Living in Queensland, you’ll find most locals love the outdoors, and why not? Our warm climate, the fresh and wide open spaces just calling for you to get outside and enjoy nature. Patios offer a great space for you to enjoy the outdoors without leaving home. Going a step further, having a roofed patio means you can enjoy the outdoors without worrying about the sun - a bit of sun is great but too much and you end up with a bad sunburn. There’s a wide variety of options for gazebo roofs, outdoor roofs and patio roofs, and in this post we share 5 things to consider when choosing a roof for your outdoor patio.

There are certainly other options available, but here are some of the most popular choices:

1) House style

What’s the style of your house? Older style homes may suit a gable, while modern house can look good with a flat roofline added on. 

2) The area

The size and shape of the area where you want to install the outdoor roof - check for limitations such as property boundaries, fixed structures include retaining walls and trees, and the slope and terrain of the area.

3) Location

Which side of the house is the patio located? That way you can know what sort of shade you need.

4) Roof Shape

• Gable - two sloped surfaces meet at a point to create a gable roof. If your home already has the style of roof, you may want your patio roof to be the same.

• Flat - as the name helps you envision - the patio roof would be flat (well technically with a slight pitch so that water can run off). This type of roof shape suits parts where you get little rain.

• Hipped - resembling a pyramid, you’ll commonly see this roof shape on bungalows and cottage homes. They’re great for weather protection.

5) Roof Material

• Metal (Colorbond) - Popular on homes and increasingly becoming the choice for roof replacement, this roof material is known to be the most durable, long-lasting and affordable.

• Terracotta or concrete tiles - Best known for the aesthetic as they can come in many colours and profiles, they can be quite heavy and can add to the cost of the roof frame which often needs to be designed to support the weight. Again, if your home’s roof features the same type of roof, the matching patio can look lovely.

• Polycarbonate - this is a clear or translucent sheeting that comes available in a range of profiles and colours too. It allows more light see through in a space while protecting you from the elements.

Alternatives

• Pergola - instead of a full roof, have an outdoor structure with a framework top held up by columns. Vine plants can be encouraged to grow on the pergola which can provide shade and lends to a more natural feel.

• Sails - large canvas shades stretched on 3 or more points to create a covering. They can be angled in certain ways to achieve max. sun protection.

• Umbrellas - large canvas umbrellas can either stand alone on a post or be inserted into a table, or hang from a mounted pointed to take up less walking space.