Description

When we talk about pergola design, we'repartly referring to the materials used to construct it. The mostcommon material choices are wood, plastic, or metal. Each has itsown advantages and disadvantages. We'll begin with wood, which isarguably the most popular material choice. When purchasing orbuilding a wooden pergola, the most important consideration is thetype of wood used. Redwoods, such as cedar, are preferable becausethey are naturally resistant to rot, decay, and insectinfestations. If building your own pergola, you may want to shyaway from treated woods, particularly if the structure will be usedto support climbing plants. The chemicals in treated wood canpoison and kill some types of plants. When constructing thepergola, be sure to use stainless steel fasteners that won't rust.

Plastic pergolas, while not as rustic and traditional looking aswood, can offer a more upscale and polished look. The primaryadvantage of plastic over wood is longevity. Where wood willeventually decay, plastic will not. A high density vinyl is thesuperior choice for durability and weather resistance.

Metal is another material choice that offers a completelydifferent look and style. While metal pergolas are ratherexpensive, they do offer a whole new level of sturdiness anddurability, even more so than plastic. Cast iron is a common metalchoice, though it is very heavy and will rust when exposed to theelements. Aluminum is better alternative, because it's lightweight,yet still extremely strong.

The section below will introduce you to the most commonly usedpergola designs and the features that make them unique.

Attached: As the name suggests, attached pergolas are structuresthat will stay attached to your abode. Based on your preference,you can build the pergola on the back or front of your house. Theycan be made up of different materials. The most important thing youmust remember while choosing the material for an attached model isthat it should complement your house's style perfectly. It mustlook like an extension of your house. Here's an example that willmake you understand how pergolas can match your house's design. Ifyour house already has a deck, you should try to give the pergolathe same attributes as that of the deck; you can use the same woodtype or can use the same color of paint.

Deck: This type of pergolas stay attached to both the house andthe deck. To ensure that the pergola design and design of the deckcomplements each other well, you must build them at once. However,if your house already possesses a deck, you will have to build thepergola later, using complementary materials and colors.

Freestanding: You can place the freestanding pergolas at anypart of your yard. The only thing you must consider whileinstalling a freestanding model is whether or not it is lookingvisually appealing in that location. The most common areas wherethis pergola type gets installed include: at the side of theswimming pools, above hot tubs, patios and of course ingardens.