If we look at the summers of the last few years, we quickly find that pools sell out quickly, lawn sprinklers are in constant use and temperatures are rising. If you want to defy the heat a bit, a place in the shade can be quite helpful. Let’s take a closer look at the options for patio roofing.
Why we need sun protection
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In addition to UV rays, sun protection also keeps away heat. Objects and material are protected from overheating and are not stressed so much by UV radiation. At the same time, metal garden chairs, for example, do not heat up as much and there is generally less heat development in the shade. Plants also benefit from more shade, the flowers and plants have to be watered less often. Even if the water comes out of the rain barrel, the effort remains.
Terrace without a roof
If you have a terrace but no roofing at all, you have various options for providing shade. The simplest and probably a very common form is to put up a parasol. This is quick, easy and often feasible without know-how and even by laypeople. The parasol base is brought into position, the parasol is put in and off you go.
The umbrella can be brought into different positions and adapted to the position of the sun. Traffic light umbrellas hang and are held to the side, so there is no umbrella stand in the way directly under the umbrella.
Awning for the terrace
In addition to the parasol, sun sails are also a means of preventing excessive exposure to the sun. Advantage: The sails can be easily removed. Disadvantage: hooks and straps are usually used for assembly and at least three points for fastening. If the sun sails are dirty, they can be cleaned in your own washing machine, depending on their size.
It is always surprising how much an awning can already give the feeling of a fully-fledged roof. If the sail is hung in a fixed, designated construction, it can be a very good advertisement – this information is advertising links to Amazon, websites or other online shops, providing sun protection for the terrace. If it gets cooler in the evening, it is still a bit more comfortable under the sail than under the open sky.
Terrace with a roof
If the terrace already has a roof and is made of a transparent material such as glass or plastic, it is often not possible to put up a parasol. This is also a challenge in winter gardens. You still want shade.
Pleated blinds to provide shade for glass roofs
In addition to cloths that can be stretched under the window, pleated blinds are often the better choice. While a cloth is stuck, the pleated blinds can be closed during the day and in the blazing sun and opened again on mild summer evenings. As with normal windows, you can decide how far the pleated blind is opened.
The elements are attached to the rafters between which the roof elements are mounted. This is similar with the winter garden: Here the windows can be equipped with the same pleated blinds as the roof. This results in a uniform look and looks very structured and tidy.
If the windows have to be cleaned, the pleated blinds can also be pulled together again and the window is exposed again.

Quality comes before price
If you want to get a new shade, you should focus on quality. It does not matter whether it is a parasol, a sun sail or an outdoor pleated blind. The umbrellas and sun sails are sometimes exposed to rain and wind. If you save in the wrong place here, you will not enjoy the system for long. It is similar with pleated blinds, even if rain and wind hardly have any effect, if at all, you don’t want to renew the elements every summer. In addition, if the pleated blinds are custom-made, you sometimes have to wait several weeks for new ones.
A good roofing can:
- Provide shade
- Minimize solar radiation and keep the room from overheating
- Protect flowers and plants from drying out too quickly
- Create a cozy feeling and a great atmosphere
If a patio roof is not enough, you can equip the glass and roof elements with pleated blinds and hang a sun sail in front of the patio. This increases the proportion of shadows. This can be very pleasant, especially in midsummer. The awning can be pushed together or removed completely if necessary.