One of the questions our customers ask us most often is: are wooden pergolas better, or aluminium louvred pergolas? (Cheap Manual Bioclimatic) In this guide, we'll try to answer this question under a few headings.
Standard wooden pergolas cost around £1,000. Louvred pergola prices on the market range between £1,500 and £10,000. If you're looking for a simple shade under £1,000, wooden pergolas are the right choice for you.
The average cost of a louvred pergola varies. Size, motorisation options and lighting options all affect the system's price directly.
Without these options, the price may start from £1,500. But with every extra option you add to your pergola, the price can go up to £10,000.
Wooden pergolas look nice in your garden. But in terms of features, they can't even come close to louvred pergolas. We can see the differences below:
| Feature | Wooden Pergola | Louvred Pergola |
|---|---|---|
| Shade Control | Fixed | Adjustable |
| Rain Protection | Depends on the type | Yes (when closed) |
| Lifespan | 8 - 15 years | At least 20 years (with maintenance) |
| Maintenance | Costly and frequent | Low-cost and minimal |
You can add many accessories to louvred pergolas: insect screens to protect against insects and flies, screen curtains against sunlight coming in from the sides of the pergola, heaters for cold weather, air conditioning units for hot environments, and more. Wooden pergolas have almost none of these options. Of course, these accessories will affect the price, but they'll take the comfort you experience in your pergola to a much higher level.
Wooden pergolas are usually made from wood or materials such as Wood Plastic Composite (WPC), while louvred pergolas are made from aluminium. Maintaining and repairing wooden pergolas can become a headache. Louvred pergolas don't have these issues. Aluminium is a lightweight, strong and durable material. It doesn't rot like wood. Powder-coating on the aluminium prevents damage from environmental factors. To clean a louvred pergola, soap and water are enough. The only detailed maintenance a louvred pergola may need is if the colours start to fade. In that case, you'll need to disassemble and repaint the pergola to restore it to its original condition. This doesn't mean you'll need to repaint it constantly. Depending on the type and quality of paint used, electrostatic powder coatings are guaranteed against colour fading for 20 to 25 years.
Wooden pergolas look great in your garden. Let's be honest, almost everyone loves the look of wood. That's why there's an application called transfer coating for aluminium pergolas. Aluminium profiles are dipped into a water tank with a wood-textured film floating on top. This film sticks to the surface of the aluminium profile and makes it look like it's made of wood. The same film also protects the surface of the profiles excellently against environmental factors. This way, you get a pergola that looks almost like wood, but is actually made of aluminium.
We hope this guide has helped you decide between a wooden and a louvred pergola. If you'd like more information, please don't hesitate to contact us.