Balancing Light & Heat in your Pergola/Outdoor Living Area
One of the most common questions or even concerns we get asked by our clients during their early stage of investigation is about not loosing too much natural light to the internal living areas that the patio cover or outdoor living area will extend out from. For instance this might be their living or rumpus room. So don’t feel frustrated, it is a well worn path & there is a solution.
No matter what type of roofing or style of patio cover you install to your home, it will always alter the natural light to your internal living areas. However, the key to remember is that you are creating a totally new living area & the small decrease to the internal areas will be far outweighed by the new outdoor living area that you are about to obtain.
Remember that the rule of thumb to keep in mind is that the more natural light you let in, the more heat will come with it. So ultimately it is a balancing act.
Watch the video below as Adrian will talk you through this common question
As a business a number of years ago, we reviewed all our products & looked at the trends in the constructions that we had completed. We found that so many our pergolas started with the demolition of an existing polycarbonate roof patio cover. Our clients found & even to this day (we are pulling one down next week!) that:
- They make the area too hot
Polycarbonate is advertised as having 99% UV protection, which can often confuse people. This purely means that you can sit out there & won’t get sunburnt. You will be sweating like a pig, but you skin will still be white! This rule applies especially if the area faces north or west. - Because it is clear you see all of the rubbish on top of the roof
It looked great day one but soone got dirty & who has the time to clean it - Generally it isn’t aesthetically pleasing
As the roofing material isn’t that strong, there is an significant amount of structural framing required to hold up the roof. Often this can cause ‘clutter’ to the ceiling & make it look top heavy & doesn’t necessarily give you that modern finish that other materials can.
Often home owners & even builders don’t realise that there are many different roofing material options available apart from the old fashioned polycarbonate. Every patio cover roofing material & every building material for that matter, has pluses & minuses. It is just a matter of doing your homework & picking which will give you more ticks than crosses at the end of the day.
Your outdoor living area roofing material options are:
“Premium Series” Colorbond
Great looking roof sheet with a flat ceiling & modern finish. Not the traditional Colorbond fence panels back from the 80’s.
This sheet looks great as it can span unsupported (ie. no framework) for up to 4 meters so you don’t get that cluttered look from all the frame work & you can incorporate light panels that are 31cm wide.
CLICK HERE to learn more about this roofing option
Insulated
Your next step up from the “Premium Series” Colorbond option.
The insulated roofing sheet has a lot more colour options than the “Premium Series” & you still have the option to include a light panel but the great part is that you can hide your electrical wiring through the roof sheet. This way you can actually put a light, even a down light within the sheet. CLICK HERE to learn more about this roofing option
Lined ceilings
Is a more conventional style of building & is where you construct your Colorbond roofing, then frame out the underside & ‘line’ it with either an exterior gyprock or timber panel, either which is painted. This option gives you that true indoor finish so it ‘flows’ & looks part of your home & not so much as an ‘add on’. Some clients prefer this option as it means that you don’t see the lines of a traditional roofing sheet where they are joined – its a personal preference really. Learn more about this roofing option HERE.
‘Eclipse’ Opening & Closing louvers
The opening roof patio system is the ‘Rolls Royce’ of patio covers. It gives you flexibility to adjust the louvers & gain full control of the area no matter what the conditions are.
To understand a little bit more about the louvers CLICK HERE.
To summarise…
- Do your homework & look at ALL of your patio cover roofing material options.
One thing that helps our clients is to visit our display. It gives you a different feel to actually walk under these options rather than just looking at some photos online. - Take into account the design of the area – for example a gabled roof will let in more light, a roof fixed over your existing house roof line will help with the ventilation.
- Lastly, choosing the correct colours also helps reflect light in too.
Remember you want to make the area comfortable all year round – you will be outdoors entertaining for the six months of the year that are the hottest.
We hope this helps you make a better decision in the preparation of your patio cover/outdoor living area.
Here’s to outdoor living.
So what next?
Meet with us in the display for a private consultation – book here.
