A patio is an open area that’s built next to a house or establishment where people can lounge, eat, and enjoy the landscape or a garden.
Some patios are designed and built together with the house or building and are seen as an important part or extension of the house or building. Some homeowners with open backyards only later discover the merits of having an external abode for family events, corporate parties and meetings, outdoor lunches and dinners, or to just relax while enjoying the open space.
Patio Covers - The Feelings Of Luxury Without Too Much Hassle
Since patios are located outside of the main living or office work area, most will be as open as possible. It’s common to see patios having short fences instead of walls, and small covers instead of an actual roof.
But to enjoy the amenities of your patio all year round, it is advisable to install or design a patio cover that can protect the occupants from the rain, damaging UV rays, and scorching sunlight. The protection from the elements afforded by patio covers allows you to place furniture, pillows, books, and lamps making the patio more enjoyable and functional. Lastly, shade covers for patios also provide some measure of privacy especially if using curtains and side covers.
A patio canopy cover also creates an in-between function room that bridges your indoor home and the garden area.
Fabric or canvas patio covers are the most common but there are many options available.
If you are currently adding a patio or your current patio has no roofing, or it has roofing but does not provide substantial protection and privacy, you may want to consider installing a patio cover to add beauty, sophistication, and functionality to your open space.
Pop Up Patio Cover Design
If you have an open space that you are converting into a patio or you have a roofless patio, you can quickly add a pop-up patio cover to instantly convert your patio into an outdoor living area.
A popup patio cover is a canopy or roof that can be disassembled and redeployed easily making it a portable shelter. Most pop-up designs are free standing patio covers and have two main components, the metal frame with 4 leg posts and the canopy top.
The frame is made of steel, stainless steel or aluminum, with steel being sturdier, heavier and more expensive compared to aluminum. Stainless steel is lighter than ordinary steel but stronger than aluminum but is more expensive than both.
As a bonus, you can even bring your pop-up patio covers to picnics or when going to the beach as a portable tent.
Pop-ups and other portable deck covers are usually made from vinyl, fabric or canvas for easy folding. Most popup patio covers are open-sided and since the cover is made from vinyl, canvas, or fabric, it can be designed with prints, different colors, and even branding.
Awning For Patios
If you want more permanent roofing for your patio without the hassle of too much masonry work, an awning is a perfect solution.
A patio awning is a fabric or canvas roof structure that is supported by a metal frame that can be bolted to your patio making the frame a permanent part of your patio. You can then either remove, fold and if you installed a motorized awning, retract the roof in case you want more sun or as a precaution during storms or to see the stars or moon at night.
It is recommended to fold or close your retractable awning prior to high wind, storms or snow to protect the canvas or fabric and frame from damage.
Installing awnings for patios is a convenient way to provide full shading with the least modification to the existing house or establishment. Installing an awning requires only a little drilling for the fasteners and some optional electrical wiring.
There are two basic options to choose from:
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Fixed awning
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Retractable awning
Ordinary, fixed awnings are just like common roofs, canopies or tents and can be of any width and projection as long as the metal frame support is sufficient.
A retractable patio roof or retractable awning is more expensive but requires only the push of a button to partially or fully retract the roof or awning. They can be motorized or manual, and offer much more flexibility than a fixed awning.
Sail Cloth Patio Covers
Most sail cloth is made from sturdy material that can withstand strong winds without tearing, allowing the sail to drag a boat along the water. The same sail cloth can now be used as a unique shade or roof for your patio.
Sail shades are heavy duty fabrics with metal eyelets or O-rings fitted in each corner or sides of the sail. Wires or ropes are tied to these metal holes which are then pulled horizontally and away from each other. This creates tension that makes the sail rigid allowing it to stretch and provide shading.
Sail cloth patio covers come in different sizes, shapes, and colors allowing you to be more creative. You can overlap 2 to 3 triangular sails or mix square shaped sails with triangular ones to create a very unique and personalized patio cover.
Since most sail cloth is made from high-quality material, patio covers made from this fabric can last years without tearing or fraying. Some are also treated with waterproofing and have high levels of UV protection compared to normal fabrics.
Shade sail patio covers are also available with a retractable option using either manual or motorized operation. The obvious benefit here is being able to close the sail shade patio cover prior to storms, very high wind, hurricanes, and snow.
Portable Patio Cover Systems
Although it's useful and prudent to always have your patio covered, there are advantages to using a portable patio system instead of installing a permanent roofing structure.
Pop up covers and sail cloth roofing are examples of portable patio covers that would be great as temporary roofing or a removable shade.
Portable patio covers are convenient for those who are renting but want to enhance their backyard or patio. Homeowners who are wary of chipping or damaging their property can also opt to use portable patio covers since these systems don’t require carpentry or masonry.
Tent patio covers or patio sun covers allow you to maximize your usable outdoor property and provide your family or guests with hours to share coffee and stories, or provide hours of fun using a barbecue and outdoor activities. Whatever your reasons are, patio covers are great for your home and business.
If you have a patio or deck, we hope we have helped you decide what roofing solution to implement. For more information don't hesitate to reach our consultants via the contact form on our website, using live help or by phone!
