Types of awnings and tips for choosing them

A canopy on a suburban area is comfort, protection from rain and sun, an aesthetic addition to the local area. In addition to courtyards and gardens in private estates, sheds can also be found in the urban environment - above bus stops, street cafes, above the sandboxes on the playground and in many other unexpected places. In the article we will talk about the types and benefits of awnings, how to choose, build and repair them.

The canopy is a roof on pillars (supports). The structure does not have walls, but sometimes the role of the only wall is played by a building, to which one of the sides of the roof can be attached. It happens that the roof is installed on two or even three walls (closed type of awnings), but the fourth is always absent. However, such buildings are rare. The canopy cannot be considered a building, as it has no legal basis.

In order to pay taxes for a building, it must be:

• on a capital foundation;
• with supplied communications;
• not be able to transfer to another place without causing damage;
• it must be with documents corresponding to the property, with the right to inherit.

All of the above does not apply to awnings, since they can be disassembled and moved to another place. No one brings communication to them, except in the barbecue area. They do not draw up documents for them.

Open protective roofs are used in private estates, in urban environments, in industrial enterprises, in agriculture (over the hayloft, cowshed). A wide range of applications requires a wide variety of awnings. They can be stationary or mobile, folding, sliding, adjustable, portable, collapsible. Outwardly, the canopy does not always have a straight configuration, there are also more unusual buildings - L-shaped, in the form of a wave, angular, two-level, round and semicircular.

All canopies can be conditionally classified by materials of manufacture, roof shape, location and purpose.

A canopy with a simple flat roof is at risk of accumulating snow or rainwater. To prevent this from happening, roofs are most often performed with a slope, producing single-pitched, gable, hip structures. According to the configuration of the roofs, canopies are divided as follows.

Such a roof has one plane, built at an angle sufficient for the snow to melt on its own. If the angle is calculated incorrectly and the snow lingers, it will have to be removed manually. Shed sheds are conveniently mounted to the wall of the building.

The second side is installed on supports, the dimensions of which are lower than the wall fixing point. This makes it possible to comply with the bias. Flat roofs with one slope are built and freestanding. To perform a slope, the supports on one side are made higher than on the other.

The traditional form of the roof, consisting of two planes adjacent to each other along one tangent line. From it, both surfaces diverge to the sides at an angle of 40-45 degrees. This shape of the structure often repeats the roof of the main building. They try to make a canopy from the same materials as a residential building, creating a harmonious ensemble of buildings on the site.

The roof has four slopes of the plane, two of which are triangular, and two are trapezoidal. The calculation of a hip roof is more difficult than a simple pitched roof, but such a configuration is more beautiful and copes better with wind and rain.

Arched canopies are constructed from plastic materials such as polycarbonate, or with soft roofs (bituminous shingles). The curved line of the canopy gives it a special effect. Such constructions become an adornment of the territory in which they are located.

The shape of the canopy repeats the cone and looks very attractive; it is used for the stylized arrangement of the local area. The cone roof also does not accumulate precipitation, and it always stays clean and dry.

Roofs of complex configuration are needed to solve certain design problems in the work on landscape design. They can have several tiers, a broken roof line, or unusual wave outlines. These awnings are always beautiful and individual.

Tent canopies came to us from Eastern cultures, where they were created from durable fabrics. Most modern hipped roofs are made from water-repellent textiles. Thanks to the softness of the material, they look homely and cozy. Tents are of different types, we propose to consider a few examples:

• star canopy;
• a tent with three entrances;
• domed canopy;
• a tent of complex configuration.

When we talk about the types of canopies by location, they mean free-standing models, as well as roofs adjacent to the finished building - a house, a bathhouse, a garage, a summer kitchen. If we take a deeper look at the topic, there are many places in which a canopy could still be located. Here are examples of open roofs in the most unexpected areas.

• The shed is built under the same roof as the house and is a continuation of it.
• The roofing is integrated into the complex roofing ensemble of the residential building.
• A summer roof with a gate, surrounded by a fence, can be an alternative to a garage for the warm season.
• A reliable shed near the house occupied the entire courtyard, protecting it from heat and bad weather.
• The summer roof can adjoin one side of the house, and the other can be located on supports.
• Sometimes a canopy extends between two buildings and is attached to their walls.
• Or mounted to the wall of the building and the fence.
• Freestanding structures are considered classic options.
• Models with a lifting mechanism are interesting. At some point, the canopy can go down and level with the ground, hiding the car below its level. Or raise the car on your roof, allowing the second car to take a seat at the bottom (two-level).

