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Timber pergola on the lawn of a country restaurant, its posts anchored to the ground with T-Block ground screws.

Anchoring a pergola to the ground, without concrete

To anchor a pergola to the ground, a T-Block® ground screw goes under each post and the foot of the post is fixed onto its head. For a 3×3 m pergola four T4 T-Blocks are usually enough. No footings and no holes: you build straight away, and if one day the pergola moves the T-Blocks unscrew.

4 × T4
for a 3×3 m pergola
No footings
and no holes in the lawn
They unscrew
if the pergola moves

How to anchor a pergola to the ground

Three steps, no digging and no concrete.

  1. Mark the posts

    With a tape measure and a string line, mark the post positions on the ground, as in the pergola drawings.

  2. Drive the T-Blocks

    At each point drill the pilot hole and screw in the T-Block, keeping it vertical, until the head is at the right height.

  3. Fix the posts

    The foot of each post is fixed onto the head of the T-Block. You build straight away, with no concrete to wait for.

Foot of a timber pergola post in a galvanised steel shoe flush with the lawn, above the T-Block ground screw.
The timber post never touches the soil: it bears on galvanised steel.

Lawn, block paving, wall or terrace

What to do depending on where the pergola stands.

On lawn and soil

The T-Block is screwed in under the post and the lawn around it stays as it is. No footing holes to dig.

Through block paving

Open a hole in the paving, screw the T-Block into the soil under the blocks and fix the post. The other blocks stay where they are.

Pergola against a wall

The T-Blocks go under the free-standing posts. The side against the wall is fixed to the wall as the pergola manufacturer specifies.

On a terrace or concrete

The T-Block is screwed into the soil: on a slab or a terrace there is no soil to screw it into, and floor fixings are used there.

Which T-Block and how many

These are the rules of thumb our configurator uses. They give a first estimate; the right number depends on the size, the roof and the soil.

3×3 m pergola

One per post.

Recommended: 4 × T-Block® T4

Larger pergolas

One per post, with posts no more than 4 m apart. Rigid roof or closed side panels: the wind pushes harder.

Recommended: T-Block® T4 and up

Soft soils

In soft clay, silt or peat take the model from the next series. The configurator does it automatically.

Recommended: one series up
Indicative estimate: one of our engineers will confirm it.Ask for a quote
Work out your pergola in the configurator Suitable models

Frequently asked questions

How do you anchor a pergola to the ground without concrete?
A T-Block ground screw goes under each post and the foot of the post is fixed onto its head. No holes and no concrete footings: the pergola goes up as soon as the T-Blocks are in. The anchor also works in tension, so it holds the pergola down when the wind lifts the roof.
How many anchors for a 3×3 m pergola?
For a 3×3 m pergola or gazebo our configurator assumes four T-Blocks from the T4 series, one per post. For larger pergolas there is one support per post, with posts no more than 4 m apart.
What about a bioclimatic pergola or one with a closed roof?
With a rigid roof, or one closed with side panels, the wind pushes harder on the structure. The configurator asks about it and takes it into account when choosing the series; for large structures the choice is made on the project.
Can a pergola be anchored without drilling the floor?
On lawn and soil there is nothing to drill: the T-Block is screwed straight in. Through block paving you open one hole per post. On a terrace or a concrete slab the T-Block is not used, because there is no soil underneath.
Do they work with timber posts?
Yes. The foot of the post is fixed onto the head of the T-Block with its steel bracket or post shoe, and the timber stays off the ground.
Can I install them myself?
Yes. Up to the T6 series T-Blocks are screwed in by hand, with the socket and the T-handle, no machines. Always drill a small pilot hole first to keep the screw straight: it can be skipped only in particularly soft soil.

More answers on service life, soils and permits in the FAQ.

For gazebos see gazebo anchoring; for decks and sheds, garden shed foundations. What they are and how they work: ground screws.

Got a pergola to anchor?

Tell us its size, what kind of roof it has and what ground it stands on: we'll tell you which T-Blocks to use and how many.

Use the configurator Request a quote