The 7 Best Pergola Kits of 2024
Choosing The Perfect Pergola Kit For Your Outdoor Space
Indulge in luxury outdoor living with our meticulously selected, top-quality outdoor living kits. Discover the perfect fit for extending your home to the outdoors, knowing you're investing in the best fit for your outdoor living space.
What is a Pergola Kit?
A Pergola (or Gazebo) is an outdoor structure supporting a roof, often with an open grid, designed to define an outdoor area of your yard or garden. With all the necessary materials and instructions, a Pergola or a Gazebo Kit offers a convenient and cost-effective way to set up and build your outdoor living space.
What To Consider When Buying a Pergola Kit?
Purpose of your pergola
The first and most important consideration before buying a pergola or Gazebo is understanding how you plan to use your new outdoor living space.
Will your new outdoor space fully extend your kitchen/dining routine or be a cozy reading, meditation, or coffee nook? Will you want to have the whole family underneath the stars and enjoy movie nights? Will you have your outdoor gym on display?
It's all or a combination of these things, but it's important to imagine all the uses and how they relate to your existing home in terms of the transition space from one to the other.
Size & Shape of your Pergola Structure
Measure where you want to place your structure and consider the surrounding areas, including the ground surface, the neighbors, the structure's orientation to the existing house, and the sun pattern across your yard. Review height specifications and dimensions to plan the decorative layout.
Design & Aesthetics of Your Pergola or Gazebo
Select a Pergola or Gazebo that blends well with your existing home and aesthetic. Look at existing foliage and the layout of your outdoor space to consider how well the materials you'll use complement what is already there. Pick a structure that will highlight your aesthetic in terms of decor and a design that allows you to use the space functionally as intended.
Material & Quality
Read reviews of the kit you are considering and determine the quality of the material and the cost. Understand if you plan to maintain materials with sealant or prefer - no maintenance required. Consider how long you hope to enjoy the structure and the elemental exposure your Pergola or Gazebo might experience in your outdoor area.
Assembly Required
All Pergola kits require assembly by the purchaser. This can be an overwhelming task and downright impossible if you don't have some help. You can ask a friend for set-up and assembly or consider hiring a handyperson to assemble the Pergola or Gazebo. Remember that many of the materials used to build these outdoor structures are heavy, and building can require specific tools throughout the assembly process. Make sure you have what it takes to get your outdoor living space properly situated and constructed.
The 7 Best Pergola Kits For Your Outdoor Space
1.GABLE ROOF HARDTOP GAZEBO
This 11' by 13' cedar wood and powdered-coated steel structure is a quality product. This structure has a hard top roof, protecting your space from direct sun and inclement weather, with an aesthetically pleasing classic gabled design.
2. STONE BRIDGE STEEL PERGOLA
This galvanized steel structure has a sloped roof to avoid rain and debris build-up and is a perfect selection to cover your favorite outdoor living space. With a 12' by 9.5' footprint, this stunning design will elevate your outside living experience and includes a power port with 3 electric outlets and 3 USB ports.
3. ARCADIA GAZEBO
With an all-cedar and steel roof, this 12' by 9.5' sloped Gazebo provides a clean, natural look and will increase your outdoor entertainment area in any yard. This structure includes a power port with 3 electric outlets and 3 USB ports at one of the four columns.
4. WOOD GRAIN ALUMINUM PERGOLA
Combining durability with aesthetics, this aluminum pergola, with a wood-grain veneer, has adjustable louvers that allow you to open or close the roof depending on weather or activity. This pergola is highly versatile, expanding your outdoor living space, protecting your decor, and providing shelter from sun or inclement weather when you want it.
5. SARASOTA LOUVERED STEEL PERGOLA
This steel pergola has a louvered roof, providing great versatility for extending your outdoor living space. This heavy-duty structure comes in 14' by 10' or two more prominent sizes. This pergola has a power port unit with 3 electric outlets 3 USB ports, and a modern and flexible design.
6. OLYMPIA PATIO AWNING
An awning extended from an existing structure can add crucial space to your indoor and outdoor living areas. This heavy-duty aluminum awning is available in two colors and multiple sizes.
7. HAMPTON BAY 11' X 10' GAZEBO
This steel-framed Gazebo with a hardtop roof is an affordable option for adding to your outdoor living space. With an 11' by 10' shade coverage, this structure features a beautiful peaked roof design and will provide year-round enjoyment of the outdoors.
