What are the disadvantages of an aluminium pergola?

15 Jul.,2024

 

Aluminum vs. Wood: The Best Material to Build a Pergola - ALD

Have you ever experienced one of those sweltering summers where it feels like you just can&#;t get enough shade? That&#;s where pergolas can come into play. Pergolas are a trendy backyard landscaping element that offers relief from the shade by casting shadows in different directions throughout the day.

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Installing and maintaining a pergola is easy, especially when you pick out the right pergola materials to withstand the weather conditions in your local climate. Although wood pergolas were one of the first styles to explode onto the scene, more options are available now than ever before. We encourage you to select an aluminum pergola instead of wood since aluminum materials are made to last. 

Cool Off Your Patio With a Pergola

Pergolas are increasing in popularity among homeowners because they&#;re easy to install on your deck or patio and can be personalized with several exciting accessories. You can utilize this shade structure during the daytime to cool off or create the perfect nighttime hangout spot using attractive outdoor lighting solutions for pergolas.

Explore the different pergola accessories and the materials they are most often built from before deciding on what&#;s best for your property and its environment. Many materials are available, ranging from classic wood pergolas to modern PVC, aluminum, and pressure-treated lumber. Plus, you can pick from lighting accessories, covers, curtains for additional sun relief, and so much more.

Additional Pergola Accessories

Although a pergola will be effective in creating pockets of shade on your property, there are also several unique ways to enhance shade levels and aesthetics around your pergola. Choose a local landscaping company to help determine which accessories will work best with your existing landscape design and pergola style. Once you have a better idea of what you&#;d like to include in your ultimate pergola design, it&#;s time to shop for modern pergola accessories such as:

  • Mosquito screens
  • Sidewalls
  • Curtains
  • Awnings
  • Shade sails or cloth
  • Pergola roofs and covers
  • String lights
  • LED lighting solutions
  • Patio furniture
  • Landscaping elements like flowers and vines

Common Pergola Materials

On top of all the useful accessories you can find for your corner pergola, these structures also come in all different shapes, sizes, and styles, so you can always find one to perfectly match your property&#;s design and aesthetic. There are many different materials to choose from for your home&#;s new pergola. Some common pergola materials include:

  • Composite wood
  • Vinyl
  • Aluminum
  • Cedar
  • Pressure-treated lumber
  • Steel
  • Cellular PVC

Each of these materials listed above has its own unique benefits and drawbacks. Classic cedar, composite wood, and pressure-treated lumber all look great but are more susceptible to damage over time. Alternative materials like vinyl, steel, and aluminum are more likely to withstand harsh weather conditions wherever you live while also creating a beautiful landscape design. Below we look more closely at the answer to a common question homeowners have when installing a pergola: wood materials or a metal option like aluminum?

Aluminum vs. Wood Pergolas: An Age-Old Debate of the Most Durable Materials

Wood pergolas were one of the first styles of pergolas for sale in the landscaping industry and one of the most affordable options. Upon initial installation, wood pergolas look perfectly picturesque and provide adequate shade around your property. However, over time, wood pergolas can warp and break down, lose their beautiful qualities, and give you quite the headache.

Instead, opt for an aluminum pergola system, so the shade structure lasts for years to come with minimal maintenance on your part. Aluminum pergolas are also affordable, so you don&#;t have to worry about breaking the bank when budgeting to build your dream backyard landscape design. Let&#;s dive further into what makes aluminum the best material to build a pergola over wood alternatives:

Advantages of Aluminum Pergolas

  • Aluminum pergolas have higher material costs than wood alternatives but still allow for low installation costs, especially when installing a prefabricated aluminum pergola kit from your local landscaping partner.
  • Aluminum materials are smooth and non-porous, meaning they won&#;t be infiltrated and negatively impacted by water like wood.
  • Aluminum&#;s smooth surface makes it easy to clean and maintain throughout the seasons. You can simply use soap and water to wash away dirt and algae stains or a low-velocity power washer to remove more stubborn debris.
  • Aluminum is resistant to pest damage, including issues like termite and wood fly infestations.
  • Aluminum is highly resistant to weathering and water damage.
  • Aluminum pergolas are lightweight, so they are great for installing on decks and patios without worrying about warping or damaging the base structure.
  • Many homeowners opt for affordable, easy-to-install, prefabricated pergola kits in aluminum materials, then purchase additional pergola accessories to include after installation.
  • Aluminum will never bend, warp, or sag, so it&#;s great for cold, wet climates like the Midwest.
  • Aluminum pergolas cast the same amount of shade as any other pergola material.
  • Aluminum pergola materials will never rust, making them virtually maintenance-free.

