These days, an open, unshaded patio just looks unfinished. But when you add a roof, Shazam! Now you have an outdoor room providing shade and offering the comfort of ceiling fans and lighting for nighttime enjoyment. Add an outdoor fireplace to this scene, with wiring for a TV over the mantel, and Wow! It becomes your favorite room “in the house,” even though it’s outdoors. Especially because it’s outdoors!
These homeowners in Pflugerville, TX, saw the potential in their backyard patio. They were happy with the size of this patio, about 10 feet deep, and the stained concrete finish. They wanted to add shade, the option to watch TV outdoors, and the magic of an outdoor fireplace. Archadeck of Austin was happy to provide everything necessary to bring the homeowners’ vision to life.
Before Archadeck of Austin began the project.
Open-Rafter Ceiling Brings a Rustic Vibe to the Covered Patio
The homeowners like the rustic look of an open-rafter ceiling for their patio cover. Not only do the open rafters give the outdoor room a rustic appeal, this ceiling was less expensive to build than a finished interior ceiling. Notice how the decorative ends on the rafters pointing out toward the yard give the roof a pergola-like personality.
After project completetion.
We built the roof structure with cedar trusses and used tongue-and-groove cedar for the ceiling. On top of the cedar is a plywood cover, then a waterproofing membrane and then a standing seal metal roof. The new roofline required a minimal tie-in to the rear of the home. While the roof looks flat, it is actually a low-sloped shed style roof.
Look to Archadeck of Austin for Technical Design Expertise
One of the most important technical aspects of this structure design is not visible to the casual observer. The homeowners wanted a hefty stone fireplace added to their existing patio. The problem was that a typical concrete slab patio cannot accommodate that much weight without structural amendments. Luckily, at Archadeck of Austin, we have the expertise to handle this type of job correctly. We saw-cut the corner of the concrete slab where the fireplace would stand and poured a 12"-thick concrete foundation at that corner. Our clients will not need to lie awake at night wondering if this simple concrete slab will support their heavy fireplace. It will now!
Finally, we added electrical with conduit so the homeowners could run wire directly from the attic for cable TV on the patio. With two ceiling fans, track lighting and exterior lights on the crossbeam, our clients have creature comforts to make this outdoor room a haven.
Does your patio or deck lack sufficient shade? We would love to create a custom solution to meet your outdoor living needs. Contact Archadeck of Austin to schedule your free design consultation.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
