One of the easiest and quickest ways of smartening up the appearance of your home is by having patio canopies installed. Not only are they quick and simple to have fitted, but they also represent a very economical way of lifting the appearance of your home, and creating an inviting look which adds a great deal of kerb appeal. Adding patio roofs or door surrounds is certainly an effective way of making sure that your home stands out from others in the same neighbourhood, and in todays dog eat dog world of property buying and selling, its certainly worth considering.
Patio canopies are usually made of a special PVC material which offers a number of significant advantages over alternative materials such as wood or metal. Although wood and metal may seem to offer advantages of their own, it is over the long term that it can be seen that PVC offers far better value for money. A wooden door surround may look attractive to begin with, but as it is exposed to weather and external climatic conditions, it is likely to warp, crack and split, causing leaks and unsightly peeling. In this regard long term maintenance has to be considered, and painting your door surround or patio canopy every few years may prove to be a tiresome task.
Metal may offer several benefits of its own, and when compared to wooden canopies or surrounds certainly offers protection against cracking or warping over time. However, metal comes with two points worth considering – firstly its weight, and secondly its maintenance. A metal canopy or surround is heavy, and this will dramatically increase the cost of manufacture and fitting. A heavy metal canopy will probably take several fitters, and may take a long time to install, requiring a large amount of drilling, damage to the wall, and bolts running deep inside your cavity wall. Over the long term metal will still require painting, although unlike with wood, it will be necessary to use paints which are specially designed for metal – an expensive task in itself.
However, when it comes to PVC door canopies and surrounds, there are many clear benefits both in the short term and over the longer term too. To begin with PVC can be manufactured quickly and cheaply, meaning that youre unlikely to have to wait very long after placing your order, yet safe in the knowledge that it will be created to the exact measurements of your home, providing a precise fit. Being lightweight it will be quick and easy to transport, and often only requires one or two fitters and a few minutes to install, keeping costs and disruption to a bare minimum.
Over the longer term, too, the benefits of PVC patio canopies and patio roofs is clear, since they need virtually no maintenance. PVC doesnt warp or crack, and is fully resistant to the weather were likely to experience in this country. Although youre free to paint a PVC canopy or door surround should you wish, theres really no need, and if you are happy with the colour and finish of the PVC canopy, then you can simply forget any maintenance. A quick wash with a hose or a sponge once in a while will ensure that your patio canopy will continue to look in pristine condition for many, many years.
Many people seem to think that a PVC patio canopy or door surround will come in any colour you like so long as its white. Its certainly true that many PVC doors, window frames, canopies and surrounds are white, but thats by no means the only option available. With a range of colours available, and even wood effect finishes, you can be sure that your canopy will not only match your existing decor and colours, but will look natural and attractive. From a distance many visitors will probably assume your canopy was built at the same time as the house, and may even assume it is made from wood. This is kerb appeal without the maintenance, at a low cost, creating a home that is truly as unique as you are.
We spend a great deal of time and effort decorating the inside of our home to reflect our tastes and preferences, but all too often we neglect the outside. Since the outside of our home is what people see first, and since it is naturally exposed to a great deal more weather and wear and tear, it makes sense to make the right choices when choosing patio canopies and patio roofs. Without doubt a PVC patio canopy or door surround represents a sound financial investment, without any of the long term commitment on your part thats often necessary with alternate solutions.