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This article was published on April 27, 2022
If you’re looking to improve your garden with a new outdoor living space, or wanting to replace an old, outdated wooden pergola with something more modern and robust, recent developments in materials and construction techniques mean there’s a vast number of options available to you. However, this overwhelming choice can make it very confusing when trying to make a selection.
This article discusses why we believe aluminium is the best material for freestanding pergolas, to help you make an informed decision when choosing the ideal pergola for your garden.
With the ability to withstand high winds and heavy loads from snow, aluminium is the perfect match against the harshness and unpredictability of the British weather. Whilst vinyl pergolas are long lasting, their load bearing capability is lower than an aluminium counterpart so you will need to remove excess snow from the roof to prevent buckling.
Wooden pergolas can deteriorate quickly if not maintained properly (something which is later discussed). If left untreated, wooden pergolas can warp, or rot, meaning the integrity is compromised and a full replacement may be required.
Resilient, durable and sleek, the only maintenance an aluminium pergola requires is a rinse down with a hosepipe, and for more stubborn stains, a wipe down with warm soapy water and a cloth or sponge to keep it looking pristine; something which takes little time and costs a fraction compared with wooden or vinyl pergolas.
Whilst wooden pergolas may give your garden a ‘rustic’ feel, they require much more maintenance to ensure they are in good condition, such as sanding, staining or varnishing to protect it from the elements. Although more durable than wooden pergolas, vinyl has a tendency to stain and requires specialist cleaning products to remove them.
The ease of maintenance found with an aluminium pergola means you can spend your free time enjoying using your outside living space, rather than repairing or cleaning it.
Aluminium is extremely light in relation to its strength when compared to other metals used in construction, such as steel or iron. This strength to weight ratio makes aluminium the best material for freestanding pergola frames, with the additional benefit of making it much faster and easier to assemble onsite.
By choosing aluminium, the disruption to your home life during assembly is minimal because aluminium’s light weight means it requires a smaller team and less equipment to deliver, manoeuvre and construct your freestanding pergola in your garden. Here at ERW, we have an experienced team of installers who manage your install from start to finish, resulting in a quality finish and peace of mind that your pergola will last for years to come.
Wooden pergolas can be quite heavy- depending on the wood you have chosen- meaning installation may require a number of people to lift and secure the frame in place, if it is a DIY project, you may need to ask for help from family/friends to install.
Sustainability is becoming an important consideration for many people when making purchasing decisions, particularly the sourcing and life-cycle of materials.
Installing an aluminium frame is one of the most eco friendly choices you can make for your new pergola. Considered a sustainable material, aluminium is perhaps the most eco friendly of all the metals, mainly due to the fact it retains all of its original properties when recycled. This means it can be repurposed infinitely, without any effect on its quality.
Vinyl, a common pergola material, is by comparison notoriously difficult to recycle due to its chloride content, which is very challenging to handle and even toxic. This combined with its relatively short lifespan of only 10 years compared to aluminium, means vinyl is significantly less environmentally friendly.
There are a number of significant reasons why aluminium is the best material for freestanding pergolas including its durability, premium finish, ease of installation, sustainability and low maintenance requirements.
If you’re looking to explore your options for outdoor living, our showroom aluminium pergolas include furniture, so you can clearly envision how you may use each space.
To arrange a viewing or to speak to one of our team about any of our outdoor living spaces, please email sales@erwltd.co.uk or call 01642 456167
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The work of installing our double glazed units has finished and my wife and I want to tell you what a pleasure it was to have the installers working on that job. They had humour, application, care, consideration and skill and we much enjoyed their time with us. We have thanked them but felt it was important for you to know how grateful we are.
Mr & Mrs W, Eaglescliffe
A superb job! We’re really delighted with all our new windows. We’d like to thank ERW very much.
The installation team of Craig, Aarron and Joe were very professional, worked well together and got on with the job efficiently to complete everything ahead of time. They were very polite and communicated well with us about the job in hand and the time scale, and we were impressed that they cleared up so well each day before leaving. We would like to thank them for all their workmanship, advice, help and good humour.
The quality of the items made off-site was very high. The 7 windows look really good, they operate well and the finish is excellent. Hopefully, next winter’s gas and electricity bills will show the benefit.
From our initial contact with Stuart and our visit to the showroom, through the technical survey by Andy and the co-ordination by Sophie and Jeff, to the final installation, we’re more than happy with the whole process. We’re so pleased that we chose ERW for our continuing efforts at improving our 115-year-old home. We will certainly come back for the final stage of work on our windows in due course.
Mr and Mrs C, Darlington
Whilst not the cheapest quote, the presentation and professional approach persuaded me to use ERW. Standard of work and communication to let us know when the works will be conducted were excellent. Stain glass windows are perfect match and look excellent.
Mrs W, Jesmond
First class service from sales through to completion. A top quality product, fitted by a highly professional team in an efficient, timely and very tidy process. We would have no hesitation in recommending ERW to friends and family
Mr & Mrs R, Linthorpe
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