Enhance the beauty of your home with a pergola

The traditional porch has served its purpose since time immemorial and now it is time to try out something new and simple that can add a little charm to your outdoor space - a pergola.
This is an archway commonly found in gardens, parks, and yards. It consists of a framework of vertical posts or pillars made of wood or steel that support crossbeams and an open lattice ceiling.
Sometimes pergolas are confused with patios. But patios are typically smaller and simpler in structure, and usually roofless. They are generally used for dining and recreation. On the other hand, pergolas are larger, open in structure, flat, and often attached to homes or buildings, and are roofed.

What makes up a pergola?
The main material is timber, but rushing to choose timber without fully understanding what properties different varieties offer is an easy mistake to make. Not only do different timbers provide very different looks, but they also stand up differently to things like weather and termites.

Timber is not the only choice, of course - and if you are after strength (perhaps for a less conventional design) steel or aluminum might even be a more suitable choice. Different cladding materials also offer different properties and behaviour - what you choose will ultimately come down to what you want from your pergola and the size of your pocket.
Roof covers are indispensable if you want to enjoy nature from the comfort of your home, so, pergolas are definitely working the indoor/outdoor trend.

Are pergolas affordable?
If you want to amp up your outdoor space without spending a lot of money, a pergola might be the perfect solution. Pergolas are inexpensive and easy to build, but they have a big impact on your yard, especially if you add climbing flowers or other plants. Although some options cost more than others, you can undoubtedly find an economical, beautiful, and durable pergola that fits your budget.
Ronald Asiimwe, a construction manager, says: “Largely the cost of pergolas depends on the choice of wood and the size of structure. For example, if one goes for hard wood like the mahogany and musambya, which can stand to things like water, their cost is far up.”

One piece of mahogany wood costs up to Shs30,000 while musambya goes for Shs25,000. Other types like eucalyptus cost Shs7,000 but the quality is lesser.
So, with everything included both materials and labour a pergola costs Shs 1.5m

Why choose a pergola?
Blurring the line between indoors and outdoors is the newest trend in construction and interior design. By bringing the outside in and adding a homely touch to your outdoor living areas, you can make the most of the space you have and create an inviting outdoor space.
Pergolas have a unique beauty that surpasses that of a standard porch. They have a very sculptural and architectural design, and they can help create visual interest in an otherwise basic backyard.

Not only are pergolas beautiful on their own, but they can also lend support to other lovely landscaping features like climbing flowers and vines. Plant these flowers and vines in the right place, and they will find their way up the pergola’s supports and through the roof-like beams.
You can also hang planters from the beams. Imagine a vast pergola crawling with clambering vines and colorful flowers.

Although they look somewhat unfinished to the eye, pergolas do provide shed. The size of the beams and their spacing will determine exactly how much shade is provided, though a pergola on its own can never create a fully-shaded space. There are pros and cons to this. Although you are not receiving full shade, for example, you are able to see the sky and view the stars at night. If you would like the space to be fully shaded, just add a cover to the beams.
Last but not least, pergolas are durable and low maintenance. Apart from painting once in a while like once in every three years, pergolas have no extra costs. A wood one can last up to seven to 10 years, while that of materials like vinyl, steel and aluminum last up to four decades.

Pergola beauty
The pergola is beautiful but it wouldn’t harm adding more colour to it. One of the ways of doing so is by adding flowers and vines crawling up and over the rafters and down the vertical posts. These help to blend your pergola with the landscape creating a scene to behold.
You can also pimp up a pergola by hanging planters or other design elements from the rafters. These carry all sorts of plants. Dressing all-weather fabrics from one vertical post to another adds a soft flowing effect and a romantic appeal to your landscape while providing even more protection from weather elements.

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