Benefits of Installing a Pergola

After the long Calgary winter spent staring wistfully at your garden, the summer heat seems to pack a large punch all at once. While it’s tempting to want to spend all your time outside, the heat and strength of the summer Calgary sun means that you’ll spend more time back inside avoiding sunburn. However, it’s not hard to find ways to create some shade in your garden, and a pergola is a perfect solution for any size space.

A pergola is essentially a structure, similar to a patio cover with cross rafters instead of a solid roof that proves a light, airy, open and partially shaded space underneath. They are incredibly flexible structures, with all sorts of choices you can make to tailor the pergola to your needs; the size of the lattice spaces, the height of the posts and the material used for the frame are just some of the decisions you’ll need to make to get the most out of your pergola.

Pergolas are primarily used to cover a space but can have many other uses such as entrance covers, garden pieces for lattice and climbing vines, and connecting buildings or walkways. Because they’re self-supporting and free-standing, they don’t need to be connected to any other structures. That being said, Pergolas can be placed almost anywhere you’d want one. Pergolas are a structure that can look amazing and do it all.

Benefits of having a Pergola in Alberta:

The flexibility of pergola design is one of the biggest attractions of choosing a pergola as your source of garden shade. However, there are many more benefits of installing a pergola this summer:

Freestanding design

A Pergola can be constructed anywhere you’d want to have one. The free standing nature of a Pergola can bring shade, create a space and give a classy look to any area you desire. From having one with planters or vines growing over a Pergola in the garden to having one on your patio, a Pergola can make the perfect touch to your yard in Calgary. A freestanding pergola needs stronger base posts than an attached design, but this means you can invest in some beautiful oak or cedar posts that not only provide strength but texture and beauty to your free standing pergola.

Space Efficient

Given that a Pergola is a freestanding structure, you can put one wherever you want it to maintain as much space as possible in your yard. It creates an area to protect you and your outdoor furniture from the elements without the use of a bulky dedicated space. It’s an open area cover, meaning that it could also sit directly on top of a previously installed space, such as a patio or picnic table, to provide more shade as well as a clearer definition of the space. You can think of it as almost like a new room outside, just one with huge windows and no walls.

 Pergolas can also be moved and repositioned with very little effort making them the best option for those that often like to change the layout of their outdoor space. They can also be used for creating transitions from one area of the garden to another, almost like a covered archway. Placing one at a crossroads of different paths in your garden will focus the foot traffic in specific areas as well as giving you a central point for garden parties and events.

Available Pre-Made or Manufactured

Some people like tackling DIY projects in their home, some do not. For both groups of people, Pergolas are available pre-made as a whole or pre-manufactured so you can assemble one as your next DIY Project. Both formats are available to suit the customer’s transport or assembly needs. Installing a pergola, either pre made or one that you have to build yourself, isn’t a difficult process. The biggest thing you’ll need to consider is what you’re going to install it on; a patio or deck is easiest as you can simply drill “feet” into the existing stone or wood, and then drill the pergola posts in. However, installing a pergola onto grass is a similar process to installing a fencepost; dig the hole, fill with gravel or concrete and then set the post. In either scenario, you must make sure that all the posts are the same height so that the crossbeams will be even, but this is easy to do, especially with a few helping hands.

Aesthetically Appealing

Pergolas are a timeless addition to your yard. There are many design options to choose from to better suit your space. From traditional designs to more modern ones, Pergolas can be the added touch that makes your yard look amazing. If you’re looking for a truly classic wooden design, but can’t afford the cost of oak or cedar, you can now buy pergola posts made from aluminum that come with wood prints on the outside. They are cheaper, durable and give you the same aesthetically appealing look in your garden.

Add Value to your Home

Pergolas can actually effectively add value to your home if executed correctly. They make an excellent cover to entrances as well as a decorative patio cover or yard decoration. They do a great job of filling or covering an otherwise unprotected space, and indeed act like an extra room for your home. When it comes time to sell, a potential buyer will always try to picture what it’s like to live in a given space, and will picture themselves sitting outside in the garden enjoying the shade and coolness in the middle of summer. A pergola could be the added touch that seals the deal.