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Every home should have a patio. These outdoor paved areas are perfect when we need to rest from everyday life or when we want to organize a party of considerable size. The only drawback is that it is not perfectly protected from inclement weather, and that is why today we bring you a good group of covered patio ideas like aluminum patio roof for you to create perfect gardens for any occasion.
A patio is basically an additional extension in the green area of our home where you can install furniture or hang out without compromising the lawn. A covered patio is an alternative when we also look for this space to be usable at all times, and not only on sunny days.
With sufficient extension, we can even install larger pieces of furniture, such as chimneys for barbecues, umbrellas, tables, etc.
The utility of a good size patio
Image source: Affordable Shade Patio Covers
Patios, in general, are places where we can create special memories. In these outdoor places, people gather, creating special bonds that linger in memories. If we want to celebrate birthday parties, meetings, weddings, among other types of meetings, a patio is an interesting addition in a house.
There are two types of patios: fully discovered and roofed. Each one has its advantages, but the covered patios are special because they give us an additional period of the year during which we can use them without the sun or rain limiting us.
A patio roof is also a very original way to decorate our garden. There are those who even add fans or automatic opening systems on the roofs to make the most of the capacity it offers, being able to air-condition the patio to their liking.
The maintenance of our patio also benefits from a roof, since it will not be affected so constantly of the fallen leaves of the trees or of the dust that can fall by the wind.
However, before embarking on this project, it is important that we have certain important considerations in mind, such as the budget, the style of the house so that the architecture does not clash, the location that the patio will have, the construction materials, and even, the orientation of the roof with respect to the sun to not require ventilation.
Advantages of a covered patio
Image source: Affordable Shade Patio Covers
Many people do not see that a patio has great advantages in terms of gaining spaces. Meetings abroad are very different from those held within four walls.
The problem is definitely the fact that if the weather does not cooperate, then we lose the possibility of using it. And although it can be easily solved, the owners rarely install a roof in the garden. However, do not worry, since these covered patio ideas will make you change your mind about the design of roofed gardens.
Of course, our recommendation whenever it comes to this type of remodeling projects is that you ask for the help of an architect or engineer since the construction work requires special permits and regulations.
We then break down some of the advantages of building a roof over a garden or patio.
Covered patio ideas
Create a new room
Image source: Sage Builders LLC
Not only do they serve for entertainment, but we can also create a totally new room by roofing our patio. If we wanted to create an office alternative with ample natural lighting, we can always roof our patio. Use tinted glass or with opening mechanisms to protect you from the excessive entry of sun, so that it retains a good level of lighting.
Protect your furniture from the weather
Image source: Affordable Shade Patio Covers
Although garden furniture is more resistant than indoor furniture, they will also suffer over time. The sun is an agent that easily damages materials, burning them and causing them to lose resistance.
Closing the patio is an option if we do not want to have to replace the furniture constantly since it provides an additional barrier against the main causes of deterioration abroad.
Enjoy your patio throughout the year
Image source: Affordable Shade Patio Covers
Finally, the most important thing is that roofing our patio allows us to enjoy it during any season, whether it is hot or rainy. The weather will not be an impediment to sitting in our garden. A hot summer afternoon? Cool off with the breeze sitting in the patio while you eat ice cream.
It’s time for the main course: covered patio ideas
The following are just some patio cover designs that you can take into account when creating your own roof. The options range from traditional to modern covers, so we hope you found your ideal option.
Wood patio: prepared for all weather
Image source: Landscape Creations Inc.
These types of enclosures are the most used because of their price and their resistance. With the right treatment, neither the sun nor the rain can break the wood. In addition, aesthetically you can get very nice results with moldings or carvings.
Elegant Paris style patio roof
These waves created with sheets of zinc or corrugated steel create a style very similar to that seen on the roofs of Paris. In this image, we can see how the steelworks harmoniously with the neutral colors of the slab and the table.
In this design, everything emerges from the chimney. Its relevance is such that it controls the rest of the construction, with white bricks and columns distributed around its axis.
The pergolas are an almost safe option
Image source: Affordable Shade Patio Covers
We say almost because most of the designs with pergolas do not protect from the rain. However, if we look for something that mixes more organically with the environment, and that only gives us a bit of shadow, this design with pergolas is the best. The pergolas are a classic solution, being able to be built in materials ranging from wood to steel and aluminum.
Create a sunny attachment to your main room
This is a very interesting idea at an architectural level. This patio covering is an addition to the main room of the house, which creates that the room is well lit naturally.
That all the flavor is preserved with this attachment to the kitchen
Image source: Western Timber Frame
This covered patio benefits from having a kitchen nearby. To take advantage of it, and not constantly break into it, a folding wooden window has been installed that avoids the need to go in search of food dishes. Perfect for parties and meetings.
A sunshade is a simple solution
If we seek to protect ourselves from the sun, sunshades are always an easy alternative to implement. This is a very easy and casual DIY patio cover, perfect for when we need quick solutions.
A mixture of wood and fabric
Image source: Tollot&C LLC
This design gains much space thanks to the vault design that has been built with cedarwood. Additionally, to give it a more personal and closed touch, a set of transparent curtains has been used to protect from the direct impact of the sun, but to let in light.
Modern design in wood
Image source: AquaTerra Outdoors
We mentioned it before, and that is that many of the covered patio ideas use wood as a foundation. It is a flexible material in possibilities, and we can see it here in this modern design. Similar to the previous alternative in concept, where wood functions as a support and translucent materials have been added to allow light to pass freely.