Sheds are needed in many areas of human activity. They are lightweight, functional, and much faster and easier to build than a solid structure. Summer roofs protect from heat and rain, at the same time they are well ventilated, since they have no walls. In the factory yards, under awnings, they temporarily contain products before loading and other necessary things. Building materials are stored at construction sites.

Farms use summer roofs over pens and animal enclosures, over agricultural machinery. They are needed to preserve hay, for field kitchens, to protect wells and water tanks. In cities, awnings protect street outlets, stands, stadiums, waiting benches at bus stations. They hide bus stops, park benches, garbage containers.

Tourist awnings are useful for outdoor recreation. They create a shade under which you can place your car, tent, sunbed, dining table and all the necessary things.Sheds in private houses are very popular. Often, connected to the utility block, they become its continuation. For example, if tools for car repairs, winter tires, canisters are stored in a shed, then a car will most likely be under the shed.

Summer roofs are installed over the recreation area to protect a woodpile, barbecue, barbecue oven or a place for a tandoor from the weather. They are needed above the playground, terrace, pool. Visors are built above the porch, right at the entrance to the house. Many people like the large covers of the entire yard, keeping it clean in any weather.

The sheds consist of supports, a frame and a roof covering, all components are made of different materials. For example, brick supports hold the metal lathing on which the carbonate sheets are attached. Or a metal roof is mounted on a wooden frame.

You can independently make a small frame canopy in your country house from any inexpensive materials - for example, make a fabric or tarpaulin roof. Or you can make a canopy from a used banner, borrowing it from advertisers or in a cinema. The following types of materials are used for the construction of structures.

Wood is a beautiful and energetically strong material; buildings made of it look organically in parks, gardens and courtyards with green spaces. Wood products are in demand in different ways: the supports are made of logs, the lathing is made of beams, the roof is made of planks. By choosing the material in this way, it is possible to make a summer roof entirely of wood, but many people prefer to build combined variations of canopies.

Wood will last a long time if it is treated with antifungal agents and protected with varnish or paint. It requires periodic inspection and maintenance, as it can swell in rainy seasons and crack in the heat. The tree is easy to process and repair, especially for soft species.

Polymer is the ideal roofing material for creating awnings. It has many advantages that have made it the most popular roofing product. Polycarbonate transmits light by 80-90%, while retaining harmful ultraviolet rays. It is many times lighter than glass and 100 times stronger.

The plasticity of the material makes it possible to make shaped roofs of different types from it. The lightness and airiness of the roof makes it spectacular. A wide range of colors makes it possible to equip a shed in any environment of adjoining buildings. The polycarbonate construction is able to withstand 40-degree frost and withstand temperatures up to + 120 degrees. The material is resistant to heavy loads and is relatively inexpensive.

Polycarbonate is available in two versions:

• Monolithic. A durable transparent material similar to glass, but 2 times lighter than it. It can be transparent or colored, with a wide range of shades. The thickness of the sheet varies from 1 to 20 mm - the thinner the sheet, the more flexible the surface.

• Cellular. It is also called cellular for the presence of holes visible from the side of the sheet. The material consists of two planes with rows of bridges between them. The thickness of the sheet depends on the number of rows with cells (from 1 to 7). This structure fills the material with air, making it lightweight and durable.

The name "shingles" is common to 3 different types of roofing materials.

• Ceramic. The most expensive natural option. The products are heavy, as they are made of clay (35-65 kg per sq. M). Ceramics are expensive, it is difficult to lift it for installation of the roof, the canopy will need reinforced supports. But on the other hand, the roof can stand for 150 years without repair.

• Metal tiles. A thin steel sheet product weighs only 4 to 6 kg per sq. m, more suitable for awnings than heavy clay products. The material looks aesthetically pleasing, easy to assemble, resistant to fire and frost. May have a pattern for natural tiles (in the form of scales). Among the shortcomings, it should be noted heating in the sun and retention of an electric charge (a canopy will need a lightning rod).

• Bituminous shingles. This is a soft type of roof, consisting of small fragments. It is made from bitumen, stone chips and fiberglass and is considered a versatile product, as it suits any building. Even the most complex curved surfaces can be covered with lightweight tiles. But it is worth getting ready for long-term work, since laying small fragments is more laborious than installing large sheets. But it is not difficult to work with the material and it is easy to raise it to the roof level for installation.

The dimensions of the sheds depend on their purpose and the area allocated for the construction. For example, a small structure is needed to cover a trash can, a well, or a sandbox. And the sheds hiding three cars or a large master's yard will have completely different scales. Car sheds are built according to standard parameters - a square version for two cars - 6x6 m, rectangular structures - 4x6, 6x8 or 6 by 7 sq. m.

To calculate the minimum parking space for a car, add 1-1.5 m to its size - the less space, the more difficult it is to park. In addition, the place for open doors of the car and the possibility of a comfortable fit are taken into account. In terms of height, the canopy should not be less than 2.5 m; the larger the building, the higher it is.

The choice of a canopy is not an unambiguous concept, and before erecting it, various factors are taken into account:

• what is it for;
• where is the place allocated for the building and what size it is;
• seasonality of the canopy;
• harmonious combination with other surrounding buildings;
• what cost you can count on.

The purpose of the canopy is directly related to its scale. For example, a large amount of material will be needed to cover a terrace built around the entire house. The roof itself is best made of lightweight polycarbonate or of a material that matches the overall roof of the building. If the terrace is small, at the very entrance, you can pull up a beautiful modern temporary shed, which is easy to remove at the end of the season.

Above the outbuildings, standing far from the residential building, a shelter is made of inexpensive materials - roofing material, slate or corrugated board. The latter option refers to a strong and durable roof covering. It makes noise during rain and wind, but remoteness from home eliminates this disadvantage. For awnings over the courtyard, over a playground or recreation area, choose translucent polycarbonate that blocks ultraviolet rays.

To give a simple canopy, you can do it yourself, using the materials at hand. For example, build from plastic PVC pipes, pallets, covering the frame with a waterproof fabric. We propose to build a structure with your own hands a little more complicated - from polycarbonate. The procedure will be as follows.

Even before the start of construction activities, a place for a shed is selected, cleaned and leveled. Then a project is created: a sketch of the structure is drawn, calculations are made and materials are purchased. They should be taken with a small margin in case of errors.

For large awnings, a columnar foundation may be needed. On the prepared terrain, the supports are marked, according to the drawing, using pegs with a rope. For small sheds, 4 main pillars are enough, exposed at the corners of the building. For large structures, intermediate piles with a pitch of 1.5-2 m will be required.

At the marked points, with the use of a drill or a shovel, indentations of 50-80 cm are made. At the bottom of the pits, sand, crushed stone is poured and pillars are installed. Before the concrete is poured, the piles are leveled with a level. The cemented supports are left for several days until they dry completely.

Profiled pipes are welded to the finished supports on the upper level as a strapping. All parts of the frame are produced separately by welding, then they are raised to the height of the roof and mounted to the metal strapping.

The trusses are made according to a template, with its help one run is performed, to which small parts are welded. Following the example of the first run, all the others are performed. It should be remembered that one span of the structure weighs at least 20 kg, and it will not work to raise it to the height of the roof on your own, you will need assistants. When all the purlins are welded to the profiled pipes, you can start installing the gutter.

Before lifting the building sheets onto the frame, they are cut out according to the scheme. During cutting, the direction of the cells should be taken into account, they should be positioned in such a way that condensation does not accumulate in the material, but freely leaves it. Pay attention to the coincidence of the edges of the polycarbonate with the metal profile to which they are to be attached.

During installation, the temperature compensating washers are installed at least 4 cm from the cuts. The gaps between the sheets are left at 3 mm, as the material will expand under the influence of the sun. The upper joints should be covered with aluminum strips with a seal, polycarbonate color. Perforated tapes are installed on the lower joints so that moisture can freely leave the roof. After masking the seams, you can think over the night lighting, and the canopy will be completely ready for use.

Having built a new canopy, few people think about repairing. But sooner or later such a time will come. The reason may be mechanical damage or poor installation. It is not always possible to repair a leaking roof on your own, because access to it is difficult. In such cases, they resort to the help of professionals who have special equipment to solve such problems.

If the roof leaks at the seams, it means that the sealing is broken, you need to clean out the old used sealant and apply a new composition. At a polycarbonate canopy, the masking tapes with a seal should be changed.

Under the awnings, you not only feel comfortable, they are also beautiful, original, create a pleasant atmosphere on the site of a country house. This can be seen by considering examples of ready-made structures.

• Modern models of slatted canopies look spectacular.

• It is convenient to relax in portable rattan tent products.

• You can comfortably spend time under a roof made of natural materials - wood and textiles.

• The round awnings are incredibly beautiful, complete with the same furniture.

• Decorative, half-closed roof over the barbecue area.

• Unusual rattan set under a sun umbrella.

• The two-tiered exercise shed will add comfort during exercise.

• Terraces with wooden roof structures are beautiful and cozy.

• Decking with an unusual roof and stove in a picturesque location.

• The canopy with walls looks like a house from a fairy tale.

• Fantastic domed roof.

• Giant parametric awnings.

• Benches-boats under awning-sails.