Do I want a Pergola or Patio cover for my outdoor shade structure?
When looking into outdoor shade solutions for your backyard, you may have already encountered pergolas and patio covers. Choosing between these two options can be difficult – they seem to share several of the same benefits. How can you choose between a pergola and a patio cover?
To start off, it can help to have a more concise understanding of what distinguishes these two patio shade ideas from one another. Though often conflated, these patio shades take a different approach to enhancing your home and backyard and can ultimately deliver very distinct benefits.
Pergolas
A pergola is typically more decorative and less protective from the outdoor elements than a Patio Cover. A pergola tends to be a free-standing structure and more decorative than a patio cover. Most often pergolas are built out of cedar or aluminum.
A pergola’s roof structure is built with slats set 1 to 2 inches apart from each other providing shade but not protection from the rain or snow. The slats are placed on top of joist that provide the roof structure. The joists are attached to vertical post that are typically set in concrete or mounted to an existing concrete patio pad.
A pergola, because it can be free standing and the type of roof structure allows for a little more creativity in design. It can be designed to follow the curve of a swimming pool or walkway or other structure.
Pergolas are often the “go to” choice when there is a patio structure or outdoor area away from the house where some shade is needed. Pergolas tend to be more flexible with design, how they are used and most often less expensive than building a solid roof patio cover.



A patio cover provides a solid roof protecting the homes outdoor area covering it from sun, rain and snow. A patio cover is often installed as an extension to your home to provide shade over an outdoor area with a conventional roofing structure and roofing material. This type of patio cover is designed to have a seamless interface with your roofline making the construction more complex. The construction often involves cutting into your existing roofline to make the structural connection and making the extension visually seamless so that it looks like it was built and designed when the house was built. This type of patio cover uses conventional construction typically using stick construction the same as your home.
However, a patio cover can be designed to be much simpler and not be attached to your existing roofline allowing for the same benefits of a full cover from sun, rain and snow but for less cost. The types of covers can be built with conventional construction methods, cedar or aluminum.
Patio covers and pergolas offer a range of practical answers that not only add to your enjoyment of your outdoor space, but also add to the value of your home. Whether you want an add-on feature or a freestanding structure that acts as a complement to your home, these shade solutions can give you a viable and attractive way to improve your outdoor space. Call Custom Fence & Pergola today for a free estimate at 469-337-9335 or visit our picture galleries to view some different design options.
Expertly crafted from heavy-duty, full extruded aluminum, an aluminum pergola will stand up to the elements for many years to come. When you purchase an aluminum pergola from Custom Fence & Pergola, you can rest assured that your investment is protected. Also, our pergolas are available in distinct Italy-inspired column designs – Roma, Florentine, so you’re sure to find a pergola that beautifully complement’s the exterior of your home.
In addition to superior strength, some of the other features of our aluminum pergolas include:
-Two color options: white and sandstone
-Peel and crack resistant
-Will never warp or become infested with insects
-Maintenance-free electrostatic finish
-Unique curved lattice that provides more shade and reduces UV exposure
-Exclusive snap-fit construction which allows for quick installation
We also have three design styles available, attached, free standing, and garden arbor. So, whether you’re looking for an attached pergola to extend the living area by the family swimming pool or you want a free standing pergola for your garden that’s ideal for climbing vines, there’s a Custom Fence & Pergola perfect for you.
Everybody loves the idea of sprucing up their backyards. One of the best ways to make your backyard look beautiful is to add a pergola or arbor. Here are some of the benefits pergolas can bring to your home.
Green up your garden
A pergola is a structure supported by columns on the side, with lattices or beams along the top linking the columns. It’s a structure that allows climbing plants to intertwine themselves along it, as well as suspending hanging plants. By adding a pergola and choosing some beautiful plants to go along with it, you’ll be greening up your garden and adding the type of beauty that only plant life can provide.
Protection from the weather
If you’re avoiding your backyard because of a lack of shade protection from the harshnes of a Texas summer, then a pergola is the perfect answer. Once the climbing plants have covered the pergola, you’ll find that the shade provided will protect you from the sun’s rays. The fact that the pergola is not completely closed off like a normal roof means it’ll still have that outdoor feel without roasting in the sun.
Block out unsightly views
Sometimes beautiful backyards can be ruined by an ugly structure destroying the view for you and the people who visit your house. Whether it’s an ugly shed at the next door neighbor's house or a dying tree, a pergola can be strategically placed to block out unsightly views and focus the attention on the views that contribute to a sense of beauty in your backyard.
Combine with other structures
One of the best ways to get the most value and use out of a pergola is to use it as connection to other structures, such as gazebos or outdoor BBQ areas. Imagine someone entering your yard and discovering a leafy path marked by a pergola which results in a large, inviting outdoor entertainment area. Or perhaps the pergola could lead from your back door towards a solitary gazebo to create an attractive outdoor living area. Whatever the choice, a pergola doesn’t have to exist on its own; sometimes it works best in conjunction with other structures.
Add value to your home
Finally, adding a pergola will add extra value to your home. Outdoor entertainment areas have proved to add significant value to your home and make it a more attractive prospect when it comes time to sell.
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