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What are the disadvantages of a louvered pergola roof?
A common disadvantage reported, which is possibly obvious, but not to everyone, is that a bladed aluminium louvre roof protects from the rainfall only when the blades are totally closed up. With the blades closed you completely block out all natural light and it can be very dark underneath such a system even in the daytime. Look at a glass veranda roof, which not only protects with 100% waterproof guarantee, you also get all the natural light all the time.
Many cheaper louvre roof bladed roof pergolas will only rotate less or to 90 degrees, where more expensive and generally electric operated systems can rotate up to 140 degrees to give fresh air flow in 2 directions and also more sunlight control.
Most louvre pergolas have static blades so you can only ever get partial light ingress, but there are retractable systems where the roof rotates the blades to a vertical position and then the blades can slide along to provide up to 80% complete open air space. You may always feel a little oppressed under a bladed roof if there isn’t full sunlight. The louvre blade roof system originated in far sunnier climates compared to the UK, where we actually want to get more sunlight generally when it appears and not less…
A proper specified and usually electric operated, louvre pergola, with the ability to add sliding glass doors or other systems to the side can create a great outdoor space, but we would always recommend you have good LED lighting built in and they are actually often better for evening use generally, although never insulated in any way…
Are louvre roof pergolas totally waterproof?
The straight answer is no, Many brands claim to be, but very few outdoor pergola systems are 100% waterproof.
The biggest area for failure with a louvre blade pergola system is the rainwater guttering system used. The rainwater is meant to run off the slightly sloped angle of the aluminium blades when closed and into an internal rainwater guttering system around the perimeter of the roof structure on all 4 sides. The guttering is internal and if the rainfall is ever so heavy that it overwhelms the gutters, then the rainwater will spill over and out inside the pergola.
Different pergolas have different size guttering and this is usually a price level scaling, with commercial systems having the largest guttering.
Many cheap louvre pergolas, many of which have flooded the UK market since Covid hit the UK, are quite flimsy in their profiles and would struggle in both high winds or heavy rainfall to provide weather protection and also remain stable.
Quite simply the more you pay for a louvre pergola the more material content you will get and the heavier duty the system will be, along with larger rainwater guttering too.
A good judge of the quality can also be if the pergola is built with the ability to take additional sliding glass doors or other side infills either at the time of purchase or further down the line..
All louvre pergolas are built as outdoor living rooms and as such you should not expect to ever be 100% rain protected in reality..
Any brands claiming 100% waterproof are certainly very brave…
Why would you have a glass veranda at your home?
Although the term ‘veranda’ in widely adopted now for either polycarbonate or glass structures providing protection from the rain the general reason for having one at al remains the same…
A veranda provides an extension of your main home where you can sit, relax, entertain, eat, drink and generally be healthier and hopefully happier by just being outside..
You define an outdoor space with a veranda, a place to have outdoor furniture, various forms of heating for outside, maybe a cooking facility next to or nearby and so on.
A veranda is a weather protection system to be used all year round if you really want to. It protects from the rain perfectly, it doesn’t make the space underneath darker because of the natural light coming through the roof and it gives you the basis for additional weather protection systems to the front or sides if required to enable more control over the sun or wind..
It is one of the most perfect UK weather solutions systems, especially as it is generally seen now the climate here is going towards a more tropical behavior. Warmer overall with very hot spells, but also a lot wetter too. Protection from rainfall will become a bigger topic in the coming years for sure…
Does an aluminium glass veranda add value to your UK home?
As with many home improvements and upgrades if you select the right designs, colours and specification then definitely a veranda can add real value to your home and attract other buyers who appreciate outdoor spaces and gardens.
The right size, colour and shape, along with options to enhance its use all year round will definitely return value as invested initially. The highest quality aluminium verandas will last very many years beyond their 10 year guarantees, to be a permanent addition to your home.
Recent UK press articles have openly discussed the devaluing of homes with cheap Upvc conservatories, simply because a cheap conservatory is almost useless in many cases and some conclusions were you are better off removing them.
An aluminum glass veranda is nothing like a conservatory and more represents the future of British weather, as we are seemingly moving fast towards a more tropical climate here. Wetter and hotter.. Protect yourself from the rain, but also know it is definitely warm enough to sit outside if properly protected…
Are aluminium verandas waterproof?
The glass or polycarbonate roof for an aluminium veranda is 100% waterproof and is a solid impervious roof to rain. Obviously it is only the roof which is waterproof and rain falling with a reasonable wind as well will inevitably blow in at an angle.
We suggest various options for the prevailing wind open sides from sliding glass doors, vertical zip blinds, solid glass and louvred bladed walling amongst the most popular options.
The rainfall which blows in will all depend on your veranda position and whether it sits in a corner of a house or is fully exposed with one side to the West.
We never recommend glass verandas for North facing aspects, as in reality these are not areas where you would generally want to sit.
The rain protection for an aluminum glass veranda is far more guaranteed than any louvre bladed system and also has an external guttering system. If the rainfall was ever torrential and
Is a Glass Veranda best made from aluminium?
In the UK and much further developed in Northern Europe the use of aluminium framework glass verandas is growing fast. They offer great protection from rain and we get plenty of that and by all accounts we are going to get far more in the future with climate changes..
Aluminium is a great material to construct structures used externally.
The original concept of a veranda goes back hundreds of years and in many hotter countries they are part of the basic design for the house, although not the case here in the UK. The aluminium constructed veranda will provide excellent strength and stability whilst being the best material for longevity, especially when it has to deal with the ferocious and very changeable climate of the UK.
We maybe think our weather is mild maybe but it is subject to very large fluctuations in air moisture content, which challenges many outdoor fitted building materials throughout the year.
Aluminium verandas will only get more popular as the weather changes and is more unpredictable. We all like being outdoors far more and need to protect where we can without building extensions and conservatories which simply don’t give that same outdoor to indoor integration and freedom of air flow..
How do I choose the right Glass Veranda style for my property?
Many of the various styles and models of glass veranda available will be best suited depending on the size of system you are after. Some models with large profile roof bars won’t suit smaller sizes and verandas with smaller profiles wont look so good in larger sizes. It is often a matter of proportion, but there are also some obvious differences when it comes to a sloping or flat roof veranda style.
We hope to have a veranda for almost every style of home and every size option ever required with almost no limits on the width possible. The projections are normally limited to a maximum of 6 metres.
Speak to experts if you want choices to match your taste and house style..
How much does a Glass outdoor room cost in the UK?
A glass garden room, best defined as an aluminium and glass roof structure which is enclosed on all sides from the elements, is going to start at around £15,000 installed. The sizes can be anything from a smaller 3m wide by 2m projection up to 15m wide and 6m projection from the building wall. They can even be wider than this if required.
There are so many factors influencing the final installed price and als how you want to customise the shape, additional side elements, lighting, flooring and so on.
Since 2007 we have installed many hundreds of glass outdoor rooms and the prices have varied between £15,000 and around £68,000 for a very large and bespoke design glass room.
There are quite large variations in the prices you see for similar sizes but if you check out details further you will see the differences in quality and specification quite easily..
What is the best Glass Veranda in the UK?
As of 2024 the UK market is flooded with so many polycarbonate and glass veranda systems, all claiming of course to be the best, or indeed the cheapest. You definitely don’t want the cheapest but which one is best? Don’t forget these verandas have to sit and take the full force of the British weather 365 days a year over and over, so quality and specification is very important.
What do Glass Verandas cost?
There is a massive price range for glass verandas in the UK and you really do need to do a lot of research on their origins and specifications for the purpose of a peace of mind to their suitability and longevity.
