Page 2 | pergola/ pergoda?!

LIZS · 22/09/2021 12:12

Kind of like this

Lou573 · 22/09/2021 12:20

My parents have a sort of sail that retracts at the push of a button. I imagine it was expensive but don’t know figures. We had a house with a covered verandah at the back - clear plastic with plants for shade. BUT the spiders loved it, it was crawling with them. And you can’t easily reach cobwebs. Was also a nightmare to clean the roof and then to do anything to the second storey windows above it you needed to erect expensive scaffolding.

Lou573 · 22/09/2021 12:21

We did put a retractable washing line under it so we could dry laundry outside all year round though, that was a bonus.

Original poster

Lalaland50 · 22/09/2021 12:27

@fantastaballs - that's really super helpful...I hear that it can get really hot under the plastic -but others have told me that it can also be cool because the sides are open...getting lots of conflicting opinions! Thanks for your photos too - is your structure up permanently? Does the rain not soak through the material?

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Original poster

Lalaland50 · 22/09/2021 12:33

@LIZS that's exactly what I had in mind ...worried about it getting too warm now!

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daisypond · 22/09/2021 12:35

This is what I had in mind, but there are vines growing on the underside in summer.

fantastaballs · 22/09/2021 12:44

@Lalaland50

Mine is up all year round. The cover is a really thick pvc so no water comes through at all. In the future I would definitely upgrade to a more rigid structure with a proper roof like the ones on Costco website but I do worry that I will cut off all the natural light into my downstairs space. It would be permanent gloom I think and I don't really want that. It's a very tough thing to balance but right now I'm happy with what I've got. It's surprisingly rigid and the legs are cemented into large plant pots with 30kg Postmix on each side so it's not going anywhere. We just need to check the weather as any strong winds of 45mph up we need to put the sides on and make sure it's ready .

longtompot · 22/09/2021 13:11

[quote Lalaland50]@LIZS that's exactly what I had in mind ...worried about it getting too warm now![/quote]
Could you do half and half, so covered in a sheltered corner and then more open further along?

Original poster

Lalaland50 · 22/09/2021 13:17

@longtompot - I think that might be a possibility...would it look weird? how long would it take to grow greenery etc across the top of the bit without plastic so it hides it a bit?

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longtompot · 22/09/2021 13:57

I think using the same materials for each section is key. This is similar to what I was thinking but you could do the covered area with clear plastic roofing sheets

HalzTangz · 22/09/2021 14:02

Could you not have gaps to create windows, so sun gets through the gaps in the bamboo (like cutting a rectangle area) out of the bamboo

minipie · 22/09/2021 14:04

This is what you want but it may cost a fortune.

Basically the pergola roof has louvres like a plantation shutter. You can shut them for rain protection or open them for more sunshine. Electric I assume.

Vodka1 · 22/09/2021 14:24

It won't get warm unless you attach sides too it and block it all in.

I am assuming you will have an open front / sides.

You can attach a few curtains/nets in the summer time on tracks to make it shadier and remove as needed.

The roof may make rain sound quite loud but, some people like that some do not.

I'd also steer clear of gazebos because the coverings will need to come off in high winds and that doesn't sound like the situation you're looking for.

Loubilou09 · 22/09/2021 14:30

@Lalaland50

We are hoping to have a wooden pergola built at the back of our house, where the kitchen is. It would be attached to the back, where the french doors are and go out 3m and go the whole length of the house (4m).

We have a small Victorian terrace, SW-facing and in the summer the patio/ decking area gets so hot, we can't sit out there, and the kitchen does too. We are also still shielding, as my DH is waiting for a stem cell transplant, so we can't have anyone in our house, but if we had an outdoor area with nice furniture etc, that was sheltered, we could sit outside and not get rained on etc.

The carpenter that is going to do it for us, has suggested a clear plastic covering, to go on the wood, which in theory sounds good and would keep the rain off. However, we would also need another covering like some bamboo or something to actually shade us from the sun. Then, I'm worried that we will lose all the sun, and I do actually like having a bit of sun! Does anyone have any experience of this. I've looked at the retractable awnings, but my DH said that it wouldn't be practical to keep the rain off...he says that we would still have some sun coming in...I'm' just concerned I'm going to create a completely shaded area and never have the sun in my garden again!
Thanks.

You can get plastic sheets lasered to the size of the gaps in between the wood. Bear with me here.....I know it sounds awful but.....

If you go to www.screenwithenvy.co.uk and look at their screens, I particularly like the black ones, you can have them cut to fit your pergola or better still make your pergola gaps fit around their standard sizes and sit them in between the wooden slats. They would look beautiful and give you some sun a light but also shade. They wouldn't be totally waterproof but would be fairly rain proof.

Original poster

Lalaland50 · 22/09/2021 15:10

@Loubilou09 these look fantastic. I love them - they wouldn't provide any shelter from rain I imagine?

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HappyAsASandboy · 22/09/2021 15:15

A friend has a similar structure in their garden. They have the clear corrugated plastic over the wood structure, and then have fabric shades under that, attached to the wood. This gives some colour and texture, can be removed if you want more light, and yet has the waterproofing of the plastic sheeting. I think it is great!

Original poster

Lalaland50 · 22/09/2021 15:20

@HappyAsASandboy sounds lovely. Does the plastic make it too very hot - our area is a little sun trap (hence why we want the covering), but erring against plastic as fear it may beat down too much - if we don't have the fabric shades...do you know how the fabric was attached?

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Original poster

Lalaland50 · 22/09/2021 15:22

@Loubilou09 it's funny that you showed me the screen company as I've had this little picture in my kitchen for so long now as i just love the look of the screens with the decking and greenery...

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Loubilou09 · 22/09/2021 15:25

I would have them and then grow a vine over the top of them so you get some sun dappling through. I wouldn't have a plastic covering but I guess that is the only way to make it totally rain proof x

LunaLoveFood · 22/09/2021 15:27

You can get tinted plastic which could provide shade.
Even the clear plastic has a UV coating and does provide some shade. We have it and it's surprising how much light it stops coming into the house (we didn't really notice it until we took the panels down to paint the house and were surprised at how much brighter inside was.)

reesewithoutaspoon · 22/09/2021 15:39

I have a square shade sail in cream . Gives protection. Looks nice and doesn't totally block the light

Bluntness100 · 22/09/2021 15:48

You also need to think of longevity, anything with fabric is going to get dirty fast. Clear plastic I’d think will just magnify th Sun and make it too hot, and it looks quite tacky, like those old plastic lean toos,

I’d possibly have half covered and half just pergola if you can’t stretch to a proper louvre roof,

Original poster

Lalaland50 · 22/09/2021 15:51

Yes, I am worried the plastic might get too hot. I am thinking of maybe bamboo across the whole structure, with those lovely screens dotted around the roof/ on the side.

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PigletJohn · 22/09/2021 16:02

Bamboo softens the sun but does not totally block it

If it is open at the sides it will not get baking hot

To keep the rain off you can use polycarbonate tri-wall roofing which is fairly strong and is used on car ports. It needs a slope, a gutter and a downpipe. Your carpenter will know how to do it.

I have a carport like that and I can add canvas sides like a garden or beach shelter. I put screw-hooks along the beams to fit the eyelets in the sides. You can roll them up or take them off when not needed.

You can add hook bolts (which are much stronger) if you want a washing line under cover, which is very handy. They need to be along a beam as a washing line experts a strong pull and will pull the sides or ends together otherwise.

PigletJohn · 22/09/2021 16:04

BTW you can grow vines and stuff along the beams if you don't mind earwigs and spiders dropping on you.