Purple Leaf Pergola Review: Everything You Want to Know First
If you’re in the market for a pergola for your deck, patio or backyard area, here’s a full review of the Purple Leaf pergola, which I chose for my own back deck. I’ll give you all the details and everything you need to know before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
This post contains affiliate links. See Disclosures for details.
What I Was Looking for in a Pergola
When I first decided I wanted a pergola for my back deck, like most of you, I scoured all the reviews for all kinds of pergolas. We were finally painting our back deck, but the sun can be pretty brutal back there sometimes. I was looking for some kind of sun shade to add to my deck ideas and other backyard decorating inspiration, and a pergola was always on my wish list.
Besides how pretty it would look, I had a few things that were on my list:
1| 5 crossbars, not just one center bar
2| Ease of Assembly
3| Simple Instructions
4| Durability
While Purple Leaf wasn’t the cheapest one (it wasn’t the most expensive one either), it checked off all the boxes. And I need to say upfront – it did not disappoint.
I want to share my experience in detail because I know how helpful these reviews are for me!
Why I Chose the Purple Leaf Pergola: A Comprehensive Review
Packaging and Instructions
When I opened the box, I was impressed right way. All of the pieces were bubble wrapped and packaged neatly and orderly. Nothing was bent, broken, or damaged, which I had seen in reviews of other brand pergolas.
I was also impressed that everything was clearly labeled as well. There was no mystery as to what piece was which, even though some were similar or the same. You could easily see which ones went together as they were labeled A, A1 | B, B1, etc.
The instruction manual was also impressive because not only did it come with words (I’ve read so many complaints about instruction manuals only having pictures and not text), but there were also helpful hints along the way that were game changers. As in, “It’s easy to get this mixed up. If you don’t put it together this specific way, you’ll have to take everything apart and go back to fix it.”
Not in those exact words, but it made sure that you were aware to get this part right.
Once I opened the package, I laid everything out in alphabetical order and checked off each item in the instruction book, to make sure everything was there. And it was.
Assembly of the Pergola
I want to say, off the bat, that while I wouldn’t call this an ‘easy’ assemble – it’s a little tedious and there are lots of screws you need to tighten with allen keys – but it is a clear and smooth assembly. What I mean is that the directions were easy to understand – not confusing and they flowed smoothly. AND, everything fit together as it should.
I’ve read reviews of other products where the holes didn’t line up or the screws didn’t fit. There was nothing like that in putting together this pergola. There were a few times when the hole alignment wasn’t perfect, but with a little muscle, you can get the screw in the holes. And that was only a few times, not the majority.
So while it does take time, it doesn’t waste your time.
Manpower
A single person could put MOST of this this together. It would take a long time. But once you are adding the 2 top horizontal crossbars, you really do need another person to hold up the other end until you can secure them. Once you have your square frame, you can rest the other bars on the frame and screw them in.
Sliding the poles through the canopy is also easier when you have 2 people working on it, so you don’t risk tearing the canopy or bending the poles.
If you didn’t have another person around, you could conceivably build and connect all of the bars without their help, but you really do need someone else around when you are creating the square frame at the minimum.
Just to give you reference, I build the 4 main posts by myself. A friend (another girl, by the way, so you don’t need a man to do this!) came and helped me put together all of the crossbars and put it together.
Time to Build
I built some of it myself and then my friend came to help.
I took me 1.5 hrs. to build the 4 main vertical posts, and then it took us another 2 and half hours to build the rest of the pieces and put it all together. So, in total, it took 2 girls about 4 hours to build. I might have been 3 hours, if she had with me at the start.
You also could opt to put together all of the bars and pieces ahead of time, sort of at a leisurely pace, and then build the actual structure at another time. If everything had been assembled ahead of time, I would estimate that it only would have been another hour or so actually putting the structure together.
Other Features of the Purple Leaf Pergola You Want to Know About
Water-Repellant
When I shared that I purchased this pergola on social media, the first question I got was about it being waterproof.
It is more water resistant or water repellant than waterproof. As in, in a light rain, you’d probably be fine. But if it’s really raining, you’d get wet? But, it’s hard to say for this reason: they recommend closing it in the rain. So, that being said, that is what I did because I didn’t want the weight of the water building up on top.
However, when I opened it up after the rain had passed, the rain had pooled on top, which tells me that water doesn’t necessarily seep through.
All that to say, if you have anything you don’t want to get wet under there, remove it when the rain comes through.
They also recommend closing in in snow and wind.
Weight and Material
This is made of lightweight aluminum. For me, this was important because it was going on an upper deck, and I didn’t want a lot of extra weight up there. However, it appears to be very sturdy. We had some wind come through and it wasn’t fully bolted to the deck yet, and it was a solid as can be.
The canopy is made of polyester, which is fade resistant, UV resistant, and as discussed, water repellent.
Cost
As I said before, the Purple Leaf pergola wasn’t the cheapest but it wasn’t the most expensive. It got great reviews and was a best-seller on Amazon, which gave me some confidence in purchasing it. Other pergolas I looked at were cheaper, but I was concerned about how well they would hold up after a year or two (you get what you pay for, right?), and they were described as a nightmare to put together.
I’ll share what I paid for it, although these prices are always subject to change. I paid $418 for the 10 x 10′ beige pergola. I was going to wait until Memorial Day to see if there were sales, but I was getting nervous about inventory as well as shipping delays.
Amazon and Wayfair are comparable and prices, and both vary higher and lower, depending on the day or if there is a sale. Both had free shipping, so I definitely recommend comparing the two before buying.
