Choosing between a retractable awning or pergola comes down to three things: where you need the shade, how much protection you want from sun and rain, and how much installation work and cost you are willing to take on. For a deck or patio right outside the house, an awning is usually the simpler answer. For a shaded spot out in the yard, a pergola may fit better.
Both can make a hot Connecticut summer afternoon more comfortable. Here is how they differ and what to weigh before you decide.
Retractable Awning or Pergola: What Is the Difference?
A retractable awning is attached to the exterior of a house. You open it to get shade on a hot, sunny day or to keep people dry when it rains. When you do not need it, you retract it and it sits out of the way against the house.
A pergola is a freestanding structure. It has a roof, usually made of open beams or slats, and it is open on the sides. That gives it plenty of ventilation, but a pergola offers less protection from the sun than a solid fabric cover, and it will not keep you dry in the rain.
Three Things to Consider Before You Decide
1. Where you need shade
If you want to block the sun on the deck or patio right outside your home, a retractable awning is the better choice. It is designed to be attached to a house and to cover the area next to it.
Since a pergola stands on its own, it can go in a much wider range of locations. If you want a shaded seating area in a part of the yard that is not next to the house, such as beside a garden, a pergola can be a good solution.
2. How much protection and flexibility you want
An awning gives you a choice every day. Extend it for full shade or shelter from a passing shower, then roll it back when you want open sky. A pergola is permanent. It filters the sun rather than blocking it, and it stays in place through every season, including winter.
If you like the idea of a permanent structure but want real coverage from sun and rain, a fixed aluminum or fabric patio cover is a third option worth looking at.
3. Installation process and cost
A retractable awning is relatively easy to install, since it mounts to the house and needs no posts or footings in the yard. It is an affordable way to get shade over a deck or patio.
Installing a pergola requires more work and generally costs more than an awning. You also need to choose its location carefully. Once a pergola has been built, you will not be able to move it to a different site.
Which One Should You Choose?
Pick a retractable awning if the space you want to cover is next to the house, if you want protection from both sun and rain, or if you would like to open the space back up to the sky whenever you choose. Fabric color and pattern also let you match the awning to your home. Our post on choosing awning fabric for your deck has ideas.
Pick a pergola if you want a permanent garden feature away from the house and filtered light is enough for how you plan to use it.
Get an Estimate for a Retractable Awning
Aladdin offers both hand-crank and motorized retractable awnings. Each one is custom made to fit the dimensions of the space you want to cover. You can choose from more than 150 weatherproof fabrics, and the awnings come with a lifetime Sunesta warranty.
If an awning sounds like the right fit for your home, contact us or call (203) 776-9996 to talk through sizes and fabrics and get an estimate.