The lintel is a 4x4 which fits into a dado cut in two legs. Above the lintel is the dentil work (teeth). The assembly is 11 inches tall. The lintel reduces the headroom from 91 inches to 80 inches. Eighty inches is the height of the standard doorway in any house.

The post and beam pergola needs the gussets for strength. The lintels are cosmetic, so if you choose them, you still need gussets. This is what they look like together.

Another benefit to lintels is the ability to have Rope Lights. Rope lights fit into holes drilled in the dentil work. Rope lights are great!

This is what they look like at night!

They cast a soft orange glow over the pergola and the surrounding area. Because the wire runs through the dentil work, the light shines in and out.

See the holes? Notice the "A" shape of the lower rail. This is so rain water rolls off.

To get the electricity up to the lights is tricky...

We cut a slot in the 4x4. The wire runs up through the slot. The rope light plugs into it. Then we carefully fit a strip of cedar into the slot to conceal the wire.

Our Roman Columns are hollow so the wire can fit right up through the center.

We can even fit a GFI outlet into a leg or a column.

Lintels come standard in a Garden Room Pergola.