Disadvantages of Aluminum Pergola

Of course, like any other material, aluminum still has its disadvantages. If you&#;re considering installing an aluminum pergola, be aware of these few minor issues:

  • Aluminum is lightweight, so it&#;s susceptible to wind damage without the proper anchor system. Avoid aluminum pergolas if you live at higher elevations or in an area where gusty wind conditions are common.
  • Material costs for aluminum are slightly higher than wood and PVC alternatives.
  • Aluminum can get hot in the summer, especially after sitting in the sun all day, so it&#;s crucial for both adults and children to be careful when touching the pergola surface.

Benefits of a Wood Pergola

Wood is another common material option when it comes to pergolas. Although wood pergolas aren&#;t as durable as aluminum ones, there are some advantages to installing pergolas in this material:

  • Wood pergolas allow for a lot of personalization since lumber can be cut to your exact specifications.
  • Several types of wood can be used to construct a pergola, including cedar, redwood, tropical hardwoods, and pressure-treated lumber.
  • Implementing additional pergola accessories is a straightforward task with wood materials.
  • Wood pergolas are sturdy, so they can easily stand up to strong wind gusts.

Wood Pergola Drawbacks

The drawbacks of wooden pergolas are more numerous than aluminum. Here are just a few of the issues you should consider before installing a wood pergola:

  • Wood warps and weathers with heavy rains, ice, and snow, so it requires a lot of maintenance and repairs over time.
  • Troublesome pests like termites and wood flies love to make their homes within older, failing wood, often causing irreversible damage. 
  • Since wood pergolas require more maintenance and repairs, the ultimate cost is always higher than aluminum over time.
  • It&#;s much more challenging to clean dirt and debris off of wood, typically requiring specialized tools like a pressure washer.
  • Wood materials are more likely to be damaged by rainwater, ice, and snow. Wood becomes waterlogged and warps or fails entirely, resulting in an unstable pergola structure.
  • You&#;ll need to repaint, stain, and seal your wood pergola every few years as the sun impacts its original vibrancy.
  • Since wood is a much heavier material than aluminum, it isn&#;t a suitable option for pool decks or raised patios and can affect their overall structural integrity.

Make More Shade Using the Best Pergola Materials

It&#;s clear that aluminum is the more cost-effective material choice when it comes to building a pergola. Although would will look attractive, it requires much more intensive care and upkeep over the years. In addition, wood is susceptible to a wide range of issues, such as water and pest damage.

Don&#;t waste your time and money on materials that won&#;t last. Instead, install an aluminum pergola with the help of your local landscaping company. With an aluminum pergola as the focal point of your backyard landscape design, you can count on the structure to last for years to come and provide your yard with the shade required to escape the sweltering summer sun.

The pros and cons of an aluminium pergola

So you&#;re considering an aluminium pergola, and you&#;re wondering what are the pros and cons of transforming your outdoor space with a louvered structure?

Perhaps you&#;re also considering the merits of a wooden pergola, an awning or even a steel option. Well, if that&#;s the case, this article has everything you&#;ll need. We are the complete nerds when it comes to pergolas, and so feel free to benefit from all our expertise below, or just give us a call on 020 , and pick our brains!

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Zhuzao.

The pros of an aluminium pergola

1. You create a truly flexible outdoor living space, that you can enjoy whatever the weather, all year round, allowing you to spend more time outdoors, creating memories with the people you love. 

Aluminium pergolas come with adjustable louvered roof systems. This means that you can choose between basking in the sunshine, your perfect amount of shade, or waterproof, within seconds. They are exceptionally engineered to maximise sunlight in the good weather, and ensure complete protection in the rain, draining the water into reservoirs away from your entertaining space.

If you want the perfect outdoor haven, an aluminium pergola is the way.

