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An open wood lattice cover attached to the house: 16 ft wide and 12 ft out from the wall. A ledger on the house and a beam on three posts carry nine rafters at 24 in on center, with 2×2 lattice on top. Every part is below, in the order the steps use it. Nails and screws are not listed.
≈4–6 working days, plus concrete cure time and inspections
This is a typical example, not a design. Footing size, lumber sizes, spacing and every connector come from your approved plans (often a city standard plan) and local code — check them before buying or cutting anything.
An attached patio cover needs a building permit in most Southern California cities. With the approved plans in hand, the post locations get staked out from the house wall and squared up.
≈2–3 hr · 3 posts · 7 ft on center · beam line 11 ft from the wall
Parts: 1 set × Layout stakes & string line
Call 811 (DigAlert) at least two working days before digging, so buried gas, power and water lines get marked.
Each post sits on its own concrete footing. This example uses 18 in square footings, 12 in deep, but the size comes from the plans: it depends on the load each post carries and the soil.
≈½ day, then cure time per the plans · 3 footings · 18 × 18 in, 12 in below grade + 3 in above · ≈8.4 cu ft of concrete
Parts: 3 × Footing, 18 in sq × 12 in deep (size per plans); 16 × Concrete mix, 80 lb bag
The concrete count includes about 10% waste (one 80 lb bag makes about 0.6 cu ft). Large jobs often order ready-mix instead.
A metal post base anchors each post to its footing and holds the end of the post about 1 in above the concrete, so the end grain stays out of standing water.
≈1 hr · 3 bases · 1 per post
Parts: 3 × Post base with 1 in standoff, 6×6
Use the anchor type, fasteners and coating the post-base manufacturer lists for your footing and lumber. Treated wood needs hot-dip galvanized (ZMAX/G185-class) or stainless connectors.
The ledger is a 2×8 along the house wall, the same depth as the rafters. It has to be fastened into the house framing — the studs or the rim the plans show — not just into stucco or siding.
≈3 hr · 16 ft ledger · 12 lags, one per stud, staggered
Parts: 1 × Ledger, 2×8 × 16 ft; 12 × Ledger lag screw with washer (size per plans); 2 × Ledger Z-flashing, 10 ft piece
Standard plans commonly show 3/8 or 1/2 in lag screws into each stud, and metal flashing over the ledger, tucked behind the stucco or weather barrier per the plans’ detail. Follow the detail on your plans for your wall type.
The 6×6 posts go into the bases and get cut to height, so the beam top lands level with the bottom of the ledger.
≈2 hr · 3 posts · ≈7 ft 8 in each, cut from 8 ft stock
Parts: 3 × Post, 6×6 × 8 ft (cut to height)
Measure each post separately: footings are rarely exactly the same height. Keep the temporary braces on until the rafters are in.
A 6×8 beam runs the full 16 ft across the three posts, with 1 ft past the end posts. A metal post cap ties the beam to the top of each post.
≈2 hr · 1 beam · 3 caps · 7 ft between posts
Parts: 1 × Beam, 6×8 × 16 ft; 3 × Post cap, 6×6 post to 6× beam
Set any crown (bow) in the beam facing up. The beam size and post spacing come from the plans’ span table — a longer span needs a deeper beam or more posts.
Knee braces are short 4×4s cut at 45° between post and beam. They stiffen the frame side to side. Some standard plans require them, for example when the rafter span or post height passes a set limit.
≈1 hr · 4 braces · 2 ft legs · both sides of the center post
Parts: 4 × Knee brace, 4×4, ≈34 in (two per 8 ft piece)
If your plans don’t show knee braces, they may rely on the posts’ embedment or other bracing instead — don’t leave anything out that the plans show.
Nine 2×8 rafters run from the ledger out over the beam at 24 in on center, including one at each end. A metal hanger holds each rafter at the ledger, and a tie fastens it to the beam.
≈½ day · 9 rafters · 24 in on center · 11 ft from ledger to beam
Parts: 9 × Rafter, 2×8 × 12 ft; 9 × Rafter hanger, 2×8 (at the ledger); 9 × Hurricane tie (rafter to beam)
Every rafter needs its hanger and tie, with every nail hole the maker specifies filled. At the ends of the ledger the hanger flange can’t wrap past the ledger, so plans often call for a concealed-flange hanger there.
The 2×2 lattice runs across the rafters, parallel to the house. Here it’s 4 in on center, which gives partial shade; the spacing on your plans may differ.
≈½ day · 35 slats · 4 in on center · 16 ft long
Parts: 35 × Lattice slat, 2×2 × 16 ft
Where 16 ft pieces aren’t available, join shorter pieces over a rafter and stagger the joints. Pre-drill near the ends so the slats don’t split.
That’s the patio cover, start to finish. After the final inspection, check it from the ground: posts plumb, the rafters level from ledger to beam, and every hanger, tie and cap in place.