Check out http://www.sustland.umn.edu/implemen...tructures.html .
However, on cutting the posts level, it says to use a line level. Those
things aren't very accurate. You do better with a straight board with a 4'
level taped to it and better yet, a water level.

Also, a kind word before you get flamed. This is a text only group (no
pics, rich text or html). If you have a pic, post it to
alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking or alt.binaries.pictures.furniture and
post a notice about it here. If one clicks on your post and has a slow
connection, they can't cancel. They have to wait for the download. Also,
instead of a bitmap file, try saving as a jpeg. It is a much smaller file.
In fact, I saved your file as a jpeg and it came out only 12.1 kilobytes
instead of 1.5 megabytes.

Don't worry about this post, I've done it too. Anyway, good luck on the
pergola and keep posting to the "wreck" (rec.woodworking).

Preston


"User2" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have a deck in my backyard which I am going to replace because it was
built
without a weed barrier underneath or anything put in for drainage. It's a
flat deck,
on flat ground. Since I'm going to have to redo it, and hopefully all the
right way
this time, I would like to replace it with, maybe a stone or tile patio (
$$$$ )
which I probably can't afford or, with wood again, but with a pergola to
block
the hot afternoon Texas sun. I want to build it standalone, not attached
to
the
house, but I have a shape of roofline which I'll draw below and how do I
go
about footings? How can I get all the posts the same level etc? I'm a
novice
woodworker and have never built one of these. Any information,sources, and
advice is much appreciated.

HC
Fort Worth,TX


backyard roofline: