Do you love spending time on your patio but find the weather drives you back inside far too often? Installing a pergola is the perfect solution! 

‍

What is a pergola? It's an outdoor structure designed to fully or partially cover your patio, so you can enjoy the great outdoors anytime.

‍

But what kind of pergola should you build? Here’s a look at several of the most popular pergola builds to help you get started.

‍

Vinyl Gable

Vinyl gable pergolas offer excellent protection from the elements while remaining highly affordable and durable. The pitched gable roof prevents rain from interrupting your time outdoors and keeps the bright sunshine at bay.

‍

The vinyl materials are extremely low maintenance, too. Unlike wood, you never need to stain or paint them to keep the material from losing its original luster.

‍

The vinyl doesn’t have the weight of wood or steel structures, making it easier to move around. So, if you’d like to move the party into the yard instead of on the patio, you can move your pergola!

‍

Modular Steel

Modular steel pergolas come with a retractable canopy that allows you to control your outdoor experience. You can keep the canopy closed when you want to stay dry or sit in the shade. On more pleasant days, pull it back to gaze at the fluffy clouds set against the bright blue skies.

‍

The steel free will look as good as new for years to come while the canopy can get replaced whenever you want to change things up. The metal materials resist weathering, eliminate the risk of insect damage, and stay put wherever they’re placed even in high-speed winds.

‍

Open Top Cedar

If you favor a more classic design, open top cedar pergolas might be the way to go. You can secure a canopy within the frame if you wish – or let your favorite vines grow wild along the top. You can even leave it open if you’re not concerned about rain and just want to enjoy the dappled shade.

‍

Thanks to its naturally resilient makeup, the cedar frame doesn’t rot and decay nearly as fast as other types of wood. It’s also insect resistant, which is great news if you want to grow vines over the pergola. Cedar ages beautifully – slowly developing a silver-grey patina through the years.

‍

Simple Sails

For a more modular structure, consider simple sail pergolas. The sails typically come in a triangular shape, although you can get square and rectangular ones, too. They attach to metal, wood, or vinyl frames or just poles set in the ground near your patio.

‍

You can change up the look of your sail pergola anytime by simply swapping out the canopies for new ones. If you use a frame, you can even move the triangular sails to shift the shade around to your liking.

‍

Let’s Build a Beautiful Pergola

Are you ready to explore landscape designs for your home? If so, reach out to our team at Olive Branch Landscape Management. We’re happy to come out to your home to help you visualize the possibilities and get a free quote. Give us a call, and let’s get to work!