Patio Covers

Patio covers include awnings, canopies, pergolas gazebos, patio umbrellas, anything that can protect your outdoor furniture and allow you to participate in outdoor events during rainy weather. There are different styles of patio covers, of course; some are portable while others can be permanent additions to your home. A pergola is a perfect example of a permanent cover for your patio. An awning is more portable as it usually fastens to your home somehow. How expensive it will be to install depends on the type you want to install and the function you want it to perform. Something permanent will obviously cost more than a temporary or portable cover as there will be more materials and more time taken to construct it. Regardless, patio covers of any type will add value to your outdoor living space.

A patio cover will not only provide shade and shield you from less than desirable weather conditions during your outdoor events; it also protects anything that can be damaged by UV rays or direct sunlight, like you or your patio furniture. But apart from that, it will also increase your home's market value, as it is considered an addition to your home. The higher the quality of the cover, the more value it will have in the long term. Quality can include materials it is made from to whether it is enclosed or not. Something made of aluminum made not last as long as wood patio covers as the steel joists of aluminum covers can rust out quickly. The same thing goes for a retractable patio cover; the fabric of these will often tear if not properly cared for during inclement weather. Still, the value will be there and there are measures you can take to protect any outdoor patio covers you install.

Vinyl patio covers are built to endure the harshest weather. Vinyl is a durable material that is relatively inexpensive to install. The maintenance required to maintain a cover made from vinyl is another reason to purchase. Maintenance is minimal and usually only requires a blast from your hose and sometimes a soapy bath as an annual preventative. Vinyl will not discolor or become brittle in the sun or dry rot and it doesn't require any painting. It's virtually a perfect choice for your outdoor environment. And many come in a wood grain pattern if your tastes prefer that but your budget doesn't afford you the pleasure of wood. Vinyl is very economical for this patio treatment.

Despite it being made of light weight material, aluminum patio covers are very durable and can endure harsh weather beatings like packed snow. They require about as much maintenance as their vinyl cousins and cost about the same, but they do have some disadvantages. One I mentioned previously is rust. Typically the joists of these covers are made of steel, which is why they can handle such heavy loads. Now the steel is painted prior to installation, but bad weather exposure cannot be avoided and these parts will eventually show rust. Also as the roof is almost always made of the W shape molding, for some reason this attracts birds which will build nests. This leads to unwanted bird poop and even mites. If you can keep these two disadvantages under control, aluminum is not a bad way to go.

For the do-it-yourself person, you are in luck as you can purchase patio cover kits and build your own cover. This will save your thousands of dollars by eliminating the need for a contractor to do the work for you. The materials usually include aluminum, vinyl and some heavy duty canvas and you can get them in premade styles or have them custom ordered to fit your patio or deck area. Products like Alumawood make great kits for DIY installation of patio covers.

Here is a great video that explains alumawood patio covers.