How to Build a Steel Pergola

Cut the square tubes using the angle grinder. Wear protective goggles to avoid debris flying into your eyes. Cut four 10-foot-long pieces, two 8-foot-long pieces and four 6-foot-long pieces.

Sand the metal tubes, using the 100-grit sandpaper and the sander, to remove any rust and dust.

Weld two pieces of 10-foot-long metal tubes together with one 8-foot-long metal bar. Get a big "C" shape with the 10-foot-long metal tubes comprising the legs of the pergola. Make two of these frames.

Dig four holes in the ground, each 2 feet deep, using the shovel and spade. Dig the first two holes 10 feet apart. Dig the third and fourth holes 4 feet to the north or the south of the first two holes. The holes must be equidistant from each other, forming a rectangle. You will put the legs of the pergola inside them.

Mix the concrete mixture with the water and pour it into the holes. Place the two C-frames inside the concrete. They must be leveled so that the top beams are perfectly horizontal and parallel. Wait one day for the concrete to dry.

Climb up the ladder and place the 6-foot-long metal tubes over the top beams, each 2 feet from each other. Let 1 foot from the metal bars hang over each side of the C-frames. Weld the 6-foot-long metal tubes onto the C-frames.

Brush the pergola with a wire brush. Paint it a color of your choice. Use a face mask when painting.