Georgetown lots face every direction, and the direction decides more than any catalog. Pergolas are the structure homeowners most often regret, because they expected shade and got stripes. Here’s how to choose between a pergola, a solid cover and a louvered roof.
Which way does your patio face?
A west-facing patio gets direct sun from about 2 p.m. until sunset for six months; south-facing gets it midday. East- and north-facing patios are shaded by afternoon and need much less help.
- West or south facing: you need real shade. Solid cover or louvered roof.
- East or north facing: a pergola may be all you need.
- Pool decks and gardens: often a pergola, where light and openness are the point.
What a pergola does
Rafters a few inches apart block a share of the direct sun and no rain. Tighter spacing, lattice or a retractable canopy adds shade. On a west-facing patio at five in August, a pergola alone won’t make the space comfortable.
What a solid cover does
An insulated aluminum or roofed wood cover blocks all direct sun and rain, and can be screened, fanned and lit into a true outdoor room. In Georgetown, it’s the structure that makes the west patio usable and the one Sun City homeowners build most.
What a louvered roof does
Motorized louvers open for sun, angle for shade and close for rain. Shade in July, sun in January, from one remote. Premium price.
The combination answer
Many of the best Georgetown backyards use two: a solid or louvered cover over the seating by the house, and a pergola over the grill zone or by the pool.
Quick guide
- West-facing, want summer use: solid cover.
- West-facing, want summer shade and winter sun: louvered roof.
- East- or north-facing: pergola.
- Bugs are the real problem: any solid roof plus screens.
Not sure which way your patio faces? That’s the first thing we look at in a free consultation.