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Installation Instructions 

4F-QH 

Applies to both 2x6 and 2x8 headers styles. 

4x4 Floating Quad Header Raftered Pergola Kit 

Pergola Kits 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 

WARNING:

 If the information in these instructions is not followed exactly, weakening or failure of the erected 

structure may result causing property damage, personal injury, or loss of life. 

All brackets designed and sold by RioOutdoors.com are to be used for building pergolas only and are not to be used for 

other structure construction purposes. 

Figure 1: Items included in the kit, ( 

𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷

𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝑄𝑄

)

Items not included in this kit: wood, tools, some hardware. 

 

 

Thoughtfully engineered 

Brackets eliminate all wood-

joinery skills requirements.

 

 

Skills required: leveling 

ground, drilling pilot 

holes, and driving lag 

screws into lumber.

 

 

Easy lift and place U-

channels eliminate 

need for lifting 

equipment. Super-easy 

assembly work.

 

 

Self-aligning design 

squares up structure 

automatically.

 

 

Estimated Assembly 

Time is less than 2-

hours (not including 

deck). 

 

Summary of Contents for 4F-QH

Page 1: ... building pergolas only and are not to be used for other structure construction purposes Figure 1 Items included in the kit 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄 Items not included in this kit wood tools some hardware Thoughtfully engineered Brackets eliminate all wood joinery skills requirements Skills required leveling ground drilling pilot holes and driving lag screws into lumber Easy lift an...

Page 2: ... 34 2 4 HOW TO OBTAIN WARRANTY SERVICE 34 Proper pilot hole diameter and hole depth for various lag screws and wood types Lag Screw Type Wood Type Pilot hole drill diameter and hole depth X 1 1 4 Lag Screw McMasterCarr com SKU 92351A546 Soft Wood 3 32 drill bit diam 1 1 4 depth Hard Wood 3 16 drill bit diam 1 1 4 depth 3 8 X 3 Lag Screw McMasterCarr com SKU 92351A636 Soft Wood 11 64 drill bit diam...

Page 3: ...n approvals from the local building inspection department or the local authority over building codes 1 1 2 Other Cautions CAUTION Adhere to all safety requirements Wear safety glasses goggles when working Wear safety gloves when handling brackets hardware and lumber Wear hearing protection when using a circular saw miter saw table saw or hammer drill INSTALLER Leave this manual with the consumer C...

Page 4: ...ypes 7 16 Hex Socket Drive X 1 1 4 Hex Hd lag screws All pergola types 9 16 Hex Socket Drive 3 8 X 3 Hex Hd lag screws Raftered pergola single dual quad headers 3 32 Drill Bit Drill pilot holes for lag screws in soft wood All pergola types 11 64 Drill Bit Drill pilot holes for 3 8 lag screws in soft wood Raftered pergola single dual quad headers X 4 Masonry Drill Bit Drill X 2 deep holes in concre...

Page 5: ...s com Include your name and shipping address and your order number if available We will respond within 24 hours with a resolution to your problem Item SKU Description Item Qty Item Image Post Top Quad Header Bracket SKU 4QH6 for 2x6 Headers SKU 4QH for 2x8 Headers 4 4x4 Post Top Floor 2 way Elbow Bracket SKU 4C2L 4 Rafter Tie Bracket SKU 68RT 18 x 1 1 4 SS Lag Screw McMasterCarr com SKU 92351A546 ...

Page 6: ...T YOU WILL SUPPLY OR ARE RECOMMENDED This is the list of required materials which are not included in this kit You will acquire these items locally for your project Use this table to help you calculate your total project budget Item Description Item Qty Item Cost Total Item Cost Item Image 4x4 Post Lumber You determine length 4 4x4 Floor Floating Lumber You determine length 8 2x6 or 2x8 Header Lum...

Page 7: ...g employing 2 way elbow brackets to secure the posts to the floating floor 4x4s You may choose to create a wooden deck within the pergola walls To do so you must add 2x4 beams every 24 to support the deck boards You may toenail the 2x4 beams in place or choose an easier and more precise mounting method using our 2x4 Beam Support Brackets SKU 24BS available at RioOutdoors com ...

