aluminum patio covers

Mission Viejo Aluminum Patio Cover Project; Before & After 0

Just finished a recent job Aluminum Patio Cover in Mission Viejo project that I thought I would share. As is fairly common with most of our jobs, the old patio was a wooden patio I would estimate to be around 10 years old and also is fairly common with most wood patios was a monstrosity of wood rot, termite damage and what was arguably the worst case of wood fungus we had seen in recent years. I talked a little bit about the downside of wood patio covers in a previous blog that goes into some of the details about the pros and cons of wood versus aluminum and the three items mentioned above all stand as exhibit A as to the downside of a wooden patio cover.

Below you can seem some of the pictures of the old wooden cover. You can see the splitting of the wood and how over time the wood just starts to deteriorate to the point where it can even become a hazard. When wood rot sets in along with termite damage there is simply no way to warrant any type of repair given the costs of repair for wooden patio covers can be comparable to the costs of installing a new aluminum patio cover altogether.

 Danger Lurks with Termites and Wood Rot!

WP_20160822_09_02_28_Pro

WP_20160822_09_02_12_Pro

On this wooden patio cover, the amount of wood rot and structural damage was to the point where the demolition and removal was quite easy. The rafters and lattice had enough wood rot where they could almost be removed by hand simply applying a bit of pressure. It’s great for the crew that tears down and removes the old, beat up wood patio but once again-when the damage gets that pronounced and evidenced it can also be a health hazard and at risk to collapse or fall.

Below you can see the old cover has been taken down and waiting to be removed. Depending on the size of the patio cover, most demo jobs and removal can be completed in a day. Once again it may vary a bit depending on the size but the majority of the time the demolition of an old cover can be accomplished in one day.

Old Cover Removed; New Aluminim Patio Cover Awaits!

WP_20160822_10_19_40_Pro

WP_20160822_09_02_34_Pro

Once the cover has been removed, we deliver all of the material needed to complete the installation of a new Aluminum Patio Cover and much like the demolition, can be installed and constructed in one day! This is also one of the great benefits of Aluminum Patio Covers is that because they are prepainted in the factory(with a lifetime guarantee on the paint no less!), it saves a great deal of time and labor that would normally be spent applying primer and paint.

Below is the completed patio cover that was took only one day to install including the running of wires for additional options like ceiling fans and/or speaker wire. This aluminum patio cover in Mission Viejo was a quick, easy installation and fairly routine. We were able to remove the old, dangerous wood cover and install this new aluminum cover in only 2 days!

If you are looking for a free estimate on an aluminum patio cover in Mission Viejo or any other city in Orange County give us a call! You never know-we may feature your backyard for a future blog post on the Patio Mans Orange County Patio Cover Blog.

Patio Cover Mission Viejo by the Patio Man

Orange County Alumawood Patio Covers; Many Advantages Over Wood Patio Covers 1

Patio Cover in Anaheim Hills pool and patio cover in orange county aluminum patio cover anaheim hills CAM01205
I have talked about the advantages and disadvantages of wood and Alumawood patio covers in the past but today I finally have some time to touch on some of the benefits of Alumawood. For starters, Alumawood patio covers are lightweight and since they seldom meet the 750 pound per post weight limit we usually can attach the post directly to an existing concrete slab instead of concrete footings. While using a concrete footing with a steel post embedded into the concrete is structurally better it is difficult to hide the cuts into the slab and there is always a different color shade where the old meets the new. An Alumawood patio cover, whether it is open lattice or the 3” insulated variety often offers a lower price provided the slab attachment meets the engineering requirements.

Alumawood Patio Covers offer Greater Space

One of the more useful options available with Alumawood patio covers that is not an easy option for wood patio covers is the post span or the distance between to vertical supporting post. While the limit without commercial size laminated beams in wood is twenty feet I have seen some open Alumawood patio covers span almost thirty feet between posts with structural steel inside the Alumawood beams straight off the standard engineering chart. Eliminating posts is a great way to give your patio area an open feel and offers a greater variety of options for patio sets and/or outdoor kitchens and barbacues.