What Are The Different Types of Pergola Kits?
There are many types of open-air structures to consider when you want to feature an area of your yard and extend your outdoor living space. Here are a few of the main styles available.
Freestanding vs. Attached Structures
With a freestanding structure, you can highlight an area of your outdoor space and create an entertainment area with unique furniture and decor. Freestanding Pergolas can go almost anywhere if you properly secure the footings. An attached structure is a great way to extend the indoors into the outdoors with a cohesive transition from one to the other. Attached structures will need to be secured to an existing wall or structure, usually the exterior of your home.
Open-top, Gabled, Pitched, and Sail Pergolas
Open-top, Gabled, Pitched, and Sail Pergolas each provide a distinct roof aesthetic and should complement the existing style of your home exterior. An open roof is the most basic and will give your decor the least weather protection. Gabled rooftops are a classic design for any outdoor structure and provide top-down coverage from the weather. A pitched roof angles the rooftop to keep water or debris from collecting and is a more straightforward, modern design choice. Sail coverage uses sail (canvas) material, stretched across an area of your outdoor space, and can be attached to existing structures or tethered to a secured pole or column. Sails can be an affordable and a colorful addition to protect your outdoor living space from the weather year-round.
Louvered Pergola Kits for Adjustable Shade
Louvered Pergolas provide the most flexibility when using your outdoor living area. A louvered structure is best if you want a 360-degree view and sunshine to pass through to your outdoor lounge area when weather permits. With a louvered roof, you can easily close the louvers with a hand crank to keep unwanted rain or inclement weather from passing through. Likewise, you can provide a shaded outdoor living space from the hot sun any day.
What Are The Different Materials Used in Pergola Kits?
Wood (cedar, redwood, pressure-treated pine)
Wood Pergolas are most often made with strong, weather-resistant, natural wood like cedar, redwood, or pressure-treated pine. Any of these are appropriate to consider and can withstand weather and winds. Always review the weight and wind resistance specs for durability and consider any exposure the structure will have where you desire to place it. Regardless, wood Pergolas are often a preferred choice if you're looking to maintain a more nature-inspired look.
Vinyl
Vinyl Pergolas are lighter and often more affordable. This material is generally easy to install and comes in various colors. A vinyl pergola will likely require attachment to an existing wall or structure, which can quickly expand an indoor space to the outdoors. Vinyl awnings can often reduce the heat in an area of the home they are attached to and help keep that area cool in hot weather.
Aluminum and Steel
Aluminum or Steel Pergolas are sturdy and considered a more modern look to refresh and upgrade your existing outdoor living space. Steel and aluminum structures are secure and require solid footing and proper installation. This material is very durable and will not require maintenance. These structures often come with louvered panels in the roof and electrical options to upgrade your outdoor area.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is It Cheaper To Build My Own Pergola or Gazebo?
Not necessarily. If you are a contractor or hobbyist working with materials to build structures, you are a good candidate for custom designing and building your outdoor living space. However, buying a Pergola Kit will be cheaper than hiring someone to make it custom if you are like the rest of us.
Does A Pergola Increase My Home Value?
Surprisingly, a lovely Pergola or Gazebo that is well-designed, built, and appropriately placed can add significant value to your home price. Many estimates put the return on investment between 50 and 80 percent. This value add makes Pergolas one of the more valuable additions homeowners can select.
How Long Do Pergolas Last?
The quality of materials you choose, the construction, and the area where the pergola is placed can determine its lifespan. Pergolas should last 10 to 20 years.
Can I Enclose My Pergola or Gazebo?
It is possible to outfit your structure with custom blinds or canvas that can be rolled up and down on all four sides. Although pergolas are open-air on all sides, many people want to reduce wind, chill, rain, and insects, depending on the season. Some customers install blinds on one or all sides of a Pergola to achieve their outdoor living space ideals.
Which Pergola Kit Do I Buy?
What Can I Add To My Pergola?
Many people create a comfortable lounge area under their Pergolas that can be used all year round. You can add a nest or swing chair, lighting, a gas fire pit, a movie screen, a water source or fountain, a free weights gym, hanging plants or herbs, electricity for charging, and sound speakers.
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