The backyard of your property is a place where you may spend a lot of time, and as a homeowner, it can be a very entertaining and relaxing location when enjoying this outdoor space. If you are highly enthusiastic about making constant improvements to your backyard, is likely for the enjoyment of your family, and to enhance its overall visual appeal. Landscape enhancements can improve your mood dramatically, plus your family will feel safe and secure in this beautiful area that you are constantly improving. One of the best improvements that you can make is to install a pergola. Here is why you should consider making this decision:
Extend Your Living Space With A Pergola
It is common for people to have a patio in their backyard, or a deck that circumvents their home, and it was likely done to provide you with more living space to use. The outdoor living area is a great place to be you like to spend time outside, yet you also want to be protected from the climate, and the hot sun during the summer months, which a pergola can certainly accomplish for you. This extension of your living space will allow you to spend more time outside. If you design it properly, you can have shade from the sun, and you can also install a retractable shade cover that will be even more helpful. Some of the shade covers that are available will deflect the rain, which you may need if you are in an area that is often quite inclement.
Consider Your Design Options
There are two options that you have available which will include purchasing a kit for the pergola, or having a professional design and build one for you. You can contact a professional that specializes in landscaping and have one built from scratch, or you can simply purchase a pergola kit that you can put up on your own. You won’t have the same amount of flexibility when you purchase a kit because they are predesigned – but all of the parts will be there and you will be able to assemble it very quickly. For readers who are in Hampshire or surronding areas see ‘pergolas Hampshire‘.
The types of materials that it is made of should also be a consideration. There are many different ones to choose from, each with its own advantages and disadvantages:
Pressure-treated wood: this will be the best option for people on a budget. They will have a somewhat reasonable lifespan, but they can crack in warp over time. These are generally best suited for some type of stain or paint to preserve the wood for as long as possible.
Cedarwood: Red Cedar is a very popular choice for those that obtain pergolas. First of all, they are insect resistant and will often not as if the lumber is freshly cut. If you do not treat the outside of the lumber, it can become a silver-grey colour, or you can stain the wood if you want to. A cedar pergola tends to be somewhat expensive, especially if it is pressure-treated, but it’s going to last a long time.
Vinyl: If you are looking for a pergola that will require very little maintenance, this would be a good option. Yet you are going to be limited in the number of colours that are available.
Fibreglass: Fiberglass pergolas are very popular and also extremely expensive by comparison to the others, but they are beneficial to own. Fibreglass is extremely strong, and this will allow you to build a much larger pergola, sometimes extending as far as 20 feet across. You can paint these in virtually any colour that you want to, and they are going to be more durable than those made of lumber. Fibreglass pergolas can be used in conjunction with a patio or deck. These are also extremely lightweight, and will not require deep footers as you would use with other pergolas.