Patio Covers: Explore The Trends

By: John Garcia | Date Posted: December 7, 2022

Winter serves as the perfect time to begin planning projects to be completed during the summer months. This gives a person plenty of time to establish a budget and experiment with different looks or products to find those that best fit the home.

One project many people choose to take on is the installation of a patio cover. These covers come with many benefits and won’t cost an arm and a leg. However, the benefits vary slightly by the cover selected. What patio cover options should a person consider, and what benefits come with each option?

Add a Pergola

Add a Pergola

A person will want to find patio covers that add to the beauty of their property. They should look at installing a pergola on their land. This structure expands the home’s living space and provides protection from the elements. The pergola adds to the value of the home while improving its curb appeal.

A person will often find the pergola provides them with an oasis in an otherwise unsightly area. Nobody wants to look up and see overhead utility lines, the ugly shed in a neighbor’s yard, and more. With a pergola, the owner has a pleasant view everywhere they look.

Add an Awning

A retractable awning serves as an excellent way to shade portions of the yard when desired and leave those same areas open to the sun at other times. The awning can lower the temperature of the patio or deck by 20 degrees, making it ideal for those hot summer days.

In addition, the awning helps lower the interior temperature of the home because the sun isn’t making its way into the home. The interior temperature of the home may drop by 15 degrees when the awning is in use. This helps the homeowner save significantly on their electric bill.

Install Dual-Purpose Pieces

Look for patio covers that serve more than one purpose. A trellised gazebo is a good example of an item that fulfills two purposes. The interior of the gazebo is ideal for a seating area and a place for quiet conversation. The exterior of the structure can be used to train climbing plants.

The plants provide shade from the sun and privacy for those inside the gazebo. At the same time, the plants add beauty to the yard. The owner loves that they have a place for the plants to climb without taking up extra space in their yard.

Galvanized Steel Panels

Galvanized Steel Panels

Galvanized steel panels allow a homeowner to spend more time outdoors while remaining protected from the elements. Galvanized metal is an inexpensive option but will last for 50 years. It is ready to install right out of the box, which makes it superior to many treated metals.

Owners love this metal resists rust, a concern with any metal product that is used outdoors. This protection extends to corners and recesses that coatings might otherwise miss. This is one reason these steel panels last for decades without problems. The owner saves money because they don’t have to replace the patio covering as often, if ever.

A Living Cover

Take an idea from the trellised gazebo and create a patio cover from living materials. Lay a trellis flat over the patio and allow plants to climb along the trellis. Lattice may be used in a similar manner.

Although these covers won’t provide complete protection from the rain or the elements, they blend seamlessly with the rest of the landscape, which many people prefer. They don’t want their patio cover to be obvious.

When using one of these items to create a living cover, ensure it can hold the weight of the plants. Nobody wants to be sitting under the cover only to have it come down on them because the plants were too heavy for the structure to hold.

Construct a Pavilion

Anyone who wants their backyard to stand out should consider constructing a pavilion. This pavilion extends the living space of the home and is a wonderful place to get away and relax for a few minutes or a few hours. These structures are very durable and require little maintenance.

This allows the owner to get more enjoyment from the pavilion while spending less time on upkeep. They can enjoy life more with the help of this patio cover. Who doesn’t want that?

Plant Trees

Plant Trees

Although this method takes time, a person who plans to stay in their house for decades can plant trees and wait for them to mature. As they do so, they provide more shade for the home and the patio. Mature trees are a great addition to any property, so a homeowner can never go wrong when they choose this option.

In addition, these trees add to the selling price of the home. Even if the current owner doesn’t get the full shade benefits of the trees, they know they haven’t lost out because they make more on the sale of the home. They may be able to use the extra money they make off the sale to purchase a new house with mature trees already providing these benefits.

Put Up an Umbrella

Building an Outdoor Sitting Area 1

In a pinch, a person can put up a patio umbrella and receive some shade from the sun. This isn’t the best option, as the umbrella needs to be taken down anytime there is a risk of bad weather.

The wind can pick up the umbrella and carry it away or throw it up against the house, where the umbrella could do damage. A hail storm may leave holes in the umbrella, and a strong storm could bend the frame. For this reason, most people only use a patio umbrella as a stop-gap measure until they choose a more permanent solution.

Patio covers offer countless benefits above and beyond what has been mentioned above. Every homeowner should consider making this investment, as doing so will benefit them both in the short and long run. Learn more today about the options to find the right one for any property today. There is one out there that is right for your home.

Thank you for reading!

John
 

John is the founder and chief editor of Homienjoy. With over 15 years of experience in the home improvement industry, John is passionate about helping homeowners confidently tackle their projects. Holding a civil engineering degree and working as a contractor, project manager, and consultant, John brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Homienjoy community.

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