For the purposes of this article, we are really more concerned with addressing the benefit of the solar panel patio cover system itself, not so much about the installation.  Let’s talk a bit more about the benefits of using a solar patio roof.  Basically, if you are looking for shade on your patio, you are going to need some type of roof structure, awning or shade to provide that.  Many people opt to build a patio cover themselves, like a classic pergola design.  Then, there are other deck designs that call for a cover feature that extends from the house to the posts of the deck.

Both styles make the installation of solar panels a feasible solution.  The main advantage of using a solar panel array, like photovoltaic (PV) systems is that they are relatively affordable, lightweight, have a low profile and can provide you with energy that can either power the lighting or some other features on your patio or be sent back into the grid.  This allows you to use them to create a covered patio for you, all while saving you money on utility expenses.  True, it will take some time to realize these savings as a PV system will cost several thousand dollars, including installation expenses.

Again, the real benefits have to do with the long-term viability and design of your patio.  With a solar cover roof system like this, you will often find that the manufacturer provides a warranty of up to 20-25 years.  In addition to this, you may be able to get some state or federal monies as tax credits or reimbursement for your purchase.

And, if you are worried about space issues, don’t be.  A system like this can be installed on a patio roof as little as 250-500 square feet.  You may also have concerns about HOAs or other city regulations.  This is a legitimate concern, but one that you should find no problem in avoiding as these systems have been installed in most major metropolitan areas without issues.  You can expect a system of this size to produce anywhere between 250-400 kwh of energy for you as well.  So, while you won’t be powering your neighborhood with it, you can definitely feel good about doing your part to green up a little more than your backyard patio.

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This is one example of a design for a covered patio that looks beautiful and provides very usable space.

So, what exactly are your patio cover plans?  What, you don’t know?  Okay, this is definitely the first place you should start if you have any hope of refining your search.  Just browsing around online can certainly give you some great ideas, that’s probably how you landed here after all.  But, browsing can also be a big waste of your time if you don’t know what type of patio you are looking for.   You can find patio covers with several styles roofs and with all sorts of accessories.  You need to know how you plan on using your patio space, then you can set out in searching for styles you like. For some homeowners, they need their patio roof to be something that is more solid, like your home’s roof rather than something that  is partially open like a pergola.  Your particular usage will determine what type will be best for you.

When we are talking about patio usage, we should discuss some of the specific points to help you clarify your needs.  Some patio designs take into account such things as entertaining and layout features that would be ideal for hosting parties and other get-togethers.  Some patios will be more functional for things such as sitting in a spot of shade after jumping out of the pool.  You might find a few chaise lounge chairs or some other patio furniture items that you can enjoy while you dry off.

Not everyone has the same things in mind.  Again, for the patio enthusiast, the lighting will be of great importance.  Many hosts will have an evening meal or entertainment out on their deck or patio.  This type of dining and entertaining requires specific types of lighting for the patio to be both safe and conducive to intimate conversation areas.  In the case of an outdoor kitchen type of set up, you may have some more formal dining furniture in place.  Some outdoor kitchen and room designs incorporate seating at the counter area or may have some cocktail tables nearby for a more lounging environment.  Additionally, if you plan on having evening parties, you may need to consider the temperature.  In the warmer summer months, this is not of much concern.  However, in the spring or fall, when many parts of the country can enjoy their patios in the evening or night, patio heating becomes a need.  Luckily, there are several types of patio heaters to help out.  These can substantially improve the ambient temperature of your patio space.  Keep in mind, depending upon the design of your patio, the roof and other factors may need to be addressed.

In the end, the design of your patio is much easier to address when you are building from the ground up.  If you plan on remodeling your outdoor space or patio area, now is the time to handle these issues.  You certainly don’t want to invest all this time and money into your project only to find that you aren’t able to enjoy the space as you had wished.  So, spend the time now and design your ideal covered patio so that you can enjoy it for years to come.

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For some, the patio is a place where they can go to unwind from a long day or relax on the weekends.  It is more like a retreat and a place to kick up your heels.  And yet, to other homeowners, the patio is a place where they can host extravagant or exotic dinners and entertain guests.  These two ideas will likely need different covered patio designs.  It isn’t that a design couldn’t be found that could incorporate the two, it is just that you should consider these points and the way you plan to use your own patio prior to beginning your remodel or new patio construction.

While your covered patio plans may not be as detailed as an architect’s drawings, at least you’ll have some idea in mind as to what your next step will be.  That next step may be to create a material’s list if you plan on building your own patio cover.  If you plan on hiring a professional,  just make sure that your plans are clear.  What is obvious to you may not come across in your sketches or conversation.  Similarly, getting things in writing will always be your best bet if you hire out the work.

Now, what about if you have a more formal patio space in mind?  In this case, you are not alone.  The trend in patio designs is to design and build them to be more like outdoor rooms.  It seems that patio covers are quickly becoming more like the ‘bones’ to create an outdoor space that resembles any space you might find inside your home.  This includes the creature comforts of television, heating, cooling, kitchens, patio furniture, you name it.  If you can find it indoors, then you can likely find its complement for your outdoor room.

You can tell that what was once considered just a simple area has really turned into a whole other animal.  Gone are the days of just using those white plastic lawn chairs for your furniture needs.  Those are fine for larger entertaining groups that will be broken down at the end of the evening.  However, for a more exotic and useful covered patio, keep that patio room concept in mind.

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It’s true, the ultraviolet rays have damaging effects on the fabric materials used in furniture and rugs.  If you have pictures or paintings on your walls, the sunlight can be damaging to these as well.  You might know that some of the outdoor furniture fabrics are now made with ultraviolet-resistant properties.  Sunbrella™ is one company that has really pioneered this advancement.

Well, a screen on your window will go a long way toward keeping the damaging rays out in the first place.  The reason we include a discussion about these window screens on our patio site is that they make great sense for a patio room.  If you’ve got a place you like to go to read or relax, the exposure depending upon the side of your home can be too extreme to enjoy at certain times of the year.  These can greatly enhance your level of comfort in those rooms for longer stretches of time and seasons.

One of the most critical exposures on your home to consider these types of screens is the south and west exposures.  These are the ones that will get the brunt of the summer sun’s intensity.  The southern wall will have a longer exposure period and can heat up drastically during the longer summer days.

We’ve discussed their purpose, but not some other features of them.  The mesh screen is ‘porous’ enough to easily allow you to see through it from the inside and still allows for some added privacy from outdoors.  Most times, these screens appear black or a dark brown color from the outside.  Some HOAs will give you a hard time about these, but you can usually win your case.

Repairing or Replacing Your Solar Window Screens

A tear like this is best replaced than patched

If you get a tear or rip in your screen with time or cleaning, you can probably repair it yourself.  If the tear or rip is large enough, you might be better off just replacing the screen entirely.  The process does require some tools, however.  Mostly, you’ll just need a spline or splinning tool.  It looks like a small pizza cutter and is used to roll the rubber or vinyl spline into the grooves in the screen’s frame.  You can purchase the new screen material at your local home improvement warehouse.  You may be able to reuse your old spline material.  If not, you can purchase that again as well.

If you can use your existing material for measurements, that is ideal.  If not, simply measure the frame and add about ½” to all sides to account for the depth of the spline track.  You will just trim away any excess and cutting it too short simply will not fit.  Once you’ve cut your screen to size, lay it flat over the frame – keep the screen material stretched taught – and begin using the spline roller to put the spline back into the groove, pressing the screen material in place.  You’ll want to do this firmly but not excessively, as you may tear your screen material.  Once complete, repeat this step on all four sides.  Trim off the excess around the frame and you’re ready to put your new screen back up.

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How can your garden light search be made easier?  First of all, determine what type of lighting you are looking for.  In other words, do you want the lighting to be something that is more for accenting certain elements in your garden space or do you want to illuminate a path or walkway?  This similar line of reasoning can apply when looking for patio lights as well.  The reason is that in both cases, some lighting will be better suited to provide a more broad type of light to illuminate an entire space, while other styles will work best as a type of spot lighting like you might find in your indoor spaces.

Once you determine what you will need in terms of your lighting preferences, then you can go on a search for the perfect style, shape or fixture.  This is another whole area where you can go as simple and conservative as you like up to the most eccentric and artistic as imaginable and everything in between.

If you are just searching for something simple that will cast a light up a tree at night to provide a bit of dramatic lighting for your garden area, then you can find these at your local home improvement warehouse stores.  You can, of course, also find these online.  Some landscape lighting designers will tell you that the more readily available garden lights from the home improvement warehouses are cheap and unreliable.  You’ll have to use your best judgment as to whether you want to put forth the added expense of the lighting that you might find online.

