Free Standing Patio Covers

If you want to get the best patio you really need to plan and design it yourself. There are a number of patio kits on the market but they are basically made with a cookie cutter. In other words your patio will be in no way unique. If you design it yourself, in sections, you will have a much better patio for your needs. So what are the steps?

Base:

Two choices with a base for your patio. The first is the old wood or metal framed patio base. These bases are fairly strong if built well. You can also make a base of the same type with cement as well. The good thing about this type is that you can use the space between them for storage of lawn and garden equipment, pool toys, fertilizers, and many other things. These bases will have less of a lifespan however than the other choice, a poured slab. The poured slab will be the strongest choice you can have and you can line the concrete with native stone for a very natural look.

Patio Roofs:

There are basically two general types of roofs, attached and free standing patio covers. These work the same way that carport roofs do. The attached roofs are physically attached to the house and have support posts only on one side, while larger patio covers might have posts on three sides. You can choose flat roofs, or tilted roofs. They are about the same price but tilted roofs will provide several feet more shade and extend the shade into the yard. Free standing patio covers on the other hand can be much larger, and tilted, so you will be able to get a great deal more shade. Free standing patio covers can also be made in portable form, that can be either folded up and moved or can be made with several different types of wheels, from small and hard to pillow wheels.

All About Retractable Awnings

Retractable awnings are simple structures that generally attach to your home in order to provide additional shade to either the deck or patio area. Manufacturers of retractable awnings make advanced awnings which now come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Whats more, motorized awnings can be controlled via a small remote control.

Retractable awnings like this can be opened and closed at a simple remote control device. Because they are powered by a small electrical engine, you don’t have to manually crank open the awning every time. Because they come in many sizes, even picky homeowners can probably find the exact model to provide shade for your deck or patio area.

On the other hand, manually powered awnings do the same job as a motorized awning, and will save you some money in the meantime. How? These awnings cost less to manufacture, and because they don’t have a motor, they cost less to you. That means more work for the homeowner, who then has to open and close the awning with a hand crank. But if there is no need to retract the awning on a regular basis, this may be the way to go for you.

Retractable awnings are sold at stores like Wal-Mart, Target and Home Depot. While the price is usually good at these stores, your choice of color and pattern are generally limited. A better option if you are looking for something special is to search out an awning dealer, or even deal direct with the manufacturer.

When shopping for a retractable awning, there are a couple of names that are well known for making quality porch awnings. Probably the name that is the most recognized is the Sunsetter brand, with Sunbrella and Durasol being two other well known names. All of these manufacturers offer quality awnings at a fair price. Variety is what the manufacturers are looking to offer, as they can provide you several options as far as colors and patterns.

There are several reasons to make your deck a cool place to sit with the ones you love. A Durasol retractable awning may be the ticket to a more comfortable backyard. When you add an awning, homeowners will beautify your porch with the design or color that best suits your home.