Who Makes the Best Pergola Kits?

When searching for the best pergola kit, you quickly discover that not all kits are created equal. In fact, most pergola kits fall into three major categories, each with its own advantages, limitations, and ideal use cases:

1. Fully Prefabricated Wood Pergola Kits

2. Fully Prefabricated Aluminum Pergola Kits

3. DIY Pergola Bracket Kits

Below, we break down how each works — and which type is best depending on your project, skill level, and expectations.

1. Fully Prefabricated Wood Pergola Kits

These are the pergola kits most people think of first: boxed sets that include all the wood, hardware, bolts, screws, and instructions you need to assemble a pre-designed pergola.

Brands in this category:Yardistry, Backyard Discovery

👍 Advantages

• Everything arrives in one box

• No lumber shopping required

• Step-by-step assembly instructions included

• Usually the most budget-friendly pergola option

👎 Disadvantages

While convenient, prefabricated wood pergolas come with several drawbacks:

1. Very time-consuming to assemble

To reduce shipping size and cost, manufacturers break every component down to the smallest possible pieces. This means you’re often dealing with:

• Hundreds of screws

• Bolts, washers, nuts, brackets, plates

• Tiny hardware bags

• Occasionally incomplete or partially drilled holes

A project that should take a few hours can quickly turn into a full weekend.

2. No customization

You’re limited to the kit’s pre-set sizes:

• 10' × 10'

• 10' × 12'

• 12' × 12'

If you want a different size or shape — or even a slightly different height — you’re out of luck.

3. Lower-quality lumber

Prefabricated pergola kits use the lightest, least expensive wood possible, because:

• Light wood = cheaper shipping

• Cheaper wood = cheaper kit price

Unfortunately, that also means the pergola may not last nearly as long as you’d hope.

Best for:

Homeowners who value convenience over longevity, and who don’t need customization.

2. Fully Prefabricated Aluminum Pergola Kits

Aluminum pergola kits are another common option, built from thin-gauge aluminum tubing and designed to achieve a sleek, modern look.

Brands in this category:Hanso (and similar modern-aluminum pergola brands)

👍 Advantages

• Modern, contemporary aesthetics

• Rust-free (thanks to aluminum construction)

• Comes with all required tubing, hardware, and instructions

• Typically more durable than prefabricated wood pergolas

👎 Disadvantages

Although aluminum pergolas appeal to many, they share several drawbacks with prefabricated wood kits:

1. Thin, lightweight materials

These pergolas aren’t engineered for heavy-duty structural performance — they’re mostly decorative.

2. Assembly-heavy

Just like prefabricated wood pergolas, these kits rely on lots of bolts and small hardware, making the build process longer and more tedious.

3. Zero modularity or customization

You can only build exactly what comes in the box. No resizing, no adapting to oddly shaped patios, no room to create something unique.

Best for:

Homeowners who want a modern look, don’t mind fixed sizes, and want a rust-free material that arrives ready to assemble.

3. DIY Pergola Bracket Kits (The True DIY Option)

DIY Pergola Kits are very different from the two categories above. Instead of shipping all the lumber and hundreds of tiny parts, these kits include just the heavy-duty brackets — allowing you to buy your own lumber locally and build a pergola that fits your yard, not the other way around.

Top brand in this category:Bjorn Woodworks (our specialty)

How these kits work:

1. Buy 4x4 or 6x6 timbers from a local store (Home Depot, Lowe’s, lumber yard, etc.)

2. Cut your lumber to any size you want

3. Bolt everything together using the included lag bolts

4. Enjoy a pergola that is strong, customizable, and built to last

👍 Advantages

1. Total customization

You choose:

• The size

• The shape

• The height

• The wood species

• The finish or stain

Square, rectangle, U-shaped, L-shaped, multi-zone — DIY kits allow for limitless design freedom.

2. Higher wood quality

Because you’re not paying to ship heavy lumber, you can spend that money on better wood locally — cedar, redwood, pressure-treated pine, etc.These woods are far stronger and longer-lasting than what comes in prefabricated kits.

3. Stronger, longer-lasting pergolas

DIY bracket kits use heavy-duty steel brackets that far exceed the structural strength of aluminum tubing or lightweight prefab wood.

You end up with a pergola that feels solid, stable, and premium.

4. Faster, simpler assembly

There are dramatically fewer parts compared to prefab kits. Most of the structure comes together with just:

• Brackets

• Lag bolts

• Lumber

No tiny screws. No multi-hour hardware sorting.

5. Freedom of color & finish

Since you’re buying fresh lumber, you’re not stuck with whatever color comes in the box. Stain or paint your pergola to perfectly match your house, deck, or patio.

Best for:

Homeowners who want the strongest, most customizable, and longest-lasting pergola — and who like the idea of building something truly custom with minimal complexity.

So… Who Makes the Best Pergola Kits?

The answer depends on the type of pergola you want:

✔️ Best for convenience:

Yardistry / Backyard Discovery (prefabricated wood)

✔️ Best for modern style & rust-free aluminum:

Hanso (aluminum prefab pergolas)

✔️ Best for customization, strength, longevity, and true DIY value:

Bjorn Woodworks (DIY pergola bracket kits)

If you want a pergola that:

• Fits your yard

• Is built from high-quality lumber

• Has a simple assembly process

• Is strong enough to last for years

• Looks better than anything in a box

… then Bjorn Woodworks is the clear best choice.

Ready to build your dream pergola?

Explore our modular bracket kits here:👉https://www.bjornwoodworks.com/pergola-kits