Most of these types of lights will be wired and buried in your soil.  A similar type of light can be used to illuminate a path or walkway through your garden.  However, instead of aiming upwards, the lights will have a cap to shine the light back to the ground.  These come in both stake-in-the-ground models and hanging styles.  The hanging ones are just suspended from what looks like a shepherd’s crook and hang about 12-16” from the ground in most cases.  Again, these are typically wired to a main electrical line outdoors.

What About Solar Garden Lighting?

If you would rather save money on your lighting and don’t want to have to worry about burying wires and all that, then consider going with solar garden lights.  They still come in a variety of styles and models, but you don’t have to concern yourself with the electrical wiring.  With some models, it is as simple as staking them in the ground and that night they will shine a path for you.  Simple.

Now, there are also some drawbacks with solar.  The most obvious one is that in poor weather conditions, the solar panel on the top of the light (most common model) will not be receiving enough light to charge the battery to power the light.  Also, if there is snow or grime that gets on the solar cells, they will not collect any energy.  Additionally, the power that they put out may not be enough to last through the night if you so wish.  One solution is to get a style that does have a larger battery backup reserve or one that can be plugged in just for days like this.  There are also styles that have a larger solar cell panel that can be mounted nearby, then wired to the light fixtures so that each one is powered without the need for a solar cell on top of the individual lights. These are just some ideas to get you started or help you refine your search for your new lights in your garden.

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Patio Awning Materials and Designs

Your awnings will consist of several parts; the framework and the fabric material itself.  Most cases and moving parts are made of more durable and lightweight metals.  An aluminum porch awning is probably the most common type of metal used.  The fabric has come a long was as well.  While you can still find canvas, it is more common to find vinyl awnings in various printed materials now.  There have been advances made in the way that these fibers are spun and colored so that fading due to ultraviolet (UV) exposure has been minimized. In addition to their durability, they also keep their color, as fading is also lessened by this process.  Because of the various patterns and colors available in today’s marketplace, this is welcomed news to homeowners looking to maintain that new look.
This leads to another topic, maintenance of your garden awnings.  Basically, you can follow the guidelines as set forth from the manufacturer of your particular awning set.  You may need to lube or oil certain moving parts.  The weather and conditions in your particular zone may necessitate unique cleaning instructions.  Cleaning the awning material itself is fairly straightforward.
Cleaning your patio awning is as simple as spraying with your hose and using a mild detergent solution.  You can also hand wash with a non-abrasive cloth and mild detergent, then wiped clean with a dry cloth.  The soap residue may interfere with the moving parts of your awning, so you’ll want to ensure that you clean them thoroughly.  This alone should keep your awnings functioning well for years to come.
As you shop for these awnings for home, consider the costs for the various types we’ve discussed weighed against the maintenance and other aspects of using your patio space.  If you spend much time outdoors, then it is certainly a wise idea to invest in some quality porch awnings.

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This term, vinyl awnings, is more reflective of just the material choice.  There are a wide variety of awning styles, most of which are made of vinyl.  However, you can find exterior shutters that are made of bamboo, canvas, or other wood products. Let’s not forget about the fact that with a fabric awning like vinyl, you can also have them roll up and stow away when not in use.  The benefit of this type of feature is that in weather that might otherwise threaten a free-standing patio cover, your roll up awnings can be safe and secure in their own protected storage case.  As you might have guessed, these awnings are retractable.  This retractable patio awning feature is activated either manually with a crank handle or motorized.

Motorized awnings are activated by either a switch or via a light sensor.  The switch can be turned on by hand or with a remote, depending upon your particular unit.  Also, you can use a timer to have your patio awnings open and retract when ever you like.  The light activated model will be triggered to open or retract depending upon the movement of the sun in the sky.

Why vinyl makes such a great choice for garden awnings is that it is both flexible and durable.  It can be washed with a simple mild detergent and hosed off.  This makes them quite durable to resist the effects of the weather and also from dirt and grime.  Many newer awnings are also able to better resist the effects of the UV light on the fabric as well.  The newer vinyl awnings can give you longer lasting life to help you enjoy more time on your patio which is what they are all about.