Page 8: ...latform 2 Spray Roundup weed killer herbicide on the excavated area to prevent weed growth inside your pergola area 3 Lay thick weed control fabric over the entire pegola platform Overlap the fabric at least 6 inches where they join Use U shaped lanscaping fabric nails to anchor the fabric to the ground Alternatively you can excavate deeper about 3 inches lay the weed control fabric at the bottom ...

Page 9: ...ola system Post Height Above Ground Dim A 2x6 Header Dim B 2x8 Headers Dm B 96 96 87 1 8 85 3 8 108 108 99 1 8 97 3 8 120 120 111 1 8 109 3 8 132 132 123 1 8 121 3 8 144 144 135 1 8 133 3 8 Dim A above is the height of the post used Dim B is the inner ceiling height of the pergola Dim B is measured to the bottom surface of the header member ...

Page 10: ... All you have to do is determine the size you desire for the length and width of your pergola We recommend a maximum header length of 12 feet for 2x6 headers and 16 feet for 2x8 headers The recommended rafter lengths are 12 feet for 2x6 rafters and 16 feet for 2x8 rafters We further recommend that you allow for 18 of overhang beyond the posts on each side for the headers and 18 overhang beyond the...

Page 11: ...annels in the 2 way elbow bracket over the 4x4s 2 Place two shims under each 4x4 near the 2 way elbow 3 Push 2 way elbow bracket downward until the horizontal part of the U channels touch the 4x4 top surfaces 4 Slide 4x4s all the way in towards the center square tube in the 2 way elbow bracket ...

Page 12: ...pth indicator when you drill each pilot hole Pilot holes should be drilled at least 1 1 4 deep A little bit deeper is acceptable but do not drill less than the required 1 1 4 depth 6 Drill 3 32 X 1 1 4 pilot holes through the lower holes in the U channel s sides Only use the lower holes to anchor the floor 4x4s to the U channels ...

Page 13: ...ls 9 Repeat Steps 5 to 9 for the other three corners 10 Remove all shims from under the 4x4s 11 Tap top of 4x4s with a hammer to settle the 4x4s into the ground fabric 12 Using a 4 foot framing Level check top surfaces of all 4x4s to see if they are level Use shims as you see necessary to level all four 4x4s that are sitting on the ground ...

Page 14: ...inner faces of the 2 way elbow s vertical tube Drill 3 32 X 1 1 4 pilot holes in the center of all four 5 16 holes 3 Drive one 1 4x1 1 4 SS lag screw through each pilot hole you drilled and tighten down using a ratchet and 7 16 socket Repeat steps 1 to 3 at all corners Check top of floor 4x4 for level on more time and adjust as necessary to maintain level ...

Page 15: ...the headers receiver u channels in the proper direction Let gravity work and pull the bracket all the way down on top of the post Tap down on the top lightly if you feel any resistance Note The Quad Header Brackets will be secured to the posts after you complete driving the 3 8 X 3 Lag Screws through the lower headers and into the posts ...

Page 16: ...sign shape that you plan to cut yourself or you plan to outsource the design cutting You may have your own design that you wish to apply to the rafter tails The possibilities for rafter tail designs are endless However even a minor change in detail can add a dramatic flair to your pergola design Be creative 1 11 2 Rafter Tie Brackets Installation For a quad header pergola rafter ties are required ...

Page 17: ... the header Mark a line at the center point on both header top surfaces 4 Measure outward 16 inches incrementally and mark a line at each 16 point out from center on both headers until you reach the end of the headers on each side 5 Separate the two headers by removing the clamp 6 Starting with the outer header place one rafter tie bracket on top of the center most pencil mark on the outer header ...

Page 18: ...il mark points 8 On the inner header place a rafter tie at the first pencil mark on each side of the center most pencil mark Then skip every other pencil mark and place rafter ties on alternating pencil mark as shown in the image below SKIP EVERY OTHER PENCIL LINE MARK PLACE RAFTER TIES ON THE INNER HEADER PLACE RAFTER TIES SKIP EVERY OTHER PENCIL LINE MARK ON THE OUTER HEADER ...

Page 19: ...r of the 5 16 holes in the Rafter Tie brackets One 5 16 hole exists on each side of the Rafter 10 Using a 7 16 Socket and Ratchet Driver drive a x 1 1 4 Lag Screw through the one hole on each side of the Rafter to secure the rafter tie to the header ...

Page 20: ...20 P a g e 11 Repeat steps 9 and 10 for all rafter ties on both headers Also assemble two headers for the other side of the pergola using the same instructions OUTER HEADER INNER HEADER ...

