Pergola in Upper Saddle River, NJ
CUSTOM SMOOTH CEDAR OASIS PERGOLA
Substantial timbers and closely spaced overhead runners give this custom 9’6″ x 17’8″ Smooth Cedar Oasis Pergolaa heavier, more architectural appearance than a traditional lightweight pergola. Delivered as a kit to Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, in 2026, the structure was crafted from Western Red Cedar and customized with taller posts, a smooth-planed finish, custom semi-transparent stain, and upgraded 6-inch top-runner spacing.
The elongated 9’6″ x 17’8″ footprint creates a natural layout for a rectangular patio or outdoor entertaining area. At nearly 18 feet long, the pergola provides plenty of room for an outdoor dining table, lounge furniture, or multiple seating zones while maintaining the open sides and overhead character of a traditional pergola.
One of the defining features of the Oasis Pergola is the scale of its cedar components. Substantial header beams and runners create a strong overhead framework, giving the structure more visual weight and presence than designs built with smaller dimensional lumber.
The posts were also upgraded for this project. Tall cedar posts approximately 10 feet in length provide additional height and create a more spacious feeling beneath the overhead framework. Their substantial proportions help visually support the heavier beams above while establishing a strong architectural presence around the patio.
Rather than leaving the Western Red Cedar with a more rustic texture, the components were planed to a smooth surface. This additional finishing step gives the pergola a more refined appearance and makes the natural grain and variation of the cedar especially noticeable once the stain is applied.
A custom semi-transparent stain was selected for the entire structure. Unlike an opaque paint, the finish allows the cedar grain to remain visible while adjusting the overall tone of the wood to coordinate with the customer’s property and surrounding outdoor finishes.
The overhead design received another important customization. While the standard Oasis configuration uses wider spacing between the upper members, this pergola’s 3×6 top runners were adjusted to approximately 6 inches on center. The tighter spacing creates a denser overhead pattern, adding considerably more visual texture and increasing the amount of filtered shade beneath the pergola.
Below those upper members, substantial 3×8 runners spaced approximately 24 inches on center establish the primary roof pattern. Layering the closely spaced top runners over the heavier structural members creates depth overhead and produces changing patterns of sunlight and shadow throughout the day.
The Oasis remains an open-roof structure, allowing air and sunlight to move through the pergola while giving the patio below the feeling of a defined outdoor room. The combination of taller posts and dense overhead detailing helps create enclosure visually without adding solid walls or roofing.
Standard mounting brackets and hardware were included with the prefabricated components for installation at the customer’s prepared site. The pergola was then delivered to Upper Saddle River as a custom cedar kit, allowing its non-standard dimensions and upgraded features to be fabricated before arriving at the property.
With its nearly 18-foot length, smooth-planed Western Red Cedar, taller posts, custom stain, substantial beams, and closely spaced overhead runners, this project showcases the Oasis Pergola as a more substantial and refined interpretation of traditional cedar pergola construction.
- Year Completed: 2026
- City: Upper Saddle River
- County: Bergen
- Price Range: $12,000–$16,000