How to cover a deck?

[Akanksha]

A pergola or similar outdoor structure is a great way to enjoy the outdoors in all kinds of weather. There are many options available, including shade sails, timber pergolas and gazebos.

What's the best way to choose a deck covering? And any tips on picking the right one? Feel free to share below.

Thoughts to get us started @Oreoprojects, @Benjie91, @Itai, @Heychy, @buildwithroneth?

[Itai]

Hi @Akanksha 

I'd say step 1 is knowing what you'd like to use your space for and how often. Also considerations around natural light, etc.

In my particular case, our patio was the primary source of light into our open living area and I didn't want to lose the brightness coming in. Additionally, I wanted to be able to sit under the patio at night and still see the stars. But have as much heat shielding as possible in the sun. 

So a few products were out for us, such as standard corrugated roofing which is not perfectly transparent and distorts the image you see through it, nor insulated roofing which is an actual ceiling with no light coming through (albeit excellent heat shield capability). We really wanted that window look without the expense.

So we ended up going for a product called EZ-Glaze: 
  https://www.bunnings.com.au/palram-ez-glaze-6000l-x-600w-x-3mm-clear-roofing-sheets_p0298979
  https://media.prod.bunnings.com.au/api/public/content/cc9f01b542314eab9abc8a0b24bfaa36?v=20efb5a7 

It meant I didn't need regular battens going across the rafters (and my noggins were aesthetic) . There is no regular corrugation, only at the 600mm mark to fit over the rafters. Is really easy to install. Provides excellent thermal protection from the sun (on a hot day, you can't stand barefoot on my deck, except where the light is passing through the roofing) and most importantly is crystal clear, so it looks like window glass and you can see the stars through it! I went for the "Bluish Breeze" version of this as it had really good heat shielding capability (45%) compared to the amount of light lost through the product (30%) vs the clear which only shields 13% and the grey which shields 56% but has an 80% light loss.

This was the result:

And as I say, with all the options out there, it's most important to start off with your needs first.

Regards

Itai

[Oreoprojects]

Hi. Akanksha

There are many things consider when choosing a patio cover: cost, wind strength, light penetration and the size of the area to cover. If you have one installed for a 3mx5m area you are looking at over $5k to order and have it installed. For me that was the main disadvantage of hiring a company. 

I chose a company that had the patio cover for $1200. They had the patio cover erected in the showroom so i could inspect it. Warranty was good and they promised me that if anything went wrong with the panels after warranty they would sell them to me at cost. My patio area is protected from wind so this patio cover was ideal. If you are in a higher wind zone then you will need to look for one that can withstand the wind - always ask for a wind rating - if they do not have one then do not buy it. Beware there are many products manufactured overseas that will not suit NZ weather conditions. Always install as per NZ building code. Hope this helps.

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @Akanksha 

The things I considerd when I built my deck/gazebo pretty much came down to what type of weather I had experienced in the preceding 1 months.

Wind was a big factor.

Rain and driven rain was the second one.

Third was privacy from my neighbours as the deck was almost at fence height to their patio.

I went with corrogated metal sheets as it is tough, wont shift easily and also had a peaked roof to allow the heat to escape.

Dave