Adding a sun covering to your home is a great option if you want to enjoy your yard all year round. Pergolas are a popular landscape option for homes that give it a timeless look. Pergolas come in two main options, free-standing and attached. While each option can be great for certain activities, choosing the right one for your home comes down to your budget and maintenance concerns. Below, we will discuss the pros and cons of attached and free-standing pergolas.
What Is An Attached Pergola?
An attached pergola is placed on your home and stays with the existing structure. These are often referred to as lean to pergolas. Attached pergolas are typically used as an extension of the living space that leads you into an outdoor patio. A pergola attached to your home can be secured to many different types of materials and is supported by columns or posts on the outside edge. The attached pergolas are open to the elements on 3 of the 4 sides.
Pros Of Attached Pergolas
There are many benefits to any type of covering for your home. Here are some benefits of having your pergola directly attached to your home.
Installing the pergola directly into the home allows installers to choose a color and material that matches the existing home. Attached pergolas provide a more seamless integration as you don’t have to choose how it will look and limit the hard choice of where to place it.
Attached pergolas also won’t take up your landscaping space. Since the pergola is attached to the home, you still have plenty of outdoor space for lounging, pets to run around, children to play, and more.
Pergolas add sheltered space to your home. Having it right on your home will allow you to enjoy the outdoors with some added protection from the home. While pergolas don’t provide much shade, an attached one can help block some sun and weather from hitting the side of your home. This benefit can make your exterior materials last longer.
Cons Of Attached Pergolas
Although pergolas have plenty of benefits, some challenges come with them. One con to an attached pergola is that you will need permits to install them. Attached pergolas are considered an addition to a home, which requires permits and must meet regulations in many states.
Attached pergolas also make repainting or repairing your home a challenge. Working around the pergola to do home repairs or landscaping maintenance can be frustrating and a deterrent for some.
Pergolas are typically placed on the back side of a home, by a door, and over a patio space. While they can be placed in other places on the home, you are limited to space where there are no windows and the materials are strong enough to support the structure.
What Is A Free-Standing Pergola?
Free-standing pergolas can be placed anywhere around a home or in your yard. They are supported by columns and come in varying sizes. Free-standing pergolas can be made from wood, plastic, or metal.
Pros Of Free Standing Pergolas
Since these pergolas are free-standing, you will be able to place them anywhere on your property. Free-standing pergolas are often placed in a garden or over a fire pit area to add some decorative element.
Free-standing pergolas have a distinctive design that doesn’t rely on your house for visual appeal. Free-standing pergolas are often used as a decoration for landscaping because they look whimsical and can be enhanced with climbing plants.
Since the structure isn’t attached to your home damage to the structure will not affect your home. When weather conditions like wind and snow wreak havoc on your pergola, your home materials will not be affected if the pergola falls.
Cons Of Free Standing Pergolas
Since the free-standing pergolas don’t have your house to rely on for support, they need to be extra durable. This can impact the price of the pergola as more material is needed and structural support will need to be added. Depending on the size, pergolas can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
These pergola types are placed away from the home, which takes up space in your landscaping. A pergola will require you to have a big enough yard that still allows ample walking space. Pergolas can limit the usable play space in your backyard.
One thing pergolas don’t provide is protection from the elements. Since these structures are open on all sides, they don’t protect from bugs, pests, wind, or other weather elements. While pergolas help you enjoy your backyard space by providing a little bit of shade, they don’t offer protection beyond that.
Some homeowners install extra shades or a wrap around the pergola to help keep pests out, but they aren’t always the best use of your money.
Which Type Is Right For Your Home?
Both pergola options can work for a variety of home types, but choosing one that feels right may be a challenge. Free-standing pergolas may be better for smaller homes as to not overpower the structure. Homes with ample patio space may benefit from attached pergolas to extend the living space.
Choosing the right pergola for your home will come down to what your needs are. Considering your budget, your usable yard space, and what you want to use the pergola for will help narrow down your decision. Using this list of pros and cons will help homeowners see where they can compromise and where they can’t.
Pergola Options From Kool Breeze
Our team at Kool Breeze offers both free-standing and attached pergolas. Our lattice-type covers are manufactured with the highest quality materials and are maintenance-free. This will protect you from having bug infestations, the need for repairs, or repainting.
Enjoying your outdoor space is possible with the right covering from Kool Breeze. No matter what type of cover or enclosure you are looking for, we can help ensure it looks like part of your home. Add some seclusion to your home in a non-intrusive way with the experts at Kool Breeze.
