If you’ve ever visited someone and noticed a nice pergola in their backyard, you might think it
looks lovely. If you’re there during pleasant weather, you may spend some time underneath the
pergola’s canopy. Maybe they have a firepit or entertainment system. Pergolas can be large or
small, and they can be used for many different activities.
If you decide you would like to install a pergola in your backyard as well, that’s a feature that
can add value to your home. You can also enjoy the pergola for as long as you live in that
house.
However, there is some contention over whether wood or aluminum is the better material for
pergolas. It’s hard to say definitely that an aluminum pergola or a wooden one is better. There
are some factors associated with each one that you should know about if you are trying to make
this decision, though.
Let’s talk about some pros and cons of each material right now.
Will the Material Match Your Home?
There are many considerations that go into choosing whether you want your backyard pergola
to be made out of aluminum or wood. Some people might feel that one of these substances
might clash with the material out of which their home is primarily composed.
For instance, if you have a house that features wood as one of its main building materials, then
you may feel like wood also makes sense for your pergola. If you can construct one out of the
same kind of wood, or at least wood that is the same color, then the way the two matches should
be pleasant to look at. However, that’s purely a matter of aesthetics and probably not the most
practical of considerations.
If you do feel like getting wood for your pergola so that it matches the house, then probably
pressure-treated pine, redwood, or cedar are your best bets. A pergola composed of Western
red cedar can be absolutely gorgeous, although you’ll pay top dollar for it in most parts of the
country.
Some people feel that a wooden pergola looks more old-fashioned. You might regard that as a
positive or a negative. If you’re going for quaint, then wood can work for you.
As for aluminum, some people feel that it looks more modern. However, there are others who
don’t so much care for the industrial look, as they feel that it’s garish. This is purely a matter of
opinion, though.
Durability
There’s no denying that a pergola built of aluminum will be more durable than
wood. Aluminum can stand up to weather as time passes, even if you live in a region that sees
a high volume of rain, snow, sleet, hail, or ice.
Wood is going to stand up to the elements for a while, but eventually, it will start to degrade
it. Rotting and warping are likely if that occurs.
By getting aluminum, you are all but guaranteed to have a longer-lasting pergola. This is
something you will certainly want to consider before you move forward with purchasing the
materials.
The Maintenance
You should also consider maintenance when considering which material you want for
your pergola. The aluminum pergola is the one that will probably require less upkeep. Once you
have erected it, there’s really very little you need to do to it.
That’s not the case with wood. If you want to make your wooden pergola last as long as
possible, you will need to go through a seasonal process of staining and painting. This will
protect it from the elements to some degree. That’s going to be a necessity in several parts of
the country.
The Price
Maybe you are looking at your pergola purely from a price standpoint. For the most part,
wooden pergolas cost less to source and build than aluminum ones. However, you need to think
about the upfront cost versus the costs on the back end.
If you buy an aluminum pergola, then it will cost more in the beginning, but you will have to do
virtually nothing to maintain it. As we mentioned, you will probably need to take action to
maintain the wooden pergola just about every year to make sure you get as much usable life as
possible out of it.
The cost of maintaining the wooden pergola using wood or stain is probably going to make the
total price tag catch up to what you would have paid for the aluminum one within 2-3 years.
That’s why if you’re thinking strictly about the price and you plan to continue living in that house
and enjoying that pergola for several years to come, a wooden one will likely cost you just as
much as the aluminum option, if not more.
The Final Verdict
In summation, you will need to look at things like aesthetic appeal, the total price tag, and the
upkeep costs when you’re trying to decide between aluminum and wooden pergolas. Some
people swear by one, and some by the other.
One is not necessarily better, but to help you decide, it can be helpful to go on online message
boards that talk about pergola ownership. You may also want to think about what you plan to do
with this structure.
For instance, if you plan to install a firepit in the pergola, wood is much more of a fire hazard
than aluminum would be. You should also think about whether you want this to be a louvered
pergola or not.
Louvered pergola roofs are much easier to install if you have an aluminum frame to which they
can be affixed. It’s not impossible to install a louvered roof if you have a wooden pergola, but it’s
probably going to be a bit more challenging.
No matter which one you decide on, most homeowners who build pergolas end up loving them.
It’s very likely you can ask for a higher price for the home if you end up moving eventually as
well.
Connect With Me !