If your backyard wood or wood patio cover or pergola has been there for more than a year or two, you no doubt have noticed some signs of aging and other damage. But how do you know if this deterioration is simply the cost of using these materials or it is a sign you need to replace your shade structure?
Wood
You likely built your wooden patio cover or pergola (or bought the house with one already installed) in the expectation that it would provide years of shade and outdoor entertainment while adding to your home’s resale value. You may have found that the upkeep – annual staining or painting, filling, sanding, and touching up gouges, sealing the timbers, etc. – detracts from your enjoyment. Failing to keep up with these chores, however, will certainly shorten your wood pergola or patio cover’s lifespan.
Wood is porous and absorbs water and any number of microscopic living organisms. That can hasten its downfall. Constant maintenance and re-staining can double a wood patio cover’s lifespan. No maintenance, however, sentences the structure to death in as little as five years, depending on the climate where you live. No matter where you reside, your wood pergola or patio cover is susceptible to fungi in the form of wet rot and dry rot.
- Dry rot, which feeds on lumber containing around 25 percent moisture. The more serious of the two types of mold, dry rot radiates out from its source of origin to attack rafters, beams, posts, and braces.
- Wet rot needs wood with upwards of 50 percent moisture content to thrive, so its attacks are usually more localized. It collects on the upper patio roof surfaces where rain collects and is absorbed and around column bases and the area where posts are inserted into footings. It is more common than dry rot.
Either form of rot can easily cause structural damage to wood patio covers and pergolas, creating safety hazards. Prevalent rot is cause for dismantling the cover and replacing it with an extruded aluminum outdoor living space that will last for the rest of your life.
Wet rot and dry rot problems are readily apparent, making wood appear flaky and discolored. Termites, on the other hand, take a stealthy approach to destroying your wood pergola or patio cover. They burrow into the wood, leaving only tiny holes. Then they set to work eating their way out of the components, weakening their load-bearing capacity and making them susceptible to warping, bending and breaking. When termites make a meal of the wood fibers near patio roof hardware, ledgers, brackets, and bolts can work loose, causing roofs and posts can collapse. Homeowners should replace termite-damaged structures before catastrophe can strike.
Vinyl
It’s easy to know when you have to replace a vinyl patio cover or pergola – when it breaks because it gets hit by a lawnmower, dented by a rock propelled by the said mower, or cut by a mower, edger, or sharp edge on a backyard grill, table, or other objects. Vinyl also is not strong enough to withstand the heavy snow loads and winds that hammer patio covers and pergolas in many parts of the country. This is of particular risk in extremely hot and cold environments. Studies have shown that vinyl softens and expands after exposure to heat, while it becomes brittle as the temperature drops below freezing. Any impact can cause it to spiderweb.
If your vinyl roof sags or components have been twisted by the elements, it likely is time to check into a replacement. Newer vinyl structures may include stiff galvanized steel inserts in support posts and beams to give them rigidity similar to aluminum.
Other reasons to replace your vinyl patio cover or pergola are primarily based on preference and attitude:
- You decide that light-colored vinyl (the only shades available) no longer suits you.
- Your vinyl patio cover has yellowed after prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays.
- You’re concerned that your vinyl pergola’s plastic appearance and texture detract from your home’s atmosphere.
Replacement Options
You could replace your patio cover or pergola with another wood shade structure, resolving to spend your free time preserving and restoring it to achieve its 15-year maximum life expectancy. You could pay extra to reinforce another vinyl patio cover, assuming you can make the tough color choice between white, eggshell, and off-white.
Or you could opt for a rugged, attractive extruded aluminum outdoor living space that will last for 50 years or more with only minor routine care.
Aluminum is impervious to rot and termites, won’t rust, and, despite its lightweight, withstands heavy snow loads and hurricane-force winds. Powder coating gives aluminum a strong, attractive outer “shell” that resists chipping and scratching and won’t fade or warp in the extreme heat and sunlight that can cause wood to crack and vinyl to melt.