A more rustic and reddish design
Image source: EARTH AND IMAGES
The red colors given by the pieces of clay generate a more rustic atmosphere that can be accompanied with rattan and wood furniture. As a support material in this patio, they have opted for the use of wood, which allows the furniture to combine very well with the resulting environment.
A lighter courtyard in shades of blue
Image source: Cape Cod Residential
The use of more marine colors makes this patio roof an ideal option for swimming pools. The stripes in blue and white create a clean environment in this design, which only works for protection from the sun.
Large space under an awning
Image source: Pike Awning Company
Awnings are, like sunshades, easy to implement options to close our patio. In this case, this large green awning creates practically a new room, where we can locate a good amount of furniture and still have enough space to walk.
You can always enclose the whole yard
Image source: St. Amour Interior Design
This patio is characterized by being completely closed on its sides, which gives it a category of the living room. What is really remarkable is the stone fireplace and the wooden ceiling, which allows garden furniture to be used without any problem.
Umbrellas are an alternative
Image source: The Garden Route Company
If we cannot afford an awning or a sunshade, we can always use an umbrella. As with the previous ones, we will need to consider the size of the umbrella, as well as the manufacturing quality, since it is likely to be constantly exposed to the sun.
The shadows that we can achieve with each structure
Image source: Creative Gazebos
Since we have seen a couple of covered patio ideas, it is good that we analyze the structures that have been used to generate the shadows in each one. The most common in the courtyards are the following:
– Pergolas: the pergolas are a set of beams separated by a distance and that is supported on another beam in perpendicular, all this on some columns. These allow us to create entire roofed roads and are ideal for letting plants grow in them. They do not cover the sun completely, and they are not a very good option for rain, but they create effects with very pleasant shadows to see.
– Sunrooms: This is a more extreme coverage option where all the sides are protected by glass walls or translucent materials. Its name is due to the fact that they allow abundant sunlight, and they completely protect us from external elements.
– Solid Patio Cover: These structures are perfect when we need something resistant that supports the strongest climates, such as snow or torrential rains.
– Screened Porches: This is nothing more than a porch in the entrance door of your home, but instead of leaving only the roof and columns, blankets are added in the side spaces to prevent the entry of insects. It is not a sunroom because it is not an annex of an internal room.
– Gazebo: The gazebos are structures of columns that are located on an orthogonal floor (with 4, 6, 8 or more sides) that support a large vaulted ceiling in the upper part. Usually, these structures are in wood and are used in gardens of considerable size to create enclosed spaces.
What is the best material for the cover?
Image source: Affordable Shade Patio Covers
In the previously covered patio ideas that we saw, we could appreciate a lot of materials used for the construction of the roofs. Each one has its advantage, and here we will discuss some of the most used in the market.
– Wood: Definitely, it is the most accessible option of all, and it is the one that allows more designs. This has been used as a roof for centuries, so there are a variety of alternatives to choose from. The only problem with wood is that it needs special treatments if it is to be implemented in humid climates.
– Metal: Metal is gaining great strength as a roofing construction material. It is easily moldable, it is resistant, and as if that were not enough, it allows us to save energy because of the freshness that they are.
– Aluminum: Unlike steel, aluminum is lightweight but equally flexible and resistant. Due to its ability to withstand different climates, it does not require much maintenance. Especially against water, since this is not so easily oxidized.
– Polycarbonate: a translucent alternative of high resistance if we do not want to use crystals. Its main advantage with respect to glass is that it prevents the entry of UV rays directly, but keeps our patio lit.
– Acrylic: Like wood, these plastic covers require special treatment so that they do not perish in inclement weather. Once prepared, the acrylic covers are perfect, since they are very resistant to external pressures, besides they are easy to maintain.
– Asphalt tiles: They are like traditional clay tiles, but in this case, asphalt is used as a manufacturing material. In this way, the roof does not require additional treatments to protect it from the entrance of the water. Despite being asphalt, there are many color options in the market. However, these are not so friendly with our energy.
Already built the largest part of our patio roof, we can go to the decorative details that will give a unique style to our new room.
Tips to decorate our covered patio
That comfort is the main thing
Image source: Bountiful
Furniture, curtains, carpets, indoor plants. Create different layers of comfort with fabrics and objects of all kinds that make the patio look more pleasant.
Use your style
Remember that this patio is still part of your home, and, therefore, must have your personal style. Make the visit to your patio pleasant by using objects and luminaries that please you.
The curtains are perfect for many things
Image source: The Cousins
The use of curtains allows us to control both the entrance of the sun and onlookers. These long pieces of cloth (we recommend the gauze fabric for its resistance), are good walls that we can easily place and remove in our patio.
Get weather-resistant furniture
There are certain finishes that are better to withstand the weather. For example, metal is much more durable than wood. In this example, we can see a metal table that imitates a wood design, but that ultimately is much more resistant.
Painting can always help us
Image source: Kikuchi + Kankel Design Group
If we want to change the natural color of bricks, paint is our solution. Get a color that you like and start changing the tones. It is an easier alternative than demolishing everything.
Add technological equipment
Especially if it is a space that will be used as a living room, we can install technological equipment such as televisions, bugles, among others. Of course, we must make sure that these pieces of equipment are ideal for the exterior, and that they are not exposed directly to the elements.
Always follow the focal point
Image source: John Kraemer & Sons
We mentioned it previously, but it is very important that you have it in mind. The focal point, which is nothing more than an element that stands out from the rest, will serve to maintain a pattern throughout the design. In this way, everything must adapt to it, both furniture and finishes. Find the materials that best suit it, and try that the designs you use for the furniture are consistent with their environment.
If you enjoyed reading this article about covered patio ideas, you should read these as well:
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