Pergolas, gazebos and covered areas

Your options

• Pergola. An open beam roof over a deck or patio, in cedar, pressure-treated wood or aluminum. Add a shade sail, slats or a retractable canopy for more shade.
• Louvered aluminum pergola. Adjustable slats that open for sun and close against rain.
• Gazebo. A freestanding roofed structure, often over a hot tub or seating area, with optional screens.
• Covered patio or roofed deck. A solid roof tied into the house, so you can sit outside in the rain.
• Privacy screens. Slatted wood or composite walls that block the view from next door without a full fence.

Attached or freestanding?

A pergola attached to the house shares the deck's ledger or is fixed to the wall, which can look neater but needs care with flashing. A freestanding pergola or gazebo sits on its own posts and footings, so it can go anywhere in the yard. Either way, the posts need proper footings. Oxford County gets strong wind and heavy snow, and a light structure on shallow posts won't last.

Permits

Open pergolas are often treated differently from roofed structures. A solid roof, especially one attached to the house, usually needs a building permit because it has to carry snow. Check with your municipality or ask the contractor. More in our permit guide.

Planning a new deck too? It's easiest to build the deck and pergola together, so the posts and footings are planned once.