Real Life Pictures of Purple Leaf Pergola
Overall, I am very, very satisfied with this purchase. I had considered doing a type of DIY sunshade over my deck, with 4×4 posts, but this pergola was honestly the aesthetic I was looking for.
Here are some close up shots and ‘after’ pics of how I styled my deck once the pergola was up.
If you’re interested in purchasing the pergola or any of the decor items, check the links below!
10×10″ Purple Leaf Pergola (Amazon) or Pergola on Wayfair
Red Pillows – Walmart, in-store
Striped Tan Deck Rug – Hobby Lobby, in store
I’m happy to answer any questions you might have! Feel free to drop them below.
Note: This was NOT a sponsored post. I bought this with my own cash and wanted to provide helpful info for those looking for it.
The links ARE affiliate links, and I do earn a small commission for items purchased through these links.
Other Summer Backyard and Deck Posts
If you want some more inspiration for your summer home – indoor decorating or outdoor patio, porch, backyard or deck, take a look here!
Absolutely Fabulous Backyard Deck Ideas on a Budget
Cozy Backyard Decorating Ideas on a Budget
21+ Affordable Outdoor Dining Sets for 2022!
Fast, Easy, Cheap Ideas to Decorate Your Home for Summer (Farmhouse Style!)
Front Porch Decorating: Summer Modern Farmhouse on a Budget
Thoughts about this review or the Purple Leaf Pergola? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below!
I purchased the purple leaf 10×10 pergola and my experience has been nothing like yours☹️ The holes have not matched up – like almost everyone one. My “C1” does not have the holes it’s supposed to for “part R” so now the whole project is at a stand still waiting to hear back from the company as to what to do now. If you have any recommendations I would gladly appreciate it!
Oh no! I’m so sorry! That’s awful! My experience was nothing like that. I’ve heard they have great customer service and will work to make things right quickly (that was why I went with PL). I hope you hear from them soon. I wish I had a helpful recommendation – I totally understand how frustrating that must be for you. Prayers they resolve it for you quickly!
Have you figured out how to secure the canopy open when not in use? Also, it doesn’t appear to be quick to take the canopy off for winter storage. Anyone been able to figure out the easiest way to take off for the winter?
Hi! Great question! So, to secure the canopy cover so the pergola is open (as in open sky above), I just pull it to one side to retract, and then just take the strap and pull it under the canopy and loop it over the top center bar that’s sticking out. We’ve had very windy and rainy days here, and I’ve had no problem with it the canopy staying retracted (open sky above) and in place so it doesn’t pool with water.
As for taking it off for winter storage – I agree with you. There doesn’t seem to be an easy way except for unscrewing all those cross bars and removing the canopy. Unfortunately, that’s probably what I’m going to do rather than risk it getting damaged over the winter. I’ll update the post and reply to your comment again if I come up with a better way!
Hope that helps! All in all, I’m still a fan… none are perfect, but I’m still happy with this one!
Hi I appreciate your willingness to share. My question if not already answered when bolted to the deck is it REALLY secure. I get some major wind and rain. thanks
I actually bolted down 3 of the 4 on each post because I couldn’t get them into my deck. And a few aren’t even all the way in. Not even fully bolted in has been plenty strong with no issues at all. We’ve had lots of wind and rain here this season, some pretty bad storms, and it has held together just fine! There wasn’t even a sway at all. Very solid. I always retract the canopy so there’s an open sky on top during a storm, so there’s no chance for the wind to catch in the fabric and pull the pergola structure. We haven’t had a hurricane or tornado here – east TN, so I can’t speak to storms of that nature, but humid thunder and lightning storms here (wind, rain, etc.), no issues at all! Hope this helps!
Yes that does help. When you say could not get them into your deck, why was that?
My deck is old, and I think that I just must have hit some knots or other rough spots they couldn’t get through. Screws are very long, and maybe I wasn’t strong enough to get them all the way in? My husband probably could have done it, but I was stubborn and wanted to do it all myself. I’m sure with some muscle help, we could have gotten them in, lol. But they really seemed fine as they were and I just never followed up to get them all the way in, lol.
I started to remove the canopy for the winter and realize that this is a huge undertaking. i am not sure if taking the hardware off each season will not weaken the design. Do you think that wrapping the canopy in plastic while securely in place and again with a tarp will protect it during the winter?
Hi Chantal- I agree – taking down the canopy would be a big job! Although I can’t say for sure, I do think covering it would certainly help the longevity of the canopy. We didn’t do anything to ours last winter – but we are in Tennessee, where we get some snow, but not a ton, and not heavy snow. I would definitely opt to cover rather than take down! Let me know how it all goes for you!
Looks great! Would love to have one of these covers for our pergola. Issue with ours is definitely the rain, this looks like it would solve it.
I usually kept it shut and pulled back during the rain… it blocks some of the moisture, but I didn’t want the weight of the water compromising the fabric or structure!
We just installed the 13 x 10. No issues but had our son helping us. My question is how the heck do you secure the strap around the end of the centre bar, I’m too short.
Also can’t secure it into the clips to keep it open for shade, again I’m too short.
They also mentioned to keep a cover over the canopy when folded back ( sky open) to preserve it, but where can you buy one?
Hi Darlene! I suggest reaching out to the manufacturer for your questions? Unfortunately, we had a tornado and wind watch in our area, which knocked down a tree that crashed into our deck and crushed the pergola! I wish I could go outside and take a look for you – I adored the pergola and put so much sweat and love into assembling it! I hope Purple Leaf is able to your questions!