2. Durable and Robust

There is nothing worse than a heavy wind busting your parasol, or desperately trying to weigh down a canvas canopy. aluminium pergolas are fixed down to your patio/decking and are immovable structures, wind resistant up to 120kmph. They are proper high-quality structures that withstand all weather conditions to extend your living space. The high-grade aluminium is powder coated to ensure it doesn&#;t fade in the sun light, there will be no rust, or decay like with wood, simply a structure that stands proud for 10 years+.

3. Customisable

To become your dream entertaining space. You&#;ll have a vision of how you want to spend time in your garden, and your aluminium pergola can be customised to suit that. It might be that you want an ultimate grilling and dining area. You might want an outdoor room that runs seamlessly off the back of the house, with blinds on all sides and patio heaters, creating a cosy outdoor shelter. You might want a fire pit and LED lighting, perfect for entertaining and ambiance. Whatever it is you dream of doing in your garden, your pergola can be customised for it.

4. Exceptional aesthetic 

High quality aluminium pergolas are a thing of absolutely beauty, and no doubt absolutely transform the back of your house / outdoor space. There is a reason you&#;ll commonly find them on the back of the finest hotels and restaurants in the world, they add pure class.

5. Low maintenance

No rust, no decay, no fading &#; they are easy to look after and require almost no aftercare. Just give them a washdown after winter with some soapy water and they will look 10/10 for many years! No relentless jet washing and chemical treating like with a wooden pergola for example.

6. Cost effective over their life-time

A high quality aluminium pergola should last you a minimum of 10 years, and they should still be looking fantastic 10 years on. The aluminium powder coating protects from colour fading in the Sun, and aluminium is a rust free, low maintenance material. So if you opt for a £ high quality aluminium pergola, you can expect to get plenty of value out of it. If you enjoy it for 10 years, that&#;s £40 a month &#; not a bad price to spend more time enjoying your garden with the people you love. You might be wondering if your aluminium pergola is an investment in your home, if so, check out our article here &#; &#;does
an aluminium pergola add value to your home."

7. A simple, one off installation

When installing and aluminium pergola, you do it once, you do it right, and then you never worry about it again. It&#;s not like a wooden pergola, requiring frequent repair and remedial works, or a cheaper steel model, that will struggle to withstand the harsh weather conditions of winter. Your aluminium pergola can be installed on patio, decking or even a grass area (with the right footings) and then it&#;s a permanent fixture in your home.

The cons of an aluminium pergola

1. A very modern look, not always suitable for more rustic spaces

For many, the sleek, modern design of an aluminium pergola is of great allure. However, in certain spaces, it simply won&#;t be the right fit. Sometimes the juxtaposition of modern and classic side by side can be fantastic, and there are other times when that 15th century property just needs something more sensitive, like a more earthy wooden pergola.

2. Can be a greater upfront cost

Generally wooden and aluminium structures are fairly comparable in price, depending on the model, however the wooden pergola will require more maintenance and repair work, exceeding the total cost of aluminium in the long term. There is no doubt that a steel or vinyl pergola will be far more budget friendly, compared to aluminium. This is of course reflected in the quality of product and its longevity.

3. A less customisable design

Now you can certainly customise the functionality of your aluminium pergola, heaters, side blinds, wall mounting etc. However the design itself will stay fairly consistent. If you&#;re looking for something a little more unique and ornate, wood is the way to go. For those customers that want something truly one of a kind, having a wooden pergola design and carved, choosing every inch of the detailing, is the best method.

4. Less well suited for growing climbing plants

This was a big part of the original purpose of a pergola! Vines and flowers weaving and climbing their way up and over your pergola was the primary goal. Now of course we see our pergolas as entertaining spaces, places to enjoy our gardens with the people we love. And whilst you could certainly grow up the side of your pergola, you wouldn&#;t want these plants interfering with the mechanics of your weatherproof roof. So if you&#;re primarily after a pergola to satisfy your green fingers, wood is the way to go!

5. Must have proper groundworks

This is true of any permanent pergola structure. Wood, aluminium, a hard top gazebo &#; if they are going to stand ever present, they need suitable solid footings. However, if something more temporary will do the job, grabbing the pop up gazebo out the shed from time to time and pegging it into the ground will save a full installation.

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Danni Gough

Passionate about helping people create spaces they enjoy, with the people they love. Incredibly knowledgeable on all things aluminium pergola. Loves spending time in her garden with her husband, her pup Ronald and a glass of wine!

Are you interested in learning more about Pergola Aluminum? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!