A pergola is an excellent addition to any yard, whether big or small. Particularly if there’s no way to attach a deck to the home, or if you just want that more old-time aesthetic, a pergola is a great choice. Pergolas allow you to enhance living spaces and expand workable areas. Some people even choose pergolas as a stage! Getting married in a pergola is also popular, as it is timeless and allows full viewing from multiple sides. They are also nice for sitting out and relaxing with a glass of iced tea!
Gardeners love pergolas since they are the perfect place to train climbing vines. A pergola wrapped with wisteria is a very romantic retreat. During the colder months, they take festive decorations very well – some owners will leave holiday lights up on their pergolas all through the year!
There are many reasons to add a pergola to your living space. However, once you’ve decided to install one, you’ll also need to choose a building material. The two most popular choices are wood and vinyl. Consider some of the pros and cons of both, such as:
Vinyl. If you’re looking for the classic white pergola, look no further. This is likely the material you’re envisioning. However, if you want a color other than white, you’re going to have a hard time with vinyl. Vinyl pergolas require very little maintenance, other than the occasional pressure cleaning or light spray with a hose.
Vinyl is more expensive than wood for pergolas. It’s also harder to customize a vinyl pergola as they are usually created from pre-determined elements. Getting a unique-look can prove difficult. But if you’re looking for an easy-to-clean, low-maintenance pergola that will look well maintained for years to come, vinyl is a good choice.
Wood. Wood has a timeless look, and one of its major advantages is that it can be stained or painted any color. Different varieties of wood can be used to make the pergola as well, so there’s a lot of versatility with wood. Another major advantage is that wood is half the cost of vinyl most of the time.
However, just like a wooden deck, a wooden pergola is going to require more work to maintain than a vinyl one. It’s likely you’ll need to treat a wood pergola against the elements, and if termites or carpenter ants are a concern in your area, that should be considered.
To learn more about pergolas, contact us at Leisure Specialties!