We all know the old adage “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Believe it or not, this even applies to installing an insulated patio! To avoid completing a patio that will only sit there collecting dust, there are a number of factors that need to be considered.

More and more often, we are having new customers approach us that are unhappy with their existing patio. While we work with them to give them the patio they actually wanted originally, it is unfortunate to think that many of their troubles could have been evaded.

It is critical that your patio is well thought-out. In fact, our belief is that whether your patio functions and looks great or not will depend on 3 things – design, choice of materials and build quality.

Design

One of the most common design issues is simply the wrong patio type selection. As there are so many patio types, this commonly leads to many opting for a patio that wasn’t necessarily the best option for their outdoor space. The key patio types you should be aware of are as follows.

Free Standing Skillion

A free standing patio design offers an oasis away from the home. They are best when positioned in front of a pool or a cosy spot in the yard, making them perfect for weekend gatherings, family events or regular outdoor dining.

Attached Skillion

Attached skillions are best for extending your living area and are ideal if you want a multi-use carport, boat port or general cover area protecting you and your most valuable possessions from the heat and cold.

Fly Over

A fly over patio creates an impressive open living area with high ceilings for additional head-room, air flow, day light and unrestricted views. A fly over roof offers aesthetically and architecturally pleasing rooflines and has minimal framing requirements.

Gable

A gable attracts a grand opening to your living area whilst giving your patio area additional height and ventilation of hot air. They are great for minimising dark areas and a variety of gable infill and beam options are available.

Choice of materials

The major problems caused by poor choice of materials are that many existing patios become very hot in the sun, noisy in the rain and suffer from leaks. In addition, we have seen a number of patios that have poor lighting or that are just too small.

The solution is to choose a roofing material that is going to withstand the harsh Queensland climate. This is why we always recommend insulated roofing made from Colorbond steel. Not only does it allow lights to be fitted inside, insulated roofing stops condensation and mould that plagues single skin roofing. Insulated patios are also much quieter in heavy rain than non-insulated patios.

Build quality

At Action Sheetmetal & Roofing, we choose to only deal with reputable manufacturers like Bondor’s Solarspan and Ausdeck who use genuine Colorbond roof sheeting on the top skin and bottom skin of the panelling.  If you are looking at other products, be sure to satisfy yourself that the metal sheeting is not poor quality. It is often more worthwhile to invest in a quality patio at the outset than to buy a patio that is cheap as chips. Chances are, the good quality patio will give you better value for money and outlast the generally imported substitutes. 

Image courtesy of Solarspan       

If you are serious about your leisure and would prefer your outdoor living area to look a little something like this, call Action Sheetmetal & Roofing now on 07 5564 8200 emailing us at orders@actionsheetmetal.com or click here for more information. You can also try our Patio Calculator to price your new patio today.  

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