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Pergolas are beautiful structures used as garden decor most of the time.
But why stop there? Here’s how to use a pergola to protect different things.
What is a Pergola?
Sometimes we may want to relax in the yard.
- sipping on a cool beverage
- enjoy the breeze
- or be protected from too much sun.
A pergola can provide an excellent location to experience the above.
This is an outdoor structure made up of columns that support a roof. Likewise, a pergola roof may be open or made up of beams and rafters, just like that of a house. The columns are often thick and sturdy.
Made of wood, metal, stone, or a combination of these materials, pergolas can attach to the main house or be a freestanding structure.
Initially designed to support vines, the pergolas of today come in many designs. The pergola is an ideal addition to your yard or home landscape. It can offer you privacy by surrounding it with trees and vines.
In modern times, it offers protection in addition to beauty.
Structure of Modern Pergolas
10×10-foot Extra-Large Outdoor Patio Pergola Shelter
DIY Garden PergolaYardistry YM11783 Pergola with Sunshade and bar
Generally, a pergola can be freestanding or attached to the side of a house and seem like an extension.
In most cases, the pergola is rectangular in shape. However, it can be other shapes, such as hexagonal, circular, octagonal, or square. It effectively provides a shaded area for your veranda or patio.
It’s possible to add a peaked roof or a dome to add more interest to your design and make it into an actual shelter that offers protection from the elements.
How to Use a Pergola for Protection
Car Protection
There are many companies that manufacture or construct pergolas to be used as carports. There are carport pergolas for both commercial and residential use.
The pergolas used for car protection are made of durable materials such as stainless steel. Additionally, they have durable roofs to protect your car in case it rains or snows.
Some of them even have modular walls that create an enclosure for your car. All these design aspects are added to provide complete protection for your car.
You can hire a contractor to custom-build one on your property or buy a carport pergola kit and set it up yourself.
Garden Furniture Protection
Outdoor furniture can decorate your yard in a tasteful way. It also provides excellent spots where you can relax. To keep it in great condition, it is important to protect your outdoor furniture from the elements and adverse weather.
One of the ways to do this is through pergolas. There are various pergola designs that can protect your garden furniture.
For maximum garden furniture protection, use a pergola with a roof to prevent the snow or rain from damaging your furniture. This is especially important if you have wooden furniture.
Featuring decorative roofing tiles, pergolas can keep your furniture dry even in downpours.
To add even more protection to your outdoor furniture, install side panels. This will keep stray soccer balls or strong winds at bay.
Want a beautiful view from your enclosed pergola? Add some glass windows. Get creative with round, square, or rectangular-shaped windows!
There are lots of ways to protect your garden furniture and create a pleasant atmosphere in your backyard.
Shelter Entry Protection
Safety always comes first. When you have a family or dependents living with you at your house, it is important to ensure that they will be safe even in the event of war or natural catastrophe.
Many people have found a solution for this in underground shelters. These are specially-built building complexes that have thick walls to protect the occupants from bombs, air filtration systems, food, and supplies within.
While this may bring images of classic military structures, modern underground bunkers are actually very comfortable and even luxurious. They often contain furnishings in place, clothing, food, water, and entertainment amenities too.
While your bunker entrance might be impenetrable to bombs, biohazards, and even fire, you still need to protect it from prying eyes. Pergolas provide excellent means to do this.
You can construct a pergola as an extension to your house or as a freestanding structure. If it is an extension of your house, it can be used to protect the door to your underground bunker.
Featuring draping vines, opaque or translucent panels on the sides, or a combination of both, the pergola can protect your shelter entry in a tasteful way.
Should your prepper shelter be located a few meters from your main house, you can use a freestanding pergola to provide entry protection. Add some custom furniture to further disguise the entry and provide you with a safe, stylish entrance to your survival facility.
Conclusion
Pergolas are versatile structures to have in your yard. They can provide an excellent spot for relaxing with family or friends in the outdoors. Seeing as pergolas can have an open-top or even a closed one, they can provide protection from the breeze or even from the rain.
Whether it is a freestanding one or an extension of your house, a pergola carport keeps your vehicle in great condition.
These structures can also protect your garden furniture. This is most applicable for protection against harsh weather.
Last but not least, you can use pergolas to protect the entry of your underground shelter. By disguising it, they make it difficult for intruders to know where the entrance is and boost your chances of survival.