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To some, the term garden awning and garden canopy are synonymous.  To some degree, we would agree with this.  However, garden canopies are mostly seen as those ‘easy up’ or ‘pop-up’ style structures.  These work great for temporary sun protection in a more inconspicuous area.  But, if you are wanting to create a nice shaded are for your patio or garden, one of these cheap canopies is not the recommended way to go.  It isn’t that there is anything wrong with these types of structures, they just will not give you quite the look of say a garden arbor or pergola would.  Again, these are specific structures that you may not be interested in, so a simple canopy might fit your needs quite well.  Do your research and determine if what you want is more formal patio awnings, like the retractable or motorized styles or if some of these garden awnings are more your style.

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With the various styles mentioned, there are sub-categories or classes within those.  As far as the different names, don’t let those confuse you.  Depending upon manufacturers and the online sites you are searching, the names of the awnings or canopies or patio covers will all be used interchangeably.  For the most part, how we like to categorize them here at Patio Covers Place is to say that a canopy is going to be something that is a more temporary type of structure.  You’ve seen these called garden canopies or sometimes pop-up canopies.  They go by various terms, but the end product is the same.  These are often a vinyl awning type of material, which has its benefits and drawbacks.  There are more durable and more esthetically pleasing models, but they all function essentially the same.  These are quite easy to assemble and set-up, hence their other name ‘pop-up’ or ‘easy-up’ canopies.

Now, when we begin talking about the more ‘built-in’ or designated patio awnings, then we are talking about items that are made to withstand the elements and last outdoors for many seasons.  Most of these will be described by the name that is commonly used for them.  For example, the term roll up awnings is perfect to describe that particular style.  These are the ones that can retract or ‘roll up’ back into their protective case when not in use.  This term is also sometimes used for the ones that roll up from the patio floor to your ceiling.  These awnings can be manually retracted and opened or can be electrically powered.  Motorized awnings have the benefit of being able to be operated by a switch, remote or light (sun) activated.  Like this one, the retractable patio awning got its name from its function.  These can often be describing the same awning, so make sure to look at pictures and check the specifications.

Because there are so many styles from which to choose, you may find that there simply are not any easy answers in terms of ‘best awning’ or ‘cheap awnings’.  You will really get what you pay for in most cases.  The quality of the materials – the awning and the mechanisms – will largely determine the price you will pay.  Of course, the size of your awning matters as well.  You can also expect to pay more for the motorized awnings.  Consider the investment you make in quality awnings for home an investment in your outdoor patio entertainment.  Enjoy.

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The most popular brand of these types of canopies is the Shade Tree.  What this looks like is a combination of a pergola and a roller awning.  There are individual panels that can be opened or closed to allow for a specific amount of shade.  They simply pull out like you would do with a roller blind in a window.  Once opened, they just lock into place until released.

These Australian shade canopies are great for a more fixed-in-place larger space.

Another type of deck canopy is the ‘one-piece’ variety.  Not necessarily better or worse, this style is used to provide a more consistent type of shade.  While they aren’t completely permanent by any means, they are a bit more tricky to move around.  For this reason, something like the more flexible Shade Tree is a great option.  However, with this one-piece canopy cover, you can attach patio lights or other types of deck lights that could give you a whole new dimension to your patio.

Because a deck is sometimes only several inches to a few feet off the ground, they may blend in with a garden space.  If this is the case, then the term garden canopy may be used to describe this type of shade.  Again, it really doesn’t change what it is, just the name to describe where it is being used.  Some of these can describe a slightly less substantial shade canopy though.  In other words, there are fairly inexpensive ($100-150 USD) canopies that are made of vinyl or polyester fabrics that are temporary in nature.  These are what you might find at local farmer’s markets or other outdoor fairs.  We’ve  all seen them.  While they are quite handy and durable, using them for your deck or patio as something more permanent is a bit less desirable of a look.

While your neighbors are probably not going to be judging you, it will still be a better and more sustainable patio structure to go with something that is made to be more permanently placed outdoors.  The materials and fabrics that make up these durable canopies have improved over the years.  The current fabrics are resistant to damage from UV rays and weather the other elements well.  If you do decide to go with the retractable patio awning style canopy like the Shade Tree, you will also be able to benefit by having the ability to close or retract your canopy awnings for extended periods of non-use time.  While this may not be an issue in the more hospitable climates of the desert southwest, if you live in the colder climates, your patio season may be less lengthy.  What ever style you choose, you’ll be happy to have your new deck canopies for your next patio season.

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