Cabanas and Pergolas are great spaces for entertainment. They enhance your patio and can extends the amount of space in your backyard. Cabanas and pergolas create an inviting area for your guests to relax and lounge and make your landscape more attractive. All of these elements adds value to your house! So you’ve made a great decision to build one, but first, know what you’re getting yourself into:

First: What’s the Difference Between a Cabana and a Pergola?

The definitive difference is that pergolas don’t have walls. Thus, a less enclosed space means less materials, making it a more affordable alternative to a cabana. Pergolas help define the lounge space in an open patio, as opposed to a cabana which sometimes feels more like an add-on to your home, with a full-coverage roof, and its walls may or may not be connected to the home.

Customize your Pergola 

Decorate your pergolas with growing vines or plants or add curtains for privacy, shade, or to create an enclosed area that a cabana might otherwise create with walls.

Types of Pergolas

1. Traditional/ Open Top – These are pergolas in the most traditional sense: They’re cost-effective and are predominantly used to define an entertaining space while enhancing a surrounding garden or landscape. These generally take the least amount of time to construct as well. 
2. Gabled – A pergola with a gabled roof often mirrors the architecture of the home, making for a more seamless inclusion of the pergola. 
3. Arched – Exactly what it sounds like, the soft arch of an Arched pergola provides an open, airy, elegant feel.
4. Promenade – These are most frequently used to highlight walkways, open on all sides, they’re the perfect vehicle on which to add some greenery, grow wisteria or other climbing plants.
5. Pitched – The roof slants on a downward slope towards the end of a pergola. An advantageous roof because it allows rain or snow to run off.

Customize your Cabana

Because of it’s structure and better protection from outside elements, there’s more you can do with a cabana beyond creating an outdoor lounge: Add a TV area, BBQ/ Eating area complete with an outdoor kitchen and dining room and/or custom fireplace.

Know Your Materials

As with any design/build project, when building your cabana or pergola, you should know the in’s and out’s of the materials you’re working with:

Pressure-treated wood:

This is the least expensive option with a reasonable lifespan. This type of wood looks best if painted or stained.

Cedar Wood:

In our experience, this is one of the most popular choices. It’s insect resistant and has a lengthy lifespan. It’s more expensive than pressure-treated wood, but well worth it, if you ask us!

Vinyl:

Vinyl is very low maintenance, but the downside is that there are limited color options. 

Fiberglass:

Fiberglass might be the most expensive option, but it can be painted & will hold the color better than wood resulting in a much cleaner look.