5 Things to Consider When Installing DIY Patio Cover Kits
Looking for something extra to transform your home this winter? A patio can be a perfect way to add style and elegance to your home, enhancing its value and appeal. A partially covered or fully covered patio can also be a perfect place to spend your winter days, having coffee or soak up yourself in winter sun when it appears.
But, if you are on a budget and cannot afford to invest in patio cover as well as installer’s labor, you can take up the project yourself. The patio cover industry has developed at great length in recent years. From the diversity in materials and designs, there are also extensive options in installation techniques. When you are on the hunt for right patio cover for your home, always factor in the DIY aspect of the installation. Whether you are looking for DIY alumawood patio cover kits or want to settle for wood covers, you should always consider ease and precision in installation.
Here are five tips to make your DIY patio cover installation go smooth.
1- Easy Installation and Easy Maintenance
If you are installing your patio cover yourself, it is highly likely that you will maintain it yourself as well. So, think both in the short term and long term when you are making your purchase decision. The patio cover material makes a significant difference in overall upfront costs, maintenance, and durability. When you are looking for a solution that is once for all, it would be better to choose aluminum or alumawood patio covers instead of wood. But, you must also carefully analyze the installation mechanism to make sure you can do it right.
2- Check with Local Municipality Authorities
When you are going to dig in the ground for deck or the posts, you must know about any underlying piping or wiring system that may be disturbed due to excavation. Therefore, you should consult your local municipalities or home investigation authorities about any underlying facilities. You should clearly mark the boundaries of excavation and any underlying lines before getting to work.
In addition to this, you must also check if the insurance will cause any addition or subtraction from the home contents insurance. You can check this before purchasing the kit to ensure you are making a pocket-friendly choice which is not a burden to your insurance policy.
3- Prepare Soil and Dig Deep
With the whole task of installing the DIY alumawood patio cover kit, you may just be compelled to dig only a few inches in the soil instead of going deeper. But, the strength and durability of your patio cover depend on the excavation you do. So, check for instructions on your kit and dig accordingly. If you think that soil is hard, you can prepare the soil for excavation by watering it a night before digging.
4- Plan for Waterflow and Drainage
The patio cover will protect you from the weather hazards like rain and snow. Like all surfaces, the patio cover also requires a smooth flow of water from its surface to the ground. If water accumulates on the cover for a long time, it can be detrimental to the performance and durability of the patio cover. Therefore, when you are installing, you must make sure that you have made adequate arrangements for water flow and drainage.
5- Watch Your Dimensions
Installing a patio cover is not a hit and trial method. It should be accurate. Dimensions are few of the easiest things that can go wrong in a patio cover installation. From the size of the roof cover and size of the post holes to the length of the posts, there are so many dimensions. You must mark the dimensions on the ground before you start the work and track your measurements throughout the project. If you do not measure the dimensions, a slight difference even in the size or distance of screw nuts can make the whole thing wrong. So, you should measure each element of the patio cover against its given dimensions and mark it.
