Awnings And Pergolas: What’s The Difference?

Enjoying your garden all year round can be tricky here in the UK. Unfortunately, the British weather isn’t the best and while many homeowners would love to relax in their outdoor space regularly, the natural elements can be a problem. Awnings and pergolas can enhance exterior areas and provide valuable weather protection. If you are considering an upgrade for your garden, awnings and pergolas are two popular options. But what exactly is the difference between them? Read on to find out.

Difference Between Awnings & Pergolas

Haus Awnings and pergolas are both outdoor shading options with retractable fabric roofs, but they have one key difference; one is connected to the home and the other is not. Pergolas are free-standing structures that can be positioned anywhere in the garden, whereas an awning is permanently attached to a specific exterior wall. Pergolas offer all-weather protection and allow for rain run-off with their telescopic leg, whereas awnings offer a sun shade that can be extended when needed and retracted out of sight when not required. 

Pergolas have a stronger structure than awnings and are built to withstand the poorest of weather conditions. For example, if you leave an awning open in high winds and heavy rainfall, it can become damaged or suffer from premature degradation. A pergola, however, will stay standing, no matter what Mother Nature decides to throw at it. 

Factors To Consider

If you are struggling to decide between a pergola and an awning, here are some important factors to consider:

What is your budget? 

Awnings and pergolas are available with various price tags but pergolas are often the more expensive option. However, there are methods to make both work for you. Awnings can be cheaper depending on the cassette that you choose, however, you’ll be sacrificing weatherproof protection.  

How big is your garden?

The most notable and obvious difference between pergolas and awnings is their difference in size. Pergolas can be treated closer to a home extension than you would a shading feature. Naturally, pergolas take up more space and are best for gardens with a big surface area.

Alternatively, awnings are a universally acceptable home renovation project that proves to be advantageous for both small and big gardens thanks to their retractable nature.

What do you need it for? 

Awnings aren’t just for shading, they can be used to protect windows from harsh weather conditions. Awnings also provide protection from UV rays if you’re worried about your carpet, furniture or window frames being affected by colour fading. If you are looking for guaranteed shade and light rain protection, an awning is an ideal option as they feature a strong fabric cover.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for an additional shading that you can treat as an outdoor living space, then pergolas are an option worth considering. In comparison, pergolas tend to have a roof made with wooden slats, allowing sunlight and rain water to seep into the space below. With that in mind, Pergolas are also far more visually aesthetic too, in some instances they also boost the valuation of your property by a significant amount.

Are you looking for a permanent or temporary shade solution? 

As previously mentioned, Awnings are a perfect solution for smaller spaces because of their retractable nature. For that same reason, their installation is much simpler than pergolas. As a result, taking them down is also much easier than Pergolas.

Once a pergola is built, it can’t be moved without being deconstructed. We’ve mentioned that they’re very similar to home extensions and they should be treated with the same level of foresight so as not to regret your decision.

What aesthetic are you trying to achieve? 

Pergolas are often more visually appealing than awnings. A pergola can be designed to your bespoke specifications and flowers can be trained to grow up the structure, similar to a trellis.

Once you have answered these questions

you should be able to form a better idea of the best solution for your garden. Modern pergolas and awnings are available in stunning designs and whatever you choose, you will be giving your garden space an incredible upgrade.

Once you have answered these questions

you should be able to form a better idea of the best solution for your garden. Modern pergolas and awnings are available in stunning designs and whatever you choose, you will be giving your garden space an incredible upgrade.

Appeal Shading Awnings & Pergolas

If you are considering an awning or pergola for your garden, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Appeal Shading. We install a range of modern awnings and pergolas, available in various designs with several modern features. Contact us today to discuss your project and schedule a consultation with our experts. Alternatively, download a free brochure to discover our full awning and pergola range. We look forward to transforming your garden space soon.