A pergola has proved to be a great way to extend your living area and make your outdoor space livable. With the right pergola, you’ll create enough shade on your lot to allow you to enjoy hot afternoons outdoors. However, your pergola may become uninhabitable during the rainy season because its roof doesn’t provide enough protection against the rain.
Thankfully, this article offers you the five most effective waterproof pergola roof ideas to help you make your pergola habitable during the rainy season.
What Kind of Roof Should You Use for a Pergola?
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First of all, it’s important to note that a pergola is different from a gazebo or an arbor, especially because of its distinctive roofing system. A pergola’s roof is designed in a way that allows some sunlight to filter through while giving you partial shelter and shade. Therefore, you can enjoy the warm morning and evening sun in your garden or patio.
Pergolas have been providing homeowners with partial shades since the beginning of ancient Egypt. It was also a quintessential part of the Roman public and private bathhouses. Some of these ornate pergolas built with marble and rocks still stand to date. While the design and materials used in the creation of pergolas have changed over time, their slatted roofing design has remained consistent.
So, apart from providing your garden or patio with partial shade, the open louvered pergola roof brings an element of the old world to your outdoor space.
The current advances in technology have also brought innovative pergola roofing techniques like the use of mechanized roofs that automatically adjust themselves to offer maximum shade and sunlight. Today’s pergola roofs also come with lighting systems that can easily be turned down or up according to your outdoor lighting needs.
Most modern pergola roofs feature remote-controlled retractable paneling that makes them easy to operate. This type of roof allows you to conveniently open and close the panels for maximum ventilation and sunlight. These panels can be personalized to match your dream.
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Best Materials for a Pergola Roof
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A roofed pergola looks elegant and offers more functionality and permanency. But these benefits largely depend on the type of roofing materials you use. The roofing materials you choose for your pergola depend on important factors, such as the common weather conditions in your area and your overall aesthetic needs.
For instance, it’s not wise to install a fabric pergola roof if you live in an area that receives heavy rains throughout the year. This will make your pergola uninhabitable, especially since a fabric roof isn’t waterproof. Here are the most common roofing materials for pergolas.
1. Louvered Roofs
Louvered roofs are made of aluminum alloys that are meant to protect you from extreme winds and sunlight. This roof can be adjusted whenever you need more ventilation and sunlight. So, if you need a mechanized louver roof for your pergola, stick to metal louvers because they are durable and easy to automate.
Marble, stone, wood, and plastic louver roofs are difficult to automate, especially because they are quite rigid and lack controls that can be can be automated with electric motors. Another benefit of choosing an aluminum louver roof for your pergola is that it’s protected with a high-quality powder coating to prevent corrosion induced by rain, snow, and ice.
2. Static Panels
Static panels are ideal for pergola roofs, especially because of their modern-day visual appeal. They are made of transparent plexiglass or acrylic plastic material. This polycarbonate roof offers you a semi-shaded experience, allowing you to enjoy some sunlight.
3. Fabric Panels
Although fabric pergola roofs aren’t waterproof, they are a great choice if you live in an area that doesn’t receive continuous rain. This type of pergola roof requires a tough fabric material and rafters. You will stretch the fabric over the struts and then pull it straight.
Even if you live in an arid area, you never know when heavy rains will come. Therefore, you still have to figure out how to make your fabric pergola roof waterproof. Otherwise, an ordinary fabric roof won’t serve any significant purpose aside from adding to your property’s overall visual appeal. Furthermore, it doesn’t last long.
4. Retractable Canopy Roof
A retractable canopy roof is a practical choice since it gives you a full pergola experience while allowing you to retract it completely when it’s not in use. It can be fully automated to allow you to pull it out and in from the comfort of your couch.
5 Waterproof Pergola Roof Ideas
Although a pergola is an important addition to your outdoor space, it won’t protect you from sporadic rains if you leave it open. So, you have to figure out how you can make your pergola roof waterproof. Here are the five effective waterproof pergola roof ideas to inspire your creativity.
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Waterproof Shade Floats
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Shade floats are popular covers that are ideal for pergola roofs, especially since they increase their visual appeal and protect you from heavenly showers. These sails are also affordable and highly breathable. You can install these shade floats either on top of your pergola or on the sides for shade and enhanced privacy.
Make sure you choose waterproof shade floats to protect you from the rain and harmful UV rays. These sails are made of woven polyester yarns that are further coated with PVC to give them the necessary water resistance. They’re available in various sizes and shades to match your roofing needs.
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Louvered Roofs
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As mentioned above, louvered pergola roofs are highly advanced because they use shutters and blinds with angled slats or panels to control the amount of air or light that enters your garden or patio. These panels will also keep out the rain and direct sunlight.
Also referred to as adjustable patio covers or motorized pergola roofs, louvered roofs open to the desired angle, ensuring that you only get the desired amount of sunshine and cover.
If you’ve had enough sunlight for the day or if it’s raining heavily, you can close your louvered pergola roof completely. Louvers channel the rainwater on the edges so that it spills over your patio. They come in different sizes, materials, and shapes to meet your roofing needs.
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Corrugated Panels
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With corrugate panels on your pergola, not a single drop of rainwater will get into your patio. Since you want your pergola roof to provide you with enough shade without blocking the sunlight completely, you should choose panels that are clear or slightly tinted. Solid dark panels beat the whole idea of having a pergola because they’ll completely block sunlight.
However, clear corrugated panels are easily scratched, especially when cleaning them with an abrasive material. They also get stained easily and you will clearly see everything that gets stuck on them like leaves, bird droppings, and dust.
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Waterproof Canopies
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These waterproof canopies are made of canvas, which is highly water-resistant. Unlike ordinary fabric, canvas offers tighter construction and durability. You can also treat your canvas with a waterproofing compound. A canvas is easy to install since it can be attached to your pergola with ropes or screws.
This forms a canopy that protects you from heavy rain. But make sure your canopy doesn’t have creases that can trap rainwater and cause corrosion and decay. This pergola roof can also be motorized to make it retractable.
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Metal or Tin Roofs
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A metal or tin roof will provide you with more protection against rain and direct UV rays. This roof is particularly suitable for pergolas in areas that receive continuous torrential rain and extremely hot sun. Metal and tin sheets can easily be cut or rolled into any shape or size.
There are different types of metal and tin roofing materials that you can use for your pergola. For instance, you should choose a metal roof with a protective cover because it’s more durable and offers better protection against harsh elements. However, this roof is quite expensive.
