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Does a pergola provide shade?
Are pergolas good for offering shade?
Looking to amp up your outdoor space with a dash of elegance and practicality? Say hello to an aluminium pergola! These beauties can turn your patio into the perfect entertaining space, whatever the weather.
Wondering if pergolas provide shade? Absolutely! In fact, aluminium pergolas are principally a shading structure, so they’d be pretty rubbish if they didn’t!
Louvered pergolas, which frankly are the only aluminium pergolas worth having, let you adjust the slats to control sunlight. Making it easy to find that sweet spot between shade and sunshine.
Now it’s not just a louvered pergola that will offer shade, but it is the only type that will let you control that balance between sun and shade.
If you opt for a hard top roof, that will of course offer complete shade, but with no ability to let the sun light in if you’d like. Meanwhile, a more classic wooden slatted roof pergola, will offer some shade, but that will be entirely dictated by the position of the sun, and therefore out of your control.
So quite simply if you want to be certain that you’ll have the perfect balance between sun and shade, go louvered, and go aluminium.
How does a louvered pergola offer shade?
Louvered pergolas, particularly those made from aluminium, are an excellent option for providing shade in your outdoor space. These pergolas feature adjustable slats or panels that can be tilted to allow more or less sunlight to filter through.
When the slats are fully closed, you of course get a substantial amount of shade, effectively shielding you from the sun completely, although this louvre position is more commonly used to keep out rain.
From that fully closed position, you get about 110 degrees of rotation, whether by a remote control or manual crank, both of which are very easy to use. This allows the louvres to be angled to block more or less sunlight, creating a cool and comfortable environment beneath the pergola. They are also easy to adjust throughout the day, as that pesky sun moves around.
Do hard top roof pergolas offer shade?
Yes, of course. But sometimes a little too much, and sometimes not at all!
Of course when the sun is high and you’re sat under your hard top roof gazebo, you’ll be completely shaded. Of course if you want to enjoy some of the suns rays you will need to step outside the pergola, unlike the louvered roof where you can choose your balance.
There is also a point in the day where naturally the sun will get lower in the Sky, and the sun will start to come through the side of your pergola, reducing / eliminating its ability to offer shade. Side curtains can be an answer to this, although sometimes they make it a little dark inside. Once again adjustable side blinds on an aluminium pergolas work best.
Does a wooden slatted pergola offer shade?
We pride ourselves on being pergola nerds, and as a general rule, we aren’t big fans of static roof pergolas when practicality is the motivation.
If you want rustic charm and a design feature that will zone your garden, go for your life. Ultimately, a fixed slatted wooden pergola will offer some shade. The thicker and closer together the roof beams are, the more shade you’ll get. Naturally though, it’s all going to depend on the position of the sun and the orientation of the pergola, and when the sun is highest (and generally hottest) it will penetrate through the top of the louvres.
If you want shade or rain protection, a hard top or louvered roof is the choice.
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Is your head spinning trying to work out pergolas? Let us make it easy for you. We are here to consult, answer questions, just have a natter – whatever you want. We can’t wait to hear from you.
Email. sales@woodlarkgardenluxury.co.uk
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