Top 6 tips for choosing the right outdoor pergola canopy
With a bit of forward thinking, you’ll be sure to create an outdoor space fit for its intended purpose. To make sure you’re adding real value to your home and day-to-day life, we recommend you ask yourself these six important questions.
1. What are you trying to achieve with the area in mind?
Consider how you’re going to use the new space. For example, do you want a year-round outdoor living space? Or would you rather create an area for the more temperate months of the year? The other key consideration is whether you’ll need to block prevailing winds or sun ingress into a specific room. Make sure you share this information with your local Archgola shade specialist, to ensure you get a canopy that’s fit for your intended purpose.
2. How much heat and light do you want?
Your choice of roofing type and colour is a critical consideration. The Archgola Oasis polycarbonate offers a different combinations of heat and light penetration to the Archgola Signature Suntuf Greca roofing. Make sure you are shown roofing samples and then seek advice from your local Archgola shade specialist on their points of difference. It might even be worth asking if you can be shown examples of canopies in your area with different roof types and colours to help you make your final decision.
3. How much area do you wish to cover?
Measure the dimensions of your outdoor space and take note of its shape. This information will be crucial when planning the layout and choosing appropriate furniture and features. If you’ve got a really large deck you may want to consider covering only half the area and allowing the remainder to be exposed. Regulations require canopies over 30 sqm to have council consent. Archgola can arrange this for you, but it does involve additional plans and drawings, which adds to the cost, so it may be something you consider when thinking about the size.
4. What colour do you want the frame
Most people find the best thing to do is to match their existing joinery with their new canopy frame. In doing this, the canopy becomes an extension of the house and it all looks cohesive. Archgola’s two-step powder coating offers superior durability and corrosion protection, exceptional resistance to chipping, scratching and wear and ensures the frame is highly resistant to moisture/corrosion creep if damaged.
5. Do you want to use your new living area year-round?
If the answer’s yes, you might like to consider adding outdoor blinds. They’re a great way to enclose a space and they’ll ensure you can enjoy the area year-round by blocking prevailing winds and rain. They also make it so much easier to heat the area on those really cold winter days. Whilst outdoor blinds can be added to your canopy at any time, it’s vital to inform your local Archgola shade specialist that you may want outdoor blinds at some point. This is so that allowances can be made when the canopy is being designed.
6. Taking care of water flow
Most canopies will require a downpipe and guttering. In rare circumstances some small canopies over terraces and the like may not require them. From an aesthetic point of view, consider the location of the downpipe. If you’ve got a great view to enjoy from the shelter of your new canopy, the last thing you’ll want is a down pipe intruding on it. Work with your local Archgola shade specialist to achieve a location for the downpipe that’s as unobtrusive as possible.
If you would like to extend your outdoor living space, contact our team of friendly and local installers to organise a free measure and quote.
