Wood Pergola Patio Cover for Your Backyard

You have a great looking backyard, but it's a bit sparse. You need something to spruce it up and give it character. A wood pergola may be your answer. Wood pergolas, wood trellises, and wood patios are often confused or used interchangeably, but there is a difference.

A wooden pergola is a standalone unit with a lattice style top. This means the beams are separated and not fully covered. wood pergolas are used to protect plants which need a bit of shielding from the sun. You may place potted plants below the pergola or hang them from the beams. It adds a natural and calming feel to your backyard. Unless you're an expert builder it's best to hire a contractor to build the wood pergola for you.

A wood trellis is essentially a fence type of structure that can easily be placed in your backyard. You can easily find pre-built trellises in stores that you can put in your backyard. You won't necessarily need a contractor to put up the wooden trellis unless you desire something more sophisticated and custom built. Otherwise, you may find inexpensive trellises that are ready to go.

Wood patio covers are typically attached to the home. One of the major differences between the wood pergola and the wood patio cover is that the wooden pergola is a free standing unit while the wood patio is attached to the home. The wood patio cover can be built with a lattice top just like the pergola, but it can also be built with a solid patio cover. Both provide the same protection for the more sensitive plants that need a bit of shielding from the sun and you may choose to hang flowers from the beams of the patio cover as well. Keep in mind that the wood pergola is typically built away from the house over the grass.

Hiring a Contractor to Build Your wood pergola

Unless you're a professional builder you're better off hiring a contractor to build your wood pergola. If you don't have the right tools or construction education the process may be very frustrating. You may give up or put the work aside and it'll take much longer to complete than if you had hired a licensed contractor from the start. You need to not only have plans, but be able to properly read them.

Instead, hire a licensed contractor to do the job for you. It's important to check his credentials first just to be sure he really is licensed. You can verify the license number online against the state board of contractors website. Once you've found the right contractor you can be sure your wood pergola will be built correctly and to your specifications.

Transforming an Aluminum Patio Cover Into an Insulated Roof on Your Mobile Home

Mobile home repair can be a daunting task. A popular addition to mobile homes are aluminum patio covers. Aluminum patio covers offer a nice opportunity to increase outdoor living space. Typically these structures have a "U Pan" or "V Pan" design. A lot of people have tried to enclose the area underneath and heat it. Most people fail at this. I will tell you how to successfully accomplish this.

The hardest part to this task is effectively insulating the aluminum patio cover. Most people will see how the pans are shaped and become perplexed. The most effective way is to fill the low voids of the cover with 2" foam board. Measure and cut strips of the foam board to fit in between the ridges of the pans. You want the surface of the foam board to be flush with the top of the ridges of the pans. If you are not flush yet, add an appropriate thickness of foam to make the surfaces flush. Once flush, overlay a foam board across the entire patio cover. You can use 3/4" or 1" foam. Use screws with washers to attach the top layer of foam. If you are not going to finish the interior of the roof and don't want to see screws poking through, you can glue the foam down.

The next step is to install a rubber EPDM membrane over the roof surface. Black rubber is going to be the most readily available and inexpensive. I recommend using white EPDM rubber instead of black. You might have to call around to obtain this but it is worth the trouble. A white roof surface will reflect the sun rays in the summer time and help on keeping it cool. The insulation will keep the heat in during the winter months. Typically you would not glue the membrane down. Termination bars held down by screws are the best way to attach the roof. Install the termination bar on the vertical surface of the gutter/fascia that is bordering the patio cover. Use a 1/4" hex head screw that is approx 1" in length.

Make sure to properly tuck or flash the roof where it meets the existing structure. If you have an existing rubber roof and you have enough material, detach the termination bar and tuck the rubber under the other membrane. Then re-attach the termination bar.

You now have an insulated roof that you can enclose to fit your lifestyle. Use conventional wall construction to assemble and build walls around the area.

Patio Covers - Finding a Contractor to Build Your Deck Or Patio Cover

Choosing a patio cover scheme is a personal choice. If an architect designed your patio then the cover will most likely need a professional contractor's touch. A remodeling contractor can help you decide on a patio cover suitable for your patio or deck and explain some of the products capable of surviving the extreme high desert climate.

The Desert

Places like Palmdale California experience severe summers and near constant Santa Ana Winds. The winters can be blistering cold and your patio cover will experience every extreme of those conditions month in and month out.

Before you call a professional contractor to help you build your patio cover, consider doing some research first. Think about the patio's primary use, will the patio be used for entertaining?

Think about the Intended Use

For example, will he patio be a place to put your barbecue, a table and some chairs? Are you envisioning an enclosed or climate controlled patio design, or something that simply keeps the sun off your back as you enjoy a nice Mojave Desert summer evening? The possibilities are endless and it's best to have an idea in your mind before accepting offers from prospective general contractors in your area.

