If you are looking to improve your backyard with some pergola cover ideas, then read on! Pergolas make any backyard look and feel a lot better. And while they often make you feel safe, you’re probably exposed to all kinds of weather conditions if there’s no cover.
A coverless pergola doesn’t offer much protection, privacy, or safety. If you want to change that, then installing a cover will be the best choice.
We’ve arranged a list of the simplest, most enticing, and easiest-to-achieve pergola cover ideas you can bring to life right away.
To make it even better, we also explain why adding a cover to your pergola is a great idea (in case you aren’t convinced yet!).
So, want to know what we have for you? Then take a look below!
Why Put a Cover on Your Backyard Pergola?
When you first build or install a pergola at home, you often do it because you want to be more connected to the environment. And while that’s often true, it sometimes backfires if you don’t have a cover.
Here are a few reasons why a covered pergola is such an excellent idea:
Higher Privacy
You built a pergola in the backyard to spend time with family and friends. Sadly, you realize every neighbor and passerby can see what you’re doing.
With a cover, you can add a bit more privacy to the pergola, especially if you add some curtains or doors to the mix.
Cuter Backyard
Believe it or not, adding a cover to a pergola can make it more attractive. By adding vines, bushy plants, and even a flower bed, you can step up your backyard game.
Less Sun Damage
A barbecue with your loved ones and a beer on hand feels terrific. But in the summer, with the sun burning through your skin, it probably doesn’t feel that good.
Well, you can always cover the pergola with a solid material to prevent even the slightest of sunrays from going in. You’ll be safer from those damaging UV rays.
Never Getting Wet
Even the slightest of rains can ruin a summer day with your family or friends. Don’t let that happen by using the right waterproof cover.
More Durability
Want to place a table, chairs, and possibly some speakers and even a TV under the pergola? The only way you can ensure these items will last is by adding a cover. Otherwise, outdoor factors will slowly, but surely, wear them down.
So, are you convinced about installing a cover on your backyard pergola? If yes, then keep reading.
11 Pergola Cover Ideas You Can’t Dismiss
There are options for everyone on this list. Some of them are a bit expensive, a few may demand some time to become a reality, and others only need some work from your side. Either way, we talk about each deeply below – so check them out!
1. See-Through Plastic Pergola Cover
You don’t need a super-complicated cover to protect everything under the pergola. A simple see-through plastic cover can do the job.
These are often sold in hardware stores and by roofing companies. You can install them even without experience. And if you prefer paying for the installation, the cost is super-low (depending on the pergola size).
Either way, it’s done within a few hours. You can protect the pergola and everything under from sun and rain with this one.
2. Cabin-Style Tile Pergola Cover
Have a pergola besides your cabin in the woods? Then make it cuter with some classic tiles on the roof.
Pick a color that highlights and contrasts with the rest of the place and you’ll be set to enjoy a stunning pergola at your getaway home.
This typically takes between a few hours to a couple of days to install, depending on your experience level. It can be a bit expensive too. But the level of protection and overall looks are unbeatable.
3. Flower Bed Pergola Cover
Want to take your pergola’s appearance to the next level? Nothing will match a flower bed on top.
Make a garden bed on top of the pergola, plant some Wisteria, bellflower, daffodils, or similar perennial with cute flowers, and let the plants grow.
After a few months, you’ll have a wholly covered pergola boasting some of the most attractive flowers. It will look stunning, probably just cute if you’re unlucky.
This is virtually free and only requires a few days of work (probably less) to get you going.
4. Deck Pergola with Curtain Cover
Some pergolas come with built-in curtains and shade cloths that make them a lot more attractive and practical.
Mounted on a patio deck, you can add a lot of style to your backyard while ensuring a more private experience. Just close the curtains when you don’t want people looking, and that’s it.
These covers can be complicated to install and usually require professional assistance. Yet, it is often very cheap and totally worth the investment – especially if you have an open backyard.
5. Metal Sheet Pergola Cover
If you have a simple pergola and don’t mind a dull appearance, then a metal-sheeting cover can do the job.
The advantage of such a type of cover is durability. Typically made of aluminum, these sheets can last a lifetime under any conditions.
These can take some effort to install, but with the help of a friend or relative, you can get that metal cover working in a couple of hours.
6. Glass Pergola Cover
Nothing will match a glass cover on their pergola for those who want to go the extra mile in style.
A backyard with one of these looks a lot more attractive and adds a touch of elegance that impresses every person who looks at it.
Sure, it will probably cost you a lot of money in both materials and installation. But the beauty and style a glass cover will add to your backyard pergola are unbeatable.
7. Bushy Pergola Cover with Vines
It doesn’t matter whether you have a concrete, wooden, or metal pergola – you can always let some viny plants grow below and take it over.
Some quality vine plants like Dutchman pipe, hardy kiwi, climbing hydrangea, and Wisteria can grow into dense plants covering up the entire pergola.
This may not help with rain, but it will reduce sun exposure exponentially. What’s more important, it will make the pergola looks fantastic once the leaves start growing around.
8. Japanese-Style Tile Pergola Cover
Simplicity is never a bad idea, especially if you’re low on budget or just want a practical solution.
Using standard tiles on a mini pergola is an excellent idea. It is both super-easy to do (a few hours of work) and makes the pergola look a lot better.
If you have a small pergola that seems dull, you can always boost its appeal with some tiles and decorations around.
9. Cottage-Style Pergola Tile Cover
Large tiles, ivy plants, some flowers, bushes, and a standard wooden structure in the middle of the backyard – what better to make your cottage home more appealing?
A standard tile cover will always add the necessary protection against outdoor factors. But what’s more important, it makes even the dullest of pergolas look a lot more attractive without overdoing it.
The process can be somewhat time-consuming. But with the minimal cost of the clay tiles, the price comes back to becoming a worthwhile investment.
10. Bamboo Pergola Cover for Flower Garden
Sometimes, covering the entire pergola is not necessary. This is especially true if you have a small flower bed with some of the most beautiful plants below.
You don’t want to take the sun away from them, right? So why not add some overlapping bamboo stems all across? This adds a stylish appearance while still letting the sun reach the flowers, so you don’t have to lose any backyard appeal.
11. Wooden Pergola Cover
Simplicity at its best but worth a try for the cost – a wooden cover with a few planks is more than enough to make a pergola stand out.
The right wooden lattice organization can make the pergola more stable and rigid, makes it more attractive while still protecting against the sun and even light rain.
If you know a thing or two about building small wooden structures, then you’ll find something like this a piece of cake. Sure enough, it is cheap whether you get your hands dirty or not.
Conclusion
Did you like our pergola cover ideas? We hope so! If you have any pergola cover ideas of your own please share them in the comments below!
Setting up a cover on your backyard pergola will completely change the experience. Once you realize the advantages it offers, you won’t like to go back to a coverless pergola.
So, what are you waiting for? Put on your gloves and start working on the pergola – you won’t regret it!