Tips For Choosing The Right Patio Cover For Your Home

A patio cover is a necessary garden feature if you want to turn your patio into an outdoor living room or dining area. The type of patio cover that you should choose for your home will vary depending upon the solar alignment of your patio and the weather patterns in your area. Here is some information about common patio cover materials and designs to help you make an informed decision about the right patio cover to suit your needs.

Materials

Wood is a traditional patio cover material that can give your patio a rustic appeal. Wood is still the most commonly used patio material because it can be installed in almost any style and provides solid construction. Wood patio covers can be painted and stained to match the exterior of any home, but may require more frequent repainting and maintenance than other materials due to weathering.

Wood patio covers are often paired with another material to improve their resistance to precipitation. A common method is to add asphalt shingles to a wood patio cover with a peaked roof. Canvas cloth is another option for managing runoff and reducing the amount of precipitation that soaks into the wood. For environmentally conscious homeowners, maple and bamboo are considered sustainable woods because their demand is not outgrowing the speed at which they can be regrown.

Alternative patio cover materials can provide a high level of build quality while requiring less maintenance than wood. Vinyl is an excellent example, and it is even available in faux wood designs to keep a rustic style. Vinyl will never require repainting; simply spray it down with a garden hose occasionally to wash away accumulated dirt. Aluminum is an excellent choice if you want the highest build quality possible and are willing to sacrifice the traditional look of wood or vinyl.

Design

Pergola patio covers are currently the in-fashion style for modern homes. Pergolas are constructed from freestanding beams that often support a criss-crossed lattice pattern above the patio. This makes them excellent for maintaining an open atmosphere on your patio, but an open pergola does little in the way of blocking precipitation. A canvas cover above the pergola is often used to solve this problem.

In areas with heavy rainfall, you may be better off using a solid awning patio cover. These awnings are attached to the house with a flat pan roof that provides full protection from the elements. The roof can be slanted away from the house to allow rain to run off naturally, or they can incorporate gutter systems to direct the water away from your home's foundation. Many manufacturers also equip their awning systems with roof insulation to help hold heat over your patio year-round.

It is also possible to have a dual patio cover system where half of your patio is covered with solid awnings and half with a latticed roof. This can be useful if you want the seating area of your patio to always be covered, but still want to enjoy some of the open air feeling that a lattice patio provides. There are several additional features that can be included in your patio cover, such as glass window panes or screens to keep out bothersome insects, and banister rails that provide extra protection for children and pets.

Choosing the right patio cover is just as important as any other feature of your garden. Patio covers can improve the overall appearance of both your garden and your home if you find a style that blends well with your current design theme. Keep these guidelines in mind when shopping at a company like Apollo Opening Roof and you can find the best patio cover to create a beautiful and functional addition to your home.