Purposes and Functions of Pergolas

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Purposes and Functions of Pergolas

Woodland deck company has been serving Ohio Homeowners since 2000. We are Expert Deck Design, Building and Repair in N.E. Ohio.

Posted On
April 22, 2024
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Pergolas have been around for centuries and their early roots can be traced back to Latin times. Originally, they were used more for walkways and garden-types of uses, like growing grapes and vines. A pergola is a backyard feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area with vertical posts or pillars that usually support a roof-type structure of cross-beams and a sturdy open framework.

Today we commonly use them on decks and patios. We mainly use them for shading purposes but we have also used them just to “frame in” an area. This is to give it a sense of height and break up or define certain areas architecturally.

We design them into the original deck design, but more commonly we add them after the fact; after clients have invested in a deck or patio and they start using it. After going through a summer, they start to take notice of the sun and how it shines on their backyard. Some of our clients don’t spend time outside because the sun is just too intense in the summer for them to enjoy their outdoor living space.

In a perfect world, all this would be taken into account during the design phase but, we all know that not everything receives the due attention during the design phase. If you lived in a shaded setting before, you wouldn’t consider a pergola. Living there first gives you the understanding of the sun’s movement. So, adding one after the fact is generally not a big deal. Just consider the height of the structure and the relationship to your windows/views from the inside of the home.

Pergolas can be built out of a variety of products that fall into two major categories; low-maintenance and woods. The low-maintenance options have grown considerably over the years. Now there is powder-coated aluminum, fiberglass, PVC and a variety of other plastic products. Of the wood options the most common ones are Cedar, Redwood, and pressure-treated Southern Yellow Pine.

As far as design and customization, there are a slew of options available. The low-maintenance pergolas are a little more limited but with the woods we are able to build a very custom pergola with specific spans and details. Adding a pergola can provide maximum shade, offer some privacy, and improve your backyards value.

About the Author

About the Author

I founded Woodland Deck in 2000 to create decks and outdoor spaces to be enjoyed for generations. Here in beautiful Northeast Ohio, we’re lucky to experience four dramatically different seasons throughout the year, and I want you to be able to enjoy each one of them from the comfort of your own backyard. As a deck-building company, we are always looking for ways to better our products, services, and ourselves. We are passionate about life outside and believe that enjoying God’s creation is a rich gift to us.

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