At PWHI, we love getting creative with deck shade ideas for your brand new Trex Composite Deck. Now summer is here — time to start a new project! With more reason to spend quality time together than ever before, you and your loved ones should make the most of your outdoor space. In the hot summer months, a well-designed deck with shading lets you enjoy your yard throughout the day.
With some strategic thinking, you can create shade and make the space look even more beautiful. Read on to discover our top 15 shade ideas for deck and patio coverings to match your property’s personality.
15 Coverage Choices for a Lovely Breeze On Your Deck This Summer
There are several ways you can go about getting respite from the sweltering heat of the sun. Installing cabanas and gazebos can be costly, whereas pavilions are more affordable and offer slightly extra flexibility when it comes to design. Ultimately, it’s down to personal choice.
1. Go All-Out and Install a Cabana
A cabana is a hut with a covered roof. You can make it from wood or metal and have it as a robust permanent fixture or install it so it can be taken down in winter. Since you often find cabanas on beach resorts, why not decorate the inside to resemble a beach interior for the ultimate holiday at home experience?
2. Fix a Permanent Pavilion in Place
A pavilion is more affordable than a cabana or a yurt — think of a wooden structure with slats overhead but no roof. For some sunshine lovers, this provides enough shade on the deck. However, there are many options available to you that you can use together with a pavilion to bring more shade. Lots of them allow you to get creative with regard to design.
3. Pull-Down Shades
Choose shades that match the design of your house or opt for natural-looking bamboo, or linen blinds. It’s a simple and affordable way to shut out the midday sun but still soak in the happy vibes of your outdoor space.
4. Climbing Plants
This is more of a long-term plan, but you can use blinds, sails or an umbrella in the years you’re waiting for the climbers to grow. Some plants are made for climbing and produce vines within a year. If you’re a nature lover, this is the most eco-friendly and affordable way to get shade on your deck.
5. Retractable Awnings
Mechanical awnings are super-useful in the hot months, but they can be quite costly. Choose colorful awnings if it’s in keeping with the design of the rest of your yard. Alternatively, select monochrome blinds if you prefer a minimal contemporary aesthetic.
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6. Include a Gazebo in Your Design
Gazebos can be costly, but they look beautiful. It’s a room that you can sit in, whether it’s blazing hot or raining, and it should last for years. You also benefit from additional shade around the gazebo, depending on the time of day.
7. Use Patio Umbrellas
A patio umbrella is a tried and tested method of staying cool in the shade of your deck during summer. Free Standing umbrellas look elegant, and you can even get custom patio parasols to match your yard’s design. Offset umbrellas mean there’s no pole in the middle of your outdoor dining table. They’re usually completely adjustable, so you can protect yourself and your loved ones against the sun all day.
8. Opt for a Palapa
Palapas are unique because they have a thatched roof, which some people find incredibly appealing. If you’re looking for that tropical-paradise-at-home look, this could be the perfect deck cover alternative for you.
9. Keep a Pop-Up Canopy Handy
You’d be surprised at the variety of pop-up canopies and tents you can purchase to add temporary shade to your deck, although you might have a little trouble if it’s windy. Plus, pop-up canopies are usually designed for use on grass as opposed to decking boards.
10. Create a Marquee
If you have a basic pavilion structure on your deck, you can create a marquee out of fabric, plants or bamboo. A marquee is a basic covering that provides a little shade, but you wouldn’t be able to rely on it for the hottest time of day.
11. Get a Roof
A roof is probably the second most expensive option because it involves structural design. It’s not the sort of project you could attempt to DIY, but the results would be incredible. If you wanted to show off, you could get an electronic retractable roof installed on your deck. During the winter, it shelters you from the rain, and in summer, you get an excellent deck coverage option.
12. Install a Balcony
Now, this is the most expensive option out of all of them. If you opt for a balcony, you’ll need to install a multi level deck. The upper level of the deck offers shade to the bottom levels during the day, and on balmy evenings you and your loved ones can gaze off into the sunset. This is the most aesthetically pleasing option, but you’d need to have the time and money available for major work on your property.
13. Try Shade Sails
If you don’t like the idea of building expensive structures in your yard, why not opt for affordable and trendy shade sail? Hang shade sails strategically from points in the garden to the upper and lower windows of your home and you’ll have shade. You can adjust them as the sun moves across the sky, too.
14. Get a Pergola
A pergola is another structure with an open slatted roof, so it doesn’t provide the level of shade you get from a filled-in ceiling. However, it’s an affordable and adaptable option. You can add fabric, shade screen, plants or outdoor curtains to offer deck shade in summer.
15. Plant Trees
The most rewarding but most long-term solution is to plant trees. Be careful about where you plant if the tree is going to get big and tall; you don’t want it to block the light going into your home.
Explore Deck Coverage Options with an Expert
Call Prince William Home Improvement today at 703-492-1294 to arrange a free estimate from one of our deck specialists. We can help you to match your deck, landscaping and hardscaping for your dream backyard.
