Covered Patio Options Compared
In a region where it rains on more days than it does not between fall and spring, cover is what turns an outdoor space into a usable one. There are five ways to put a roof over a deck or patio, and they differ in how much rain they stop, how much light they let into the house, what they cost and what the city will ask for. This guide compares them.
The five options
| Option | Rain protection | Light | Installed range | Permit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attached solid roof | Full | Reduced next to the house | $90 – $180 per sq ft | Yes |
| Attached clear roof (polycarbonate or glass) | Full | Good | $95 – $160 per sq ft | Yes |
| Louvered aluminum roof | Full when closed | Adjustable | $110 – $170 per sq ft | Yes |
| Freestanding pavilion | Full under the roof | Unaffected at the house | $25,000 – $90,000 | Yes |
| Pergola, open or with fabric | Little to none | High | $8,000 – $35,000 | Sometimes |
Attached solid roof
The most house-like option: a roof that extends the home, ideally matching its pitch and material, with a finished ceiling. It gives full rain protection, carries heaters, lights and fans, and feels like an extra room. The trade-off is daylight: a deep solid roof over a living room window makes that room darker. Skylights help, as does keeping the cover off the main windows.
Best for: families who want an outdoor room off the kitchen used most of the year.
Attached clear roof
A timber or aluminum frame with multiwall polycarbonate or glass panels. Rain stays out, daylight comes in. Polycarbonate is lighter and cheaper; glass is clearer and longer-lasting. Both collect needles and leaves in wooded yards and need occasional cleaning. Clear roofs get warm underneath in direct summer sun unless tinted.
Best for: covers over windows where interior light matters.
Louvered aluminum roof
Motorized aluminum slats that open for sun and close for rain, with gutters built into the frame that drain through the posts. Rain sensors close them automatically. They carry lights and heaters, and side screens can enclose them. They cost more than a fixed roof and depend on motors and controls, but no other option is as flexible.
Best for: hot tubs, dining areas that need noon sun and evening shelter, modern homes.
Freestanding pavilion
A roof on its own posts away from the house: over a kitchen, a hot tub, a fire feature or a dining area at the far end of the yard. It does not darken the house at all and can be sited for views or sunsets. It needs its own footings and bracing, costs more per square foot, and in most cities counts toward lot coverage.
Best for: destination spaces away from the house.
Pergola
An open framework of beams and rafters. It defines a space, carries lights and plants, and casts partial shade, but does not stop rain. Fabric canopies add shade; adding clear panels on top turns it into a clear roof in function and in the permit office's eyes.
Best for: sunny decks where shade matters more than rain cover.
What every roofed option needs
- Footings sized for the roof weight, snow and wind uplift.
- A design snow load appropriate to the location; plateau cities see more snow than lakeside ones.
- Water management: gutters and downspouts routed away from the house and the patio.
- Flashing where an attached roof meets the house wall or tucks under the eave.
- Electrical planned before the ceiling is finished.
Heat, light and comfort
Covered spaces in the Northwest are used most when they are warm and lit. Infrared electric heaters mounted to the ceiling or beams warm people directly and work well with one or two open sides. Dimmable lights, a ceiling fan for summer, and an outlet or two complete it. A side screen or glass panel on the weather side makes a large difference on windy evenings.
Choosing
Ask three questions: Will the roof darken a room you care about? Do you want rain cover always, sometimes or never? Should the space be next to the house or somewhere else in the yard? The answers usually point to one option, or to a combination such as a short solid cover over the door and a pavilion at the end of the garden.
We model each option in 3D on your house so you can see the light before you choose.