Whether you want to linger over your morning coffee or host a dinner with friends, being able to enjoy your time outside is one of Australia’s favourite past-times. Yet, nobody wants to sit outside and be bothered by bugs or worry if it’s going to start raining.
While standard patios make a great entertainment space, enclosed patios can also provide security, privacy, pest control, weather protection, and year-long usability.
With a range of options to suit any style and every budget, an outdoor deck or patio space can turn the outdoors into an extension of your house, like a conservatory or sunroom. If you have a patio, enclosing it can help you beat the heat and encourage you to enjoy the living space rather than letting it go unused as so many do.
Here are six budget-friendly, easy-to-implement ways to help increase usage and enjoyment of your outdoor areas:
1. Add shade to small spaces with an outdoor umbrella
The lowest cost and easiest to install option for an existing outdoor area is a large, shade-creating umbrella.
A giant umbrella provides a portable, easy shade solution which is perfect for outdoor areas which are detached from your home, or for balconies with no ceiling.
2. Set up a quick solution to shade larger areas
Another affordable, easy-to-implement shade option for homes without patios or overhangs is a shade sail.
Shade sails are a more permanent solution than umbrellas and will provide shade to a larger area than an umbrella. They also eliminate the need to move or store umbrellas, providing you with more room for home entertainment in the warmer months.
Shade sails offer great versatility in terms of shapes, sizes, and colours. They are readily available in most hardware stores, or can be custom-made for a perfect fit.
3. Try a versatile awning
4. Keep out the elements with patio screens
Screen rooms offer a cheaper alternative to sunrooms, with the same benefits. The process of installing a screen room will include adding a powder-coated frame structure and aluminium screens.
Patio screens are custom-built to meet your patio or porch specifications. They are a durable, long-lasting solution, meaning you can enjoy your screen room for years to come.
Patio screens can also provide a bit of privacy, as well as protection from intruders – depending on the design and safety standard of the screens you select.
5. Get greater control with a sunroom
For a fully enclosed patio, use glass to create an open yet protected environment. A glass sunroom allows for greater climate control, so the area can be enjoyed comfortably year-round.
Adding a sunroom is a more costly investment, but one that will keep rewarding you for years to come. For an additional level of privacy, you can install some retractable blinds.
If you’re looking for something with an easier installation process, a screened-in patio or screen porch can also meet your needs. Screened-in porches – especially those that feature high-grade security screens – offer the greatest level of security and outstanding functionality in all kinds of weather.
A screened porch or patio will still have a roof, allowing you to install a ceiling fan and give shelter from inclement weather.
6. Customise a roof to suit
Adding a roof to your outdoor space allows for another level of comfort and protection.
Choosing a roof made out of clear or coloured PVC material will allow sunlight to filter through into the area. If you aren’t a fan of having the sun on your patio, choose a solid material that will block it out.
The six ideas above are just some of the ways you can turn your outdoor space into an extension of your home and enjoy more space for entertaining. There are countless options for improving your outdoor area, from cheap and easy to long-lasting investments.
Clearview Security are licensed manufacturers of Crimsafe security products, offering a range of windows, doors and screens to homes and businesses across Perth.
For a free quote on a patio enclosure, please contact the friendly team at Clearview Security today!
