative DIY pergola bench that blends style with utility. Crafted using our black powder-coated Outdoor Accents® hardware, this bench offers a perfect fusion of function and fun. Discover how you can easily DIY this versatile bench for your own backyard today.
Henry Ryals, owner and founder of Ryals Design Build, LLC, used our concealed connectors to construct a pergola, offering his clients an ideal outdoor space. The connectors delivered a traditional look while minimizing exposed fasteners. Explore the use of concealed beam hangers and unravel the details of the project’s successful outcome.
Lounge away in a covered daybed swing built with our Outdoor Accents® decorative hardware. This project was carried out in partnership with DIYer Dena of Fletcher Creek Cottage. Her new daybed is an ideal spot for reading, napping or simply savoring the pleasant weather. This outdoor structure offers year-round enjoyment and is the perfect addition to her homestead. Learn more about the details behind Dena's build and the elements that went into bringing it to life, from the lumber and hardware choices to the step-by-step process.
Kurt Krasavage, owner of Residential Imagineering, LLC, constructed a cantilevered swing in his backyard using Simpson Strong-Tie hardware. Inspired by a bar in Mexico with an attached swing-set, Kurt and lead builder Shawn Bealla created an exceptional outdoor entertainment center that became a popular gathering spot. Learn about his project and get inspired for your own creative backyard DIY.
Popular DIYer Jen Woodhouse of The House of Wood is back again to build another amazing pergola, this time using Outdoor Accents Mission Collection decorative hardware. This collection gives a touch of southwestern flair to your outdoor structure with the arched mission-style profile of post bases, straps and angles. Learn more below about her build and her experience using our hardware.
As an avowed environmentalist and minimalist, Simpson Strong-Tie marketing copywriter Sean Krainert was excited to have the opportunity recently to visit in Oakland, California, where he met with owner and lead designer Pilar Zuniga. Built on a foundation of making beautiful things while factoring the health of the environment and community into every decision, her green business has flourished into a beacon for sustainable floral design.
It started with a simple question: How can we bring our commitment to building safe, strong structures to the our customers’ outdoor spaces? From that idea our Outdoor Accents® decorative hardware solution was born.
Boy Scout Porter Shively shares a pergola he built for his community to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. He built this project using Simpson Strong-Tie® Pergola Planner Software™.
Lumber prices are continuing to return to Earth, making it possible to start dreaming once again about backyard projects. It’s the perfect time to take our new, easy-to-use Pergola Planner Software™ for a spin. Pergola Planner Software enables contractors or homeowners to design the perfect pergola in just a few minutes. Earlier this year we asked homeowners who might be considering a new backyard pergola to try out the software and send in their pergola designs.
This past summer, my parents and I were talking about some of the latest home improvement projects that they had going on, and the topic of providing more shade for their backyard patio came up. For the last couple of years, they’d been looking into different ideas of what to do with this space, including sketching out on notebook paper layouts and particulars that would be nice to have. They’d tried portable patio umbrellas and various other ways to shade this area and had come to a decision that it was time to add a permanent structure that would serve
Free pergola plans by Simpson Strong-Tie will help beautify your backyard while providing your family and guests with shade to relax in. These pergola designs were developed by Simpson Strong-Tie engineers, so you can be confident that not only will they look great but they’ll be safe, strong structures. We’ve set out to create a diverse selection of architectural styles to make it easier for you to find the structure that best enhances your outdoor space.
When we started planning a high-quality video for our new Outdoor Accents® Avant Collection™ of decorative hardware, we knew we wanted a well-known and talented social media Influencer to help us show off the versatility of this new line. Our marketing team’s first choice was DIYer and brand ambassador Jen Woodhouse.
This summer we asked you to participate in our second annual “Give Us Your Best Shot” contest. If you were building a project with our Outdoor Accents® line of decorative hardware, we wanted to see it. More than 40 customers sent in photos of pergolas, hammocks, arbors and other outdoor living projects. Of those projects we had the enjoyable challenge of selecting two winners, one for a large project and one for a smaller project.
Have you built a pergola or backyard furniture using Simpson Strong-Tie® Outdoor Accents® decorative hardware? If so, this message is for you. We’re excited to announce the Outdoor Accents photo contest. If your project used any Outdoor Accents products, you’re encouraged to put your best photo forward.
It was a muggy Tuesday morning, and thousands of people from all over the world were heading toward the long bank of doors to the Orlando Convention Center. The broad stream of people was just one of the signs that the International Builders’ Show® was underway.
This week’s post was written by Jen Woodhouse from The House of Wood.
Building a custom pergola, gazebo or patio cover is one of the best ways to enhance an outdoor living space. Beginning your project with a few simple construction tips in mind — and the right hardware on hand — can go a long way toward making your job easier, and toward creating a pergola that’s both structurally sound and stylish. Here are four tips on how to build your perfect pergola or other backyard structure.
