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Ummmm...climbing ladders and cleaning second-story windows is definately a man's job, rewarded with homemade cake. What time can I expect you?
Alumawood is a brand name aluminum patio cover system that mimics wood in appearance. Durawood is plastic... high density polyethylene... made to mimic wood in appearance. Regular wood is real wood, made by trees. Does that cover it?
I'm a master researcher.... I typed in "alumawood" and bingo! Alumawood.com - Simple Do-It-Yourself Patio Kits
I had mine built by these guys Welcome to Rooms N Covers™ because (A) it's huge and (B) I learned a valuable lesson years ago when hubby and I built a wooden lattice patio cover from a kit at a previous home... ie: I get the job of holding the posts upright while he gets to drop the hammer on my head and pelt me with nails, and the neighbors get entertained with the foulest of loud exchanges.
Will it last longer than wood? Well, it can't get termites or rot, or need painting, like my wooden gazebo that the jungle is taking back, so unless you fall on it while cleaning the windows, I'm guessing it will. Even the county building inspector said they really good and he wants one. Wood is really nice, and you can walk on it or even make it a deck for the upstairs, and hang potted plants or breezy curtains...but judging by my gazebo, this is a better choice for me.
Homemade cake? Well, if my husband made that, I'd clean the windows!
Thanks for the explanations. I'm a dork. Don't know what I was typing! I like your explanations better than anythign google could find for me anyway.
Why did you pick alumawood over durawood? We'll definitely have someone install for us or have someone else help my husband (I'm all about saving our marriage). Thanks for the info & tips!
I didn't know of any contractors offering durawood structures, and was just comparing wood to aluma-wood.
Having just had two days of hard rain and hail, I can tell you the aluma-wood is as noisy as, well, a tin roof. And it's right below my (dirty) bedroom windows. So that's something I hate about it. I wouldn't suppose Durawood would have a rain noise problem.
Did someone mention cake?? Guess my sweet tooth is acting up tonight.
Christeen...I love the shade sails...when we were looking at homes in Loomis before we bought our Newcastle place in 2004, we looked at a home with a shade sail. I loved it. It would definitely give you more shade than a trellis or pergola...they aren't that expensive if the wind tears it up after a few years, get a new one. The ones I have seen are made of that sunbrella material, or similar, those are supposed to wear like iron, and the one I saw had heavy duty grommets and hardware. Looked very sturdy. I know hot hot that sun gets up there....I think I would go for the sail...And how fun it would be to have!
Ah, tin roof noise, good info to think about. Hopefully the rain washed your windows.
Thanks for the feedback on shade sails, dogmom. I guess I'd be worried now that the heavy duty shade and its grommets would punch holes through the windows in big winds. They do look cute though. Now we just have to find a house.
They are both appealing options. Pergolas probably go better with traditional homes while the sail shades are hallmarks of Mid Century houses. But either can go with the other.
They are both appealing options. Pergolas probably go better with traditional homes while the sail shades are hallmarks of Mid Century houses. But either can go with the other.
Solara was a great addition to my house. I saw it earlier on this thread and I would highly recommend it. Because it is made from aluminum it still looks brand new. If anyone is looking for something that is unique I would say go for it!
We're currently using the blown-out main sail from the 25' sail boat we used to have for shade on the main deck. The long term plan is to build a wooden arbor and run lengths of sun shade (the kind nurseries use) on long wires so the shade can be pulled forward or back, depending on season.
The sailboat sail, old and saggy though it is, does like to flap in a stiff breeze....
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