Collecting Ideas

Another fantastic idea is to consult the internet and magazines for creative ideas. Design ideas are plentiful and available to you if you look hard enough.

Think about the Mojave Desert weather conditions. The sun and wind can quickly ravage any untreated or improperly treated patio cover.

Think about the Santa Ana winds. Something impervious will need to be built. You the consumer should be armed with this kind of knowledge when consulting with a contractor.

Budget

Once you have an idea in mind, contemplate budget. Decent patio covers can range anywhere from a couple thousand dollars on up depending on the complexity of the project, materials used and quality contractor involved.

Having a Picture

One of the best pieces of advice that I can give is that a picture does speak a thousand words. If you can show a contractor an image of what you want, you'll be fifteen steps ahead and closer to getting what you want.

Be it a page taken from a book or an image from the web this will save you big time.

Now delegate your efforts towards tweaking the details. No sense in wasting time,struggling to draw a mental model of what you desire and expecting the professional contractor gets it. Knowing that the professional contractor has a good idea of what you want brings good piece of mind. Also, you'll get more realistic estimates in return.

Three Ideas For Building A Patio Cover

If you have a patio in your home, and you can't sit on it while the sun glares, you might consider going for a patio cover. Patios can be useless when it's too hot or when it's raining. A cover is a simple structure that can be put up even with the most plain materials and tools. Make use of these ideas to build your own covering.

Idea one:

Arbors are the most frequently used cover. An arbor is a structure or framework that supports the growth of plants and creepers like orchids. It is typically made from metal or wood. The structure is being supported by vertical columns, which are made from similar materials.

The upper portion is a matrix or grid of lightweight beams. After installing the arbor and erecting the roof, hang or plant the orchids and creepers on the framework. This helps you make your patio a lot cooler.

You can use lighter and well-suited roof to stop the rain from pouring into your patio. Roof tiles can be attached or mounted on the arbor as well. If you plan to do so, you need a durable material like wood or metal for the arbor.

Idea two:

You can go for the "sail away" technique of installing sails. The sail is a piece of canvas, which can be connected into supporting holes or tied down into the upper part of the arbor. It is at times 100% water proof. This method appears to be the handiest as it can be tied and removed as often as you want.

Use different umbrellas for the patio. Just like the sail, these umbrellas can be very convenient as well. The umbrellas can be installed and removed quickly.

You can choose from different colors, sizes and fashions. The umbrella manufacturers came up with modern ideas such as hanging umbrellas, those that are placed on stands and those that are shaped like canopies.

Idea three:

This idea is considered to be very weird. The entire patio is covered thus resembling a different room. Its sides have large French doors with a covered up roof. This can withstand any type of weather condition.

These are the ideas that you can use when you're planning to put up your own covering. You can try out other innovative ideas. Just let your imagination roll. Think about how you could make your patio a better place to stay despite the rain and the glaring sun.

Installing a patio cover is a great way for you to enjoy your patio. Choose the idea that suits your taste best and get started. This will surely give you and your family a very good opportunity to enjoy the view of your surroundings.

Patio Cover Ideas for a Dream Outdoors

Where do you look for ideas or inspiration for a dream patio space? Many start with the more traditional sources of magazines or home shows. You could also contact local builders and contractors in your area. If you live in the right area, maybe you can peek over your wall and see what the neighbor has. Then, a choice that might leave you overwhelmed, is the online browse.

Making your ideal patio space come to life will rest on really one main concept; how do you and your family or those you will host hope to use your space. With this in mind, the great variety of patio cover ideas that exist will become more clear. You will then have the framework for the ultimate backdrop for what you should build around. The ability to customize and nurture your space to fit your landscape will yield the most natural design.

The previously mentioned idea is a simple one to grasp if you think about design. The family will utilize their patio differently than the couple that likes to entertain or host private, elegant outdoor dinner parties with guests. While you can certainly appreciate some overlap in designs between the two, making sure that your design fits your lifestyle will be your best bet.

You will also need to think about the variety of accessories for your patio. Not only is patio furniture important, but so is lighting. The outdoor lighting features available today are extensive. You will be able to find spot light, flood lights, outdoor lamps and other features that can help your patio dreams come alive. With the right lighting, you can really give your landscape features some pop as well.

There are certain softer and other 'hardscape' elements to landscaping. The softer ones are those consisting of living matter, while the hardscape includes features like brick, pavers, wooden structures, water features and fencing and edging. These are all elements that need to work together in such a way that they support your design ideas.

Take the trend in outdoor living and create a place where you can enjoy to be outdoors for more seasons than you currently are. This trend is probably not going to change anytime soon. Do what others have done and take this outdoor living trend to heart, you'll be glad you did!