I bought treated lumber, including 4-4"x4"x8' posts and 2"x4"x8' and 2"x4"x10' boards, to start the project. I dug 4 holes with shovel and posthole digger in a 4'x5' rectangle where the old bench had been, moving some of the flagstones I had put around the locust tree that had been there. I mis-measured and had to fill in and re-dig one hole and widen a couple of others to get a square layout for the posts. I started with the 2 along the W edge, using scrap wood for braces to ensure the posts were plumb and clamps to hold the horizontal piece in place while attaching it to the posts. I used a level to ensure the posts were plumb and the horizontal piece was level between the 2 posts, rather than measuring up from the sloping ground.

I put one screw in the horizontal piece to attach it to the left post at the height I want the bench, minus the thickness of the bench seat, then leveled the horizontal piece and clamped it to the right post to screw into place using 2.5" deck screws.

I used a spare horizontal piece to hold the third post plumb, then attached the lower 4' horizontal piece the same way I did the 5' piece between the first 2 posts. Then I attached a brace to the fourth

Before filling in the dirt around the post in the last hole

First stage complete and tools ready to take in

I left the extra brace on until next time.

After several days of inactivity because of the cold temperatures and snow, I started working on the roof ridge line. I had made some drawings of how to build the end supports but, otherwise, it was a 'design as I go' activity. The supports were not as stable as I'd hoped, so I installed the braces between them and the ridge, which seem to provide the stability I want.

Finally got some weather warm enough to get back out and start constructing the perimeter of the roof structure.

Looking at the project from the SW corner

Another nice day (actually unseasonably hot) allowed me get some more work done. I wanted to double all the outer supports for the roof rafters and got that done today.

The outer support on the E side was very warped--bowed out--so I used a couple of Dad's old pipe clamps to pull it straight before attaching the second board to it. I'm leaving the clamps on till I get the rafters and decking attached, to ensure they stay in line.

I'm drilling holes for the screws to avoid splitting any of the 2"x4"s and using 2-1/2" deck screws to secure them.

After I got the side supports in place, I measured the hypotenuse of the roof triangle--from the roof ridge to the outer edge of the outer supports, cut an 18-degree angle at the top end using the miter saw and 72-degree cut by hand on the outer end, starting the cut free-hand on the table saw, then finishing with a jigsaw.

Top end, where the rafter meets the roof ridge

I'll use this piece as the template for the W side. I tested it on the E side and it's a little long, so I'll need to take off about 1/4" to fit that side.

I used my template rafter to cut out 7 more rafters before running out of the right-sized lumber.

Looking up and W from under the bench roof
After getting the 10'x2"x4" board I needed for the last 2 rafters, I cut them out and installed the rafters on the W side of the roof structure.

I attached each rafter at the outer edge with a single screw, then at the top with 2 screws through the back of the ridge board.

NW view

Looking down on the roof from the N

The next day I was able to install all the E side rafters.

Then I cut a couple of 8'x2"x6" boards to exactly 96" and put together 2 stop blocks made by screwing a piece of 1"x4" onto a 2"x4" block. The latter I clamped onto each end of my 'plate' to act as spacers to hold each 2"x6" board in place with about a 1" lap over the bottom edge of the roof to provide a drip line. I measured down from the top of the ridge board, adjusted the 2"x6" alignment a bit, to ensure it was parallel to the ridge line, and screwed each into place.

The view from up top

I had climb onto the roof to put the last couple of rows of decking in place.

Decking on both sides finally completed

The end view

With the end edges cut off to match each other

Mary caught me putting on shingles.

West side shingles applied, I put a few bricks on the cold shingles to hold them down till the sun was able to get the adhesive to hold.

I had just enough shingles to get started on the E side at the end of the day.

Gerald and Vicki came over while I was contemplating the moveable tabletop.

I was again using a mock-up tabletop/back to try to determine where to put hinges.

Mary, Steve, Gerald

No progress being made

I remembered--a little late--that I wanted to put flagstones beneath the table; I'll have to undo a few steps to get access.