Enjoy Summer Living under a Pergola

Summer is here and now is the time when we spend more time outdoors enjoying this beautiful weather so why not enjoy it under a Pergola?! Adding a Pergola to your outdoor space is a great way to define an entertaining area while also adding some protection against weather. Most of the time Pergolas are constructed without a solid roof however depending on your choice of material and roofing structure, they can still offer some protection against the weather or you can always add some sunscreen material or perspex sheeting for extra shelter. If working to a budget, Pergolas are often far cheaper to build than Verandahs because of less materials required and they can make a real impact by creating a feature within your outdoor entertaining space.

When it comes to deciding on colour and material for your Pergola, it’s all about if you are wanting the Pergola to be a main feature or if you are wanting it to blend and to be a part of your building. To make your Pergola a feature then choose a contrasting colour or material to the rest of your outdoor space or buildings so it really stands out and becomes the main focal point. Whereas if you are preferring it to blend, then choose the same colour or material as any nearby or adjoining buildings or structures. This will then make it feel like it’s part of the structure and not an add on.

When going with timber for your framework, many don’t know if they should paint or coat their timber in a clear and or stain. The real decider is if you are happy to keep up with maintenance as you will need to coat any timber clear or stain more regularly than you will need to recoat paint. Paint will last much longer than stain as it’s solid in colour so will have far more UV resistance than a clear or stain which is more transparent in order to highlight the timber grain. If looking at timber clears, many will still have some slight colour to them for UV stability and if going with a coating that has more colour or stain to it, it will last longer than a natural or clear as the UV rays will need to break through the pigment before it affects the coating. Depending on the location of your timber and how much weather and sun it receives will also depend on how often you will need to recoat if opting for a timber coating. It might be every few months, once a year or longer that you will need to recoat, just depends on how much weather it receives.

If you are unsure about which product will be suitable for your application, contact us on 0450 602 891 or send us an email to [email protected].