With every outdoor living product, winter storage requirements is always in question. ShadeFX uses only the highest-grade materials which make our pergola canopies virtually maintenance free. For the winter months, some of our customers go beyond removing and placing it into storage. Although we recommend removing it to prevent damage, building a pergola canopy cover (especially in snowier climates) is a great preservation option.

Covering an Underside Pergola Canopy

Note the pictures below showing how easily a cover fits between the top edge of the canopy wings and the bottom faces of the rafters or joists. The space between is created by the track and is about two and a half inches tall. This leaves just the right amount of room to screw plywood or deck board under the rafters to create a cover that the pergola canopy retracts under. You can edge the front of the cover with a 2X2 and it becomes practically invisible relative to the rest of the rafters of the pergola.

The cover material options are plenty and can be determined by practicality because the cover is always behind the fabric, so you never see it. Some materials we’ve seen used are plywood or 1X5 deck board, sheet metal, and even aluminum deck board. In one of the pictures an aluminum architectural sandwich panel is used and is so thin you can’t see it unless you look very carefully. Because the cover mounts to the underside of the rafters, it is supported very well and does not have to span any dimension longer than the rafter spacing.

Covering a Topside Pergola Canopy

Topside canopies are mounted above the rafters so there is no way to support the leading edge of the cover with struts or intermediate posts. The cover has to span the width of the pergola canopy which can be quite a distance. Combine this with the need for it to support a snow load and there is a more significant challenge to covering a topside. We recommend you discuss this requirement for your topside project with a ShadeFX product specialist to find the right topside cover solution.

Making the most of your outdoor living space includes planning for as little maintenance as possible. Purchasing a quality maintenance free item from ShadeFX is a start. For those of you looking for that extra measure of protection for your investment the options are many. To help you find the right solution to your canopy storage options, please contact us and we’ll be glad to help.