Page 21: ...er into the Lower U Channel 2 Center the header between the two posts by measuring the overhangs and moving the header until the overhang lengths on both sides are equal 3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the remaining three lower headers Your pergola should appear as shown below now ...

Page 22: ...ls There are 2 such faces in each quad header bracket Drill 3 32 x 1 1 4 pilot holes in the center of the 5 16 holes 5 Drive X 1 1 4 Lag Screws through the pilot holes you drilled using a 7 16 socket and ratchet driver 6 Repeate steps 4 and 5 for the inner header and all post tops ...

Page 23: ...23 P a g e 7 Identify the 7 16 holes in the face of the lower U channels There are 2 such faces in each quad header bracket ...

Page 24: ...e drilling the pilot hole the tape will indicate when you have reached the required depth 9 Drill 11 64 X 3 deep pilot holes at the center of the two 7 16 holes through the header and into the 6x6 post Locate pilot holes at the center of each 5 16 hole 10 Drill similar pilot holes through the 7 16 holes in all four quad header brackets lower U channel faces ...

Page 25: ... g e 11 Using a 9 16 socket and ratchet driver drive a 3 8 X 3 SS Lag Screw through the U channel face holes into the pilot holes you drilled Tighten the screw 12 Repeat step 11 for all lower U channel holes ...

Page 26: ... top of the lower headers Center the header between the two posts Repeat this step for the outer header for the opposite side of the pergola 2 Locate two 7 16 holes in the upper U channel face of the quad header bracket Drill 11 64 X 3 deep pilot holes at the center of the 7 16 holes through the header and into the 4x4 post ...

Page 27: ...illed in step 2 using a 9 16 Socket and Rachet driver Tighten down each screw 4 Repeat steps 2 3 for all other quad header brackets outer U channel faces 5 Lift and place the inner header into the upper inner U channels Center the header by aligning with the adjacent upper outer header INNER HEADER ...

Page 28: ...3 deep holes at the center of the 7 16 holes 7 Drive one 3 8 x 3 SS Hex Lag Screw through each 7 16 hole into the pilot holes you drilled in step 6 using a 9 16 Socket and Rachet driver Tighten down each screw 8 Repeat steps 6 7 for all inner U channel faces on all quad header brackets ...

Page 29: ...deck boards Using a pencil or marker mark the center locations of each beam on the inside face of the floating 4x4s to which you will attach the beams Repeat the same on the opposite sided floating 4x4 2 Attached 2x4 Beam Support Brackets to inner walls of floating 4x4s using 6X1 SS wood screws 3 Repeat step 2 for opposite side 4 Place one 2x4 of appropriate length to span between the two floating...

Page 30: ...4 Beam Support Brackets are required 1 15 INSTALLING DECK BOARDS 1 Plan and lay down your deck boards starting in the center of the pergola Work outward from the center in both directions Use the thick end of a wood shim as a spacer to leave an 1 8 1 4 gap between each board row to allow for expansion ...

Page 31: ...rtical post corners create notches in the deck board ends to fit around the corner post bracket and the gussets The gussets are 1 8 thick Make a cut the width of a carbide tipped circular saw blade to create a clearance slot for the corner ...

Page 32: ...Let us know how the construction project went for you Was it easy to do Did parts fit easily and properly Do you like the quality of our products and design styles Is your pergola structure sturdy and strong Please go to RioOutdoors com and provide us with your review Thank you for being a RioOutdoors com customer ...

Page 33: ...or evaluation Incomplete claims may be rejected All pergola brackets must be installed according to all manufacturers instructions as per the installation instruction manual by a RioOutdoors com All Local and National required codes must be met Repair replacement parts purchased by the consumer from RioOutdoors com after the original coverage has expired will carry a 90 day warranty valid with a r...

Page 34: ...R ANY INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL COMMERCIAL DAMAGES OR DAMAGES TO PROPERTY TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW RioOutdoors com MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES OTHER THAN THE WARRANTY SPECIFIED HEREIN THE DURATION OF ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY IS LIMITED TO DURATION OF THE EXPRESSED WARRANTY SPECIFIED ABOVE IF IMPLIED WARRANTIES CANNOT BE DISCLAIMED THEN SUCH WARRANTIES ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE ...

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