A louvered pergola is a fantastic addition to any yard or deck, and there are a variety of reasons for that.
In addition to obvious benefits like shielding you from the sun, they also just look really nice.
They can also let the sun in when you want them to, so it’s not like they’re just an extension of your roof either.
But right now, you might be wondering just what we’re talking about, so let’s make sure we’re on the same page before going further.
What Exactly Is a Louvered Pergola?
It’s basically what would happen if you turned Venetian blinds into a roof and put it out on your deck or patio.
That’s about the best way we can think to describe it.
Essentially, the pergola has slats that form the roof, but unlike a typical pergola, you can close those slats when you want to cover whatever or whoever is beneath them.
That means cover from the sun, the rain, or whatever else might be falling from the sky at any given moment.
There’s More Than One Type
Before we launch into the list, you should also know that there are two main types of louvered pergolas: manual and motorized.
Manual ones obviously require more physical effort than a motorized option, but many people like that, maybe because the physical exertion makes them feel more alive.
Motorized ones are normally more expensive, but as their name suggests, they have motors that do the work of closing the slats for you, so you don’t have to crank a handle or anything like that.
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Onward
Right, now that we’ve got the introduction out of the way, on to the list.
1. The Sun Is a Deadly Laser
A pergola of any kind is largely designed to keep your soft, squishy skin safe from the angry sun.
The difference is really the degree to which different pergolas successfully accomplish that.
A regular pergola with slats that can’t be moved will protect you to some degree, but only when the sun is shining through the slats at an angle.
If the sun is shining directly downward during midday, you’re not going to get much, if any, shade from your pergola.
And if you really want to be safe, it’s better to get a pergola with slats that you can close whenever the sun is being particularly aggressive.
The sun doesn’t play games with you, so don’t play games with it.
2. Like Sun Rays, Rain Also Comes From The Sky
Yes, truly, it does.
And it won’t touch you if there is something between you and the sky to block it from getting all the way to you.
Guess what could be great for that?
Yep, a louvered pergola.
Alternatively, you could get a pergola that just has a solid surface for a roof, but then you wouldn’t be able to open it when you actually want to get some sun or rain on that spot.
I mean, what if you’re growing some potted plants under there or something like that?
Plants like rain.
Your chair cushions might not, though.
So handle things according to your own needs.
3. It Increases Your Home Value
Because of course it does.
Like many other useful and aesthetic additions you can make to your home, a louvered pergola will pump up the overall value of your home.
Maybe it won’t go up by as much as when you add other things like a bathroom remodel, but almost certainly by more than $0.
So if you plan to eventually sell your home, or you just want to know that it’s becoming more valuable over time, adding a pergola to your deck or patio can be a great move.
4. You Can Use It For Gardening
Just like a regular pergola, a louvered pergola can let rain and sunshine through.
The main difference is that those things only get through when you want them to.
And this actually makes these kinds of pergolas ideal for gardening.
You have the ability to control when your plants get rain or sun and when they don’t.
After all, different plants can tolerate different amounts of rain and sunlight (or heat), and some are very delicate and can’t tolerate much at all.
Additionally, just like any other kind of pergola, you can cultivate vines up the posts of your pergola.
Just be sure to trim them back or block them from getting too close to the slats or the mechanism so that you don’t lose the ability to close them.
Admittedly, a regular pergola is better for growing things on the canopy, and that’s how you would generally get shade from them.
But if you want shade now without having to wait for a bunch of vines and leaves to grow, a louvered pergola is for you.
5. Protect Your Privacy
In this weird and wacky age of satellites and remote-controlled flying camera drones (whether piloted by the Illuminati or by some edgy teenager a few houses down), a fence is no longer the complete defense for your personal privacy that it used to be.
To be honest, though, any neighbor with a second floor on their house was already able to see over your fence, too.
So if you want a little more privacy than a fence alone can offer, you’d do well to consider a pergola.
Cover Up (Your Yard)
Not all of it, of course.
Just the part you want to sit out in a lot.
Keep yourself protected from sun damage to your skin, rain, annoying teenagers with their Skynet drones, and whatever other ridiculous things might come out of the sky to rattle up your day.
And why not increase your home’s value while you’re at it?
