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# Ceiling Fan Installation in Baldwin Pergolas ## Overview Installing a ceiling fan in a pergola presents a challenge that most manufacturers simply don't solve: how do you create a code-compliant, weatherproof electrical junction box in a structure whose overhead members are hollow FRP tubes — while keeping the installation invisible, structurally sound, and clean enough to look designed rather than improvised? Baldwin Pergolas engineered a dedicated fan block assembly that addresses every one of those requirements. The result is a ceiling fan mounting system that is stronger than a standard residential fan box, completely weatherproof, fully concealed, and visually indistinguishable from the surrounding pergola structure. ## Key Concepts - Every fan block is custom-machined to the exact rafter spacing of that specific pergola — no shimming, no gaps - The assembly is a three-layer composite: cast aluminum octagon box inside pressure-treated lumber inside a fiberglass 2×8 sleeve - Wire routing is fully concealed through the rafter and into the fan block via watertight fittings — electrical never sees water or sunlight - Fasteners attach through the rafter faces and are covered with 5/8" snap-in plastic covers — no exposed hardware visible from below - Fan blocks install perpendicular to the rafters, spanning between them - The same assembly is used for pendant lights; heaters and sconces use different mounting locations --- ## The Fan Block — Component by Component ### Layer 1: Cast Aluminum Octagon Box At the center of every fan block is a cast aluminum exterior-grade octagon box — the same type of box electricians specify for ceiling fan installations. Cast aluminum is rated for wet locations, is structurally robust enough to support the dynamic loads of a rotating fan, and provides the standard mounting interface that every ceiling fan manufacturer designs to. The octagon box is machined into the pressure-treated lumber core on the CNC router, seated precisely so its face will sit flush with the bottom face of the finished assembly. ### Layer 2: Pressure-Treated Lumber Core A pressure-treated 2×8 lumber blank is CNC-machined to: - **Receive the octagon box** — a precise cavity seats the cast aluminum box securely, held by the surrounding wood fiber - **Wire chase slot** — a long slot cut through the length of the part routes wiring from the rafter entry point to the box without any exposed runs - **Expanded fitting pockets** — the slot is widened at the entry point to accommodate watertight conduit fittings (Romex-style connectors), keeping the wire transition fully sealed The lumber serves two functions that fiberglass alone cannot provide as efficiently: it gives the assembly structural mass to resist the dynamic torque and vibration loads of a running fan, and it gives the installer a material that accepts screws with high holding strength. ### Layer 3: Fiberglass 2×8 Sleeve A fiberglass 2×8 tube — ma
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