There’s no better way to avoid the heat during the Calgary summer months than relaxing underneath a Desert Sun Patios patio cover. These unique additions to your home create an outdoor indoor experience for you and your family by providing some much needed shade over your patio. They attach to your home and stretch out over your patio, and are supported on the other side of your patio by two or more posts or columns to give the illusion of an outdoor room. Patio covers can have either closed roofs to create extra shade, or open roofs to allow the air to circulate better, and the type of roof you choose will depend on how you envisage using your patio cover in all seasons, not just summer.
What If I Don’t Have A Patio?
A patio is a fairly common feature for Calgary homes with larger gardens and longer external walls. They represent an easy way to cover up unlevel ground and are quick and easy to install to cover up some yard space and create an extra entertaining area. However, if you have a smaller garden or the size of your home doesn’t allow for a full patio, you can still put a patio cover over these areas:
- A deck – for many people, a deck is another viable option for generating outdoor areas where land is at a premium or your garden slopes too severely for a patio. Your deck is also a great space to make use of a patio cover, as the wooden decking quickly absorbs heat in direct sunlight making it too hot to sit on for long. Another advantage of installing a patio cover over a deck is that it will be considerably easier to secure the posts or columns to your wooden deck with screwed in anchors.
- A balcony – there are an increasing number of people who are looking to the simple balcony as a way of generating a small piece of extra space in their Calgary homes. These small extensions can be on the first or second floor and provide a small seating or dining area directly off one of your rooms. This proximity to the house makes them perfect for a patio cover, which not only provides much needed shade, but also can give your balcony some privacy in busy neighbourhood areas.
- Plain grass – finally, you don’t need a formal outdoor space to enjoy the benefits of a patio cover. Just by building one out over the patch of grass or garden next to your home can create the feeling of an additional room outside. The benefit here is that you’re not limited by the size of your patio, deck or balcony.
Size Matters
The best thing about patio covers that don’t go over a traditional patio is that you can really play around with the shape and size of your new outdoor space. Of course, if you’re building a patio cover over your balcony, you’ll be somewhat limited by the size of your space, but a free standing patio cover over open grass or one that extends over your deck can be any size that you like. While the usual maxim of bigger is better normally applies with patio covers, you can create some interesting aesthetics by leaving a part of your deck or grass uncovered by the patio cover so that those who want to sit in sunshine can while the rest of your party can sit in shade. You’ll also find that the cost of your patio cover project increases exponentially as you increase the size as you’ll need more material to make the cover work. In cases where you’re using vinyl or aluminium for your cover, these tend to be sold in standard size sheets so anything that is larger than this size will cost you much more as you’ll need to piecemeal the sheets together.
How To Use Your Patio Cover
Once you’ve decided where to put your patio cover, you then want to think about how you want to use it to make the most of your outdoor space. Some common ideas for use of your covered space include:
- Entertainment – the most common thing you’ll find Calgary residents doing under their patio cover is hanging out with friends and family. If you’ve got a deck underneath your feet, you’ll want to invest in some sturdy sofas and a couple of armchairs as the floor will be able to take the weight. If your patio cover is freestanding out in the garden, you’ll want something that matches the aesthetic more such as wooden adirondack chairs or upscale camping chairs. In either case, don’t forget a fireplace so you can enjoy your outdoor space in spring and fall.
- Cooking and dining – the next most likely use for your patio cover is as a dining area. You’ll need to find a table that is big enough for your family and a few guests, as people will want to come over to spend the summer under your patio cover. If you’re into grilling, your patio cover makes for a great shady spot for your barbeque, as well as keeping your food close to your dining table.
- A zen space – finally, you can go a little left field and make your patio cover a space just for you to relax in. Consider decorating with windchimes and twirling ribbons, and you’ll only need a couple of long chaise lounges or extended garden chairs to stretch out in during the summer heat. You’ll also want to invest in a Bluetooth speaker system so you can play a yoga session or a guided meditation to bring you some much needed zen in the middle of the city.
No matter what you have for outdoor space, a patio cover makes sense if you’re looking for a quick solution to bring some extra shade on a budget. Talk with Desert Sun Patios about their patio cover ideas to help you live your best outdoor life.