The 8 Best Pergolas for Your Backyard
The 8 Best Pergolas for Your Backyard
It’s fair to say that a pergola is the most elegant way to shade your backyard. Sure, there are attractive cantilever umbrellas and ultra-practical pop-up canopy tents for distanced social gatherings. But a pergola adds English-country-house vibes, beckoning you to spend long and lazy afternoons underneath relaxing with a book in hand drinking iced tea or lemonade. Whether you're looking for traditional pergola or want something sleek and modern, there are plenty of options on the market to suit all tastes.
1) Vita Avalon Pergola
Lovely decorative details and a gleaming white finish make this pergola a standout. One of its best features is the roof’s louver system, which allows you to adjust between shade or sun. The pergola has an elegant, traditional look, with stately post caps and eye-catching moulding.
It stands more than 7 feet high, made from durable, weather-resistant BPA-free vinyl, and offers 100 square feet of shade when the louvers are closed. It’s also incredibly sturdy, weighing about 380 pounds.
2) Outdoor Living Solid Wood Pergola
Outdoor Living Today
wayfair.com
This handsome solid cedar wood pergola has four substantial posts supporting its elegant rafters. It’s the extra architectural details that make it a standout, such as the gentle curved braces supporting the roof. The pergola is made in Canada, built for year-round use and it stands roughly 9 feet high. Keep in mind that assembly is required and mounting hardware isn't included.
3) Paragon-Outdoor Pergola
Paragon-Outdoor
wayfair.com
It isn’t easy to find a modern pergola, as the majority are either contemporary or traditional. With clean lines and a sleek dark gray powder-coated finish, this pergola fits the bill for anyone who prefers minimalist design. The rust-resistant aluminum frame is about 12 feet wide and does a stellar job defining a space. The canopy’s slats are adjustable using a lever on top, plus the pergola comes with ground stakes and mounting hardware to attach to a concrete slab.
4) Sol 72 Outdoor Sol 72 Vinyl Pergola
Sol 72 Outdoor
wayfair.com
This is a great option for anyone with a narrow backyard—plus it elevates the overall look of your property, giving the appearance of added square footage to your home. It’s made of durable, weather-resistant and provides nearly 200 square feet of space underneath, with three charming posts on the end defining the seating area. All of the anchoring hardware and mounting materials are included.
5) Coolaroo Aurora Pergola
Coolaroo
If you only have a patch of outdoor space, this charming square pergola is 9 feet wide, and perfect for a small seating nook in the garden—with plenty of room for two armchairs, a side table, and a small rug. It features a rust-resistant aluminum frame with a black powder-coated finish and a bright terracotta canopy, woven from weather-resistant high-density polyethylene.
The pergola stands just over 7 feet high and comes in other color options, including a rich-looking mocha brown, but there’s no anchoring or mounting hardware.
6) New England Arbors Regency Pergola
New England Arbors
wayfair.com
Customers rave about this expansive pergola, giving it an average 4.7 stars. It’s a whopping 24 feet wide and 12 feet deep—offering roughly 288 square feet of shade—large enough for a sectional and other furniture or a dining table plus lounge seating. It's built to withstand the elements for year-round use, made of easy-to-maintain vinyl. It comes with a 20-year warranty, but no included mounting hardware is a drawback.
7) Millwood Pines Cedar Pergola
Millwood Pines
wayfair.com
If you’re looking for a pergola to shelter a couple of Adirondack chairs, this slim option is your best bet. It’s perfect for creating a side seating area, and generally adding a decorative touch to your outdoor space. The pergola is about 10 feet wide and 4 feet deep, crafted from solid red cedar, which is weather-resistant but can be varnished for extra protection to use year-round. It’s also made in the U.S. and has a wind rating of 75-miles-per-hour.
8) Sol 72 Outdoor Wirksworth Metal Pergola with Canopy
Sol 72 Outdoor
wayfair.com
It’s no secret that pergolas don’t come cheap, but this option is a steal. The dark gray frame, constructed from rust-resistant powder-coated aluminum, has angled, notched edges on the roof's joists are a nice decorative touch.
The simple, elegant beige shade covering the canopy is made of weather-resistant polyester, and is retractable to let in the sun’s rays. The pergola is also on the taller side, at more than 8 feet high, and is said to withstand wind up to 40 miles per hour.
Define seating areas—and add shade from the hot summer sun.
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