Alumawood Patio Covers are Maintenance Free

The biggest advantage Alumawood has over wood though has to be the maintenance, or to be more specific, the lack of maintenance. Most materials offer a lifetime warranty. Since they know Aluminum takes decades to corrode this applies to the paint which has become incredibly resilient to the elements. Some manufacturers boast of porcelain infused paint while others rely on Teflon to offer a long lasting paint. While every contractor will claim the particular manufacturer they used is the greatest the world has ever known it is my opinion that they are all very good and in the fifteen years I have been in the patio business I have never heard of a warranty claim.

Installation Done Right

There is however a tremendous difference in the quality of installation and this boils down to the guy doing the installation. In my opinion the quality of the installation is 90% of a quality job and good installers are not cheap but I have found over the years it is better to make a little less than my competitors than havee put up with primidona installers who worry about phone calls when it rains. Our installers are simply the best, they take pride in their work and do the job right to ensure the patio will not leak come the rainy season. Its one of many reasons why the Patio Man has been Orange County’s most dependable Patio Cover contractors for over 25 years. You can read some of our Patio Cover Testimonials here and as always, feel free to call for a free quote or if you have any questions.

 

 

Best Wood for Orange County Patio Covers-Wood vs Rough? 0

wood rot on patio cover in orange county

A couple of quick things to talk about for todays Orange County Patio Blog mainly centering on the right choice or wood as well as the rising popularity of aluminum patio covers in Orange County.  Regardless which area is of interest to you I hope you enjoy reading it and find it a valuable source of information.

One of the things I have always found interesting is the different styles of patio covers throughout the United States. While plantation style homes in the south usually lean toward the French Colonial style of patio cover, here in Orange County the more traditional Patio Covers tend to lean toward the southwestern style which of course geographically make a lot of sense.

One of the distinctions, however, are whether or not the wood used for the cover is of the rough textured variety of lumber or the smooth type lumber. I always recommend the rough style of lumber. Not only does the rough style lumber lend itself to the Mission Viejo Ranch style patio cover, but it also serves a very important purpose here where we have the hot California summers.

While it may be debated and everyone has their opinion, solely based on the number of number of smooth wood covers that I have replaced over the years, I am of the opinion that for Orange County patio covers, the smooth wood is simply not a good fit for our climate as I have noticed they tend to have a far shorter lifespan than that of rough wood covers. I admit this is probably something very few people other than those in the patio cover business probably think about.

My theory on the rough vs smooth patio debate comes down to the fact that the paint used on rough lumber tends to absorb at a higher rate and serves to “protect” the wood at a higher rate than the smooth lumber. By creating a more effective seal, you are going to slow down the effects of wood rot, mold, termites, and other factors that may shorten the life of a wood patio cover in Orange County. One other small tidbits, that once again is probably bypassed from your garden variety patio cover installer is to paint the the butt ends of the wood used in the project.

I could see some contractors taking the short cut and not painting the ends simply figuring the home owner will never see it which is true, but the facts are once again painting that butt end means less exposed “raw” surface area where rot or insect damage may set in. The more surface area that is covered with either paint or primer means less surface area that will be exposed to the elements and other natural factors.  

Before I end today’s Blog I should also note the benefits of, and the increasing popularity of Alumawood patio covers. Basically every factor that can shorten and diminish the lifespan of a wood patio cover becomes a moot point when dealing with alumawood patio covers. I installed a pair of alumawood patio covers in Huntington Beach for my parents close to 15 years ago that still look as good today as the day I installed somewhere back in 1999 or thereabouts. With an aluminum patio cover maintenance means occasionally using the hose to spray it off every once in a while and that is that. And with today’s technology, alumawood patio covers can support the weight of hanging a ceiling fan, a flat screen tv, and even recessed lighting are all viable options.

 Regardless if you prefer a wooden patio cover to an alumawood patio cover, the PatioMan has years of experience in the field, and can ensure your next patio cover will not only be the perfect fit for your backyard, but also be installed correctly each and every time. Thats the PatioMan way and has been for over 25 years.