With so many options in patio cover designs, you may be at odds with exactly what you want. You may like old-fashioned and rustic designs or a modern upgrade to your patio may be more your style. Fortunately, there are many patio cover designs ideas such as steel and glass designs that offer a more futuristic look. You need to consider a few things that will help you narrow your choices.
Free Standing Patio Cover Designs
One of the attractions of free standing patios is that they stand alone as the name implies. This means you do not have to make an addition to your home. This may also be a good idea if you plan to build the patio yourself. With some free standing designs, homeowners may create an additional room to the house that can be used for relaxation or as a pool house.
However, many simply use the free standing design as a conventional patio complete with furniture. Furthermore, some designs do not use conventional roofing but instead include shade umbrellas, which can be stored during the colder months along with the patio furniture. Another reason you can consider a freestanding patio covers is that you can place it anywhere in the backyard since you are not attaching it to the house. This means the patio can be as big or small as your space allows.
Wood Patio Cover Designs
You will also need to consider the type of material used to build the patio because this will affect the overall look of the patio as well as its sturdiness and how it draws heat and cold air. Many people prefer wood because it has an old-fashioned and outdoorsy look. Also, those who prefer to build a structure themselves may like to do some woodwork for the patio.
One of the advantages of using a wood cover is that it does a relatively good job of blocking the sun and keeping out heat, so you have a naturally cool area in which to relax. However, it is very important to treat wood in order to strengthen its resistance to the elements including wind and rain. You will also need to look into treatments to keep away pests such as termites that can destroy wood.
Glass and Metal Patio Cover Designs
You may also find the combination of glass and metal a good look for the patio cover if you want something a bit more contemporary. Glass has the advantage of offering you a good view of the outside if you like to let a little sunshine through the cover. These covers may also be easy to build even if you are making the patio an extension of your home.
While using glass and metal may be a good look for a patio cover, there are a few things to consider when making a final decision. Sunlight coming through a glass panel can be very hot, which may not be very pleasant if you are not sunbathing. Furthermore, metals can become hot to the touch and chances are you will use metal beams and loadbearing walls in order to hold the cover in place.
Retractable Patio Cover Designs
If you would like more control over how much light and sun you let on to the patio, you may consider retractable curtain covers. This way you can shade the area when you need or you can get a little more sun whenever you want. You can also store these curtains during colder months, but you need fabric that can withstand different weather conditions and will not fade in sunlight.
