All about the awnings over the terrace

In the process of building or arranging their own home, many people think about creating a terrace. However, in order to make your stay on it as comfortable and pleasant as possible at any time of the year and in any climatic conditions, you should also take care of installing a canopy over the terrace. Today in our material we will talk in more detail about the features and types of such awnings.

A canopy over a terrace or veranda of a country, private or country house performs a number of functional tasks. First of all, these include:

• sheltering the terrace area from unwanted sunlight (this is especially true in relation to bars, dance floors);
• protection of vehicles from overheating in direct sunlight;
• creating a comfortable seating area in the shade.

Today on the market you can find a wide variety of types of patio canopies. So, forged, metal, glass, fabric, transparent, aluminum and some other varieties are popular. Let's consider them in more detail.

Metal is a fairly common material that is often used to create terrace awnings. The most important positive characteristics of such structures include the fact that they serve for a long time. You can create such a canopy both with the help of specialists and with your own hands (for example, using metal pipes). However, for self-construction of such a canopy, you need to have the skills of a welder.

In addition, it should be borne in mind that metal canopies can corrode (accordingly, they are not recommended to be installed in regions characterized by high air humidity and frequent rains). It is also important to note that today it is customary to create not only metal canopies, but to combine this material with others (for example, with polycarbonate).

Glass is one of the most popular canopy materials. Wherein for the manufacture of such structures, they traditionally use not ordinary glass, which has a high level of fragility, but more durable and reliable types of material. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that such an improved glass is quite expensive, therefore, terrace sheds made of such material will not be affordable for every person (in this regard, the social and economic situation in society should be taken into account) ...

On the other hand, in addition to negative characteristics, one can also highlight the existing advantages, thanks to which the glass canopy is popular among consumers.

Let's consider them in more detail.

• Transparency. Thanks to this characteristic, the terrace remains quite light, but at the same time you do not experience the negative effects of sunlight on the human body: you do not overheat, there are no burns on the skin.
• Stability. As mentioned above, the glass used for the manufacture of awnings is characterized by increased resistance rates.So, it does not deform under the influence of ultraviolet rays, and also shows resistance to mechanical damage (for example, scratches) and aggressive chemical compounds.
• Modern design. Glass canopies are popular also due to their aesthetically pleasing appearance, which corresponds to all modern design trends.

For the creation of awnings, fabric is used quite rarely, the majority of consumers prefer more reliable materials (especially when it comes to capital construction). On the other hand, the fabric canopy is perfect for mobile terraces.

Fabric awnings protect the terrace area well from precipitation and bright sun. In addition, they can be collected in a roll and straightened out only if necessary (moreover, the canopy can be laid out either manually or by installing a specially designed automated system).

A board canopy is a do-it-yourself design. In this case, you can use any boards at your disposal.

A popular type of wooden canopy is the so-called pergola., which structurally is a roof, folded of boards located parallel to each other.

Due to the great popularity, wide distribution and demand for terrace awnings among a wide range of consumers, today manufacturers offer a wide variety of similar designs.

• Folding / folding canopy. Such a folding structure is perfect for those people who are not ready for the capital construction of a canopy. The most important advantages of this option include the fact that it (if desired) can be transferred from one place to another or even taken with you on a trip.

• Sliding / sliding. Unlike the canopy described above, this structure cannot be moved. However, the canopy itself (its upper part) you can move and push apart - thus, if you wish, you can sunbathe on the open terrace or enjoy the shade and coolness during a family lunch in the fresh air in the country.

• Rolled. Rolled awnings can be rolled up (hence the name of this type of awnings). By the type of its design, such a canopy is similar to a sliding / sliding version.

If you decide to make a canopy for the terrace with your own hands, then in order to build a structure quickly and efficiently, you should follow the advice and recommendations of experts. Depending on your wishes and skills, you can use stone, brick, wood as a material for posts and canopies. However, the most popular in this regard is polycarbonate.

First of all, you need to prepare the appropriate toolkit:

• metal pipes (you can also use corners);
• polycarbonate sheets;
• welding device;
• grinding machine for cutting;
• drill;
• self-tapping screws and anchor bolts.

In the next step, you need draw up a plan, project and drawing. In this case, you must first carefully carry out all measurements. Remember that the final result of your work will depend on how accurately you draw up the project.

Then you can proceed directly to the construction. So, to begin with, it is necessary to cut out all parts from polycarbonate sheets, which will subsequently serve as a canopy.Further (depending on the plan you made earlier), the polycarbonate sheets must be connected to pipes or corners (before combining the structure, you need to fix the pipes or corners in their places). After all the preliminary work is completed, you can proceed with the final installation of the canopy.

At the end of the construction, do not forget to do the decoration and design of the structure. So, for this you can use artificial or live plants, art objects, paintings, sculptures, textiles or any other elements of your choice.

Let's take a look at some beautiful examples of terrace awnings. You can use them as guidelines and copy them entirely at home, or take these photos as a source of inspiration.

• In this picture you can see the terrace awning made of wood. At the same time, it is decorated in a minimalistic style: there are no unnecessary decorative elements, and also a calm color scheme is maintained. The owners of the house set up a swing on the terrace, and also left a lot of free space.

• This canopy combines several materials at the same time, which makes it especially attractive from an aesthetic point of view. A dining area is organized on the terrace itself, and the existing structure creates a comfortable shade.

• In appearance, this terrace looks very modern and attractive. The protective structure is multi-layered. It should be borne in mind that it is not integral, therefore, it will not protect people on the terrace from precipitation. In addition, in case of rain, you will have to remove all furniture located on the terrace so that it does not deteriorate from moisture.

• Within this canopy, 2 materials are combined: wood and glass. This combination is quite popular as it looks attractive and modern. It should also be noted the presence of decorative plant elements - flowers in pots.

• This structure obstructs only part of the terrace, thanks to which the owners of the house have the opportunity to stay both under the roof and in the sun.

The video below will tell you more about the awnings over the terrace.