Shade for Patio

[deadwing]

I'm working on plans to add a paver stone patio to my yard.  The biggest question I have at this time is how to best provide shade.  The area where the patio will go has decent shade in the late afternoon/evening, but none during midday.  I work from home and typically go outside for lunch, so midday shade is needed.  Last summer I chased the narrow margin of shade there is in a folding chair - I'd prefer not to do the same this year!  I'm concerned that something like a pergola will put the project over budget.  I really like the idea of a shade sail and I assume this is a much cheaper option than a pergola.  I've never been a huge fan of umbrellas, but I'm intrigued by cantilever umbrellas - do they really resist swaying in the wind?  Assuming it's not a normal breeze and not a day with high winds.  Shade is necessary but it also feels like the part of the plan where I'm most open to compromise.

I don't know anyone personally who has built a patio - so I'm open to any other advice the board has to share on this project.  I'm hoping to do a slightly scaled down version of this (without the grill station) and with a fire pit that is tied into my natural gas line (which is the only way I see the fire pit getting much use): www.mypatiodesign.com/collections/patio-designs-for-straight-houses/products/arcs-patio-design-with-grill-station-and-seat-wall

[orval]

We have this pergola from Costco. It is not super expensive. We have had it 1.5 years and it is great!
We like the fact that we can slide the cover open or closed. So if we want sun or to see the stars we can. We also put up an outdoor shade on the side that face the sun. We get full afternoon sun. It does not however, stop rain.

www.costco.com/modena-aluminum-pergola.product.100486524.html

[froggy76]

We have a very large patio and we just use a couple umbrellas. There's really nothing we could install that would provide shade all day, other than a massive roof over the whole thing. I love our cantilevered umbrella because it's really big and I can rotate it a bit to keep myself shaded. It does tend to sway a little in the wind, but not too much.

We also have one strategically placed tree that was planted when we installed the patio a few years ago and it's grown quickly and provides good shade in the late afternoon in the spot where we put our patio table, so we can comfortably eat dinner there without getting blasted by the sun. So it's a good time to start thinking about where you might want to plant trees!

[deadwing]

I realized after I posted this that one advantage of an umbrella would be the ability to move it from the dining side to the fire pit side (with a rolling base). That's definitely appealing...

[sandandsea]

We are in the process of redoing our backyard and have 2 shade areas on the patio. One will be a stationary shade sail and the other is a pergola with a retractable canvas roof.
Similar to this but between the house and 2 posts.

[Deleted]

My SIL has this one from Costco www.costco.com/.product.100484417.html and it's really nice. They also added electric and have a ceiling fan, lights, and a tv that hangs from the ceiling.

[mrsukyankee]

We have a cantilever and it does sway, but using weights we can keep it from falling over.

[treedimensional]

You can't use awnings on windy days. Do you have room for a tree?

[deadwing]

Mar 6, 2021 8:50:38 GMT -5 treedimensional said:

You can't use awnings on windy days. Do you have room for a tree?

I wouldn't be comfortable putting a tree that close to my house.  I used to have a beautiful tree in my yard, but it was rotting in the middle of a Y-split and beyond the point of saving when I bought the house.  I do want to put another tree in my yard, but it won't be in a location that will provide shade to the patio.

[Velar Fricative]

Since you mentioned considering an umbrella - We have a fully-paved city backyard and the sun beats so hard on it during much of the day. We got this umbrella that I love. It is huge and sturdy and I love that we can tilt and rotate it so that we can sit or play wherever and still be covered.

www.costco.com/sunvilla-10'-offset-umbrella.product.100536193.html

I don't know why the link isn't working but the name of it is in the link if you search on Costco.com, with blue being the only in-stock color. 

[redheadk]

We've had good luck with those shade sails. We are a ways out from dealing with our backyard but put the shade sails up in the late spring then take them back down once the hurricanes get going in August/September. They are super cheap though you may need to install something to attach it to depending on your layout.

[deadwing]

Mar 8, 2021 13:10:21 GMT -5 redheadk said:

We've had good luck with those shade sails. We are a ways out from dealing with our backyard but put the shade sails up in the late spring then take them back down once the hurricanes get going in August/September. They are super cheap though you may need to install something to attach it to depending on your layout.

If I go the shade sail route, I'm hoping the patio contractor will be able to install the supports.  Honestly, anchoring a shade sail or pergola is the only thing that has kept me from DIY-ing this type of project.  I DIY-ed ground anchors for a shed, but those were very simple.  What I've read about shade structures seems beyond my ability.

I've got 3 contractors coming out for estimates this week.  Hopefully I'll have some clarification on what direction I want to go soon!  

[deadwing]

Minor update... one contractor just left and the ballpark estimate he gave me including a pergola was well within my budget. So I may not need to mess around with an umbrella afterall... Of course, this is pending a more detailed estimate/plan, and I have a couple of others to meet with as well.

[libbygrl109]

We have a cantilever and it had held up very well, even with a decent wind. We put it down when it is really windy, we put the umbrella down, and have never had a problem with it tipping over.

[keweenawlove]

I got 2 of these with umbrellas at the end of the summer. A coworker had several and said they worked great all summer and didn't tip if you fill them with sand.

www.ballarddesigns.com/baluster-umbrella-stand/outdoor/umbrellas/umbrella-stands/264690?uniqueId=264690?&defattrib=Finish&defattribvalue=BRZ

[treedimensional]

Mar 8, 2021 7:27:07 GMT -5 deadwing said:

Mar 6, 2021 8:50:38 GMT -5 treedimensional said:

You can't use awnings on windy days. Do you have room for a tree?

I wouldn't be comfortable putting a tree that close to my house.  I used to have a beautiful tree in my yard, but it was rotting in the middle of a Y-split and beyond the point of saving when I bought the house.  I do want to put another tree in my yard, but it won't be in a location that will provide shade to the patio.

That was just THAT tree! You described a structural defect that really easy to avoid. Just pick a tree with an alternate branching habit, a good central leader, and provide structural pruning as needed. 

[deadwing]

Mar 9, 2021 19:27:48 GMT -5 treedimensional said:

Mar 8, 2021 7:27:07 GMT -5 deadwing said:

I wouldn't be comfortable putting a tree that close to my house.  I used to have a beautiful tree in my yard, but it was rotting in the middle of a Y-split and beyond the point of saving when I bought the house.  I do want to put another tree in my yard, but it won't be in a location that will provide shade to the patio.

That was just THAT tree! You described a structural defect that really easy to avoid. Just pick a tree with an alternate branching habit, a good central leader, and provide structural pruning as needed. 

I think you misunderstood my reasoning for not wanting a tree near the house.  The old, damaged tree was never a threat to my house - if it fell, it would have been in the street.

I have an oddly shaped lot.  With where the patio is going, there are 3 spots a tree could go.  In front of the house, in the dead center of the yard where the old tree was (which I'm pretty sure is a terrible idea), or out at the far end of the yard.  The far end is my first choice.  The spot where the old tree was is the only one of the three that might provide appreciable shade to the patio.