When summer is over, many pick up their patio furniture, stockpile it, and don't use it during the fall and winter months. It may be because the temperature in that area is too cold, or simply because they do not want to. But if an outdoor area is going to remain as a warehouse, or we are going to continue using it, it is necessary to know how to cover a patio from the rain.
It does not matter if it implies that you are going to use it to sit down some days, or that you want to protect the furniture so that the following year it will continue to serve you, there are options so that a patio does not get wet from the rain and, in this way, it will be usable even in cold months. We tell you which ones there are.
The reasons why you should protect your patio from the rain
A patio is an annex to a house. Normally you exit to this through a wide window, or through a door. The floor is usually made of wood or tiles that are treated to withstand the elements. The problem is that, when they continuously get wet, after a while they deteriorate, and can rots appear or even the soil becomes ugly.
Then you would have the furniture, which if you collected it, would be grouped in an area of the patio. But, if not, they would be placed as a decoration. What if it were raining on them? The usual thing is that these furniture have also been treated to withstand inclement weather, but there will be deterioration if the water stagnates in an area, or if they do not stop suffering with the sun, the cold and the rain. To this must be added that some accessories such as cushions, blankets, mattresses, etc. they would not survive.
For these reasons, it is always advisable to protect them, how? Well, by covering a patio from the rain you would have a lot of livestock.
How to cover a patio from the rain
Now that you know the importance of covering a patio from the rain, it is time for you to know what options you have to be able to do it. We recommend that you take the choice, not so much for aesthetics or decoration, but for functionality. For example, if you live in an area with a lot of wind and frequent rain, covering the patio with a waterproof fabric is not a bad idea, but it will last considerably less than if you use other methods.
Specifically, the ones we can recommend are:
Patio umbrellas
If the image of a beach umbrella has come to your mind, you have been confused. They are much larger to cover a large area. In addition, the structure is much stronger and heavier than that of one on the beach and they are made with waterproof fabrics capable of withstanding the rain, but also the sun.
It is the cheapest option, although, as we mentioned before, it will depend on the climate, temperature and inclement weather to know if it is the best or not (because even if it is cheap, if it does not last you will not be able to amortize it).
As a drawback, there is the space itself. It will only protect the area that covers the diameter of the umbrella, but if it is windy it is possible that not even that. That is why many leave this option more for the summer, since it protects much better from the sun than from the rain. But it can help.
Sail awnings
This type of awnings are often fashionable and the good thing about them is that they can be adapted to any space because in the market you find many sizes. Of course, they need grip points.
It is basically a fabric that you fix with three grip points, Hence it is called a "sail", because the effect you get is that of a triangle, like the sails of a ship.
They are made, as was the case before, with a waterproof fabric.
Problems? Several. The first and perhaps most important is that the fabric, being fixed in three points, can be very well extended, but what if it rains? The normal thing is that the water remains stagnant in the fabric, since there will be no leaks, but that can end up bulging it, and causing it to be damaged.
Another problem is the wind, since moving the fabric can cause some point of grip to give way, or even tear the fabric.
Economically it is cheap and it can work, although it has those drawbacks.
Extendable awnings
Related to awnings, perhaps the best known are the extensible ones, that is, those that are folded, usually on the wall and that, when necessary, are extended to cover the patio area.
Su functionality is quite high and allows us to put it on or take it off at our whim, either manually or automated.
Because its price is balanced (it is neither too expensive nor too cheap) it is the option that is most in demand since it can protect both from the sun and the rain.
Now, let's analyze the problems. One of them may be that they cover only part of the patio, but if there is wind or the rain does not fall vertically, the patio could get wet. Another problem is the wind. Of course, having a structure based on a chest that is the one that keeps the fabric, it is more difficult for it to fly off or break. But with the passage of time there may be breaks, fissures, etc. that prevent him from fulfilling the function assigned to him.
Pergolas
Pergolas are one of the most expensive ways to cover a patio from the rain, but also the most effective. It is a structure that is built from ceiling to floor, the patio being covered and closed, or only covered.
The part of the roof can be made open (for summer) and closed (facing winter) and as for the walls, the usual thing is that they have pillars, but you can also choose to close completely and you would have an interior patio where you can also regulate the temperature.
The main drawback of pergolas is that they are fixed and can break with that open patio aesthetic that you want. In addition, they involve a significant outlay, although they are more durable.
Now that you have seen the options to cover a patio from the rain, which one would you choose? Have you found another way to protect your patio? We would love to hear about it.