Deck Cover vs Patio Cover: Which Do You Need?

If you have been shopping for something to cover your deck, you have probably searched "deck cover" and "patio cover" and found the same products under both names. That is not your imagination. In Canada they are the same thing, and the words get used interchangeably by manufacturers, retailers and contractors alike.

So the question that actually matters is not which name to search. It is which structure suits your deck, your house and your snow load. Here is how we talk it through with customers on the phone.

Deck cover, patio cover, awning: what the words really mean

There is no separate product category called a deck cover. What people mean by it is a permanent roof over an outdoor living space, usually attached to the house, made of an aluminum frame with polycarbonate roof panels.

• Patio cover is the manufacturer's term, and the one you will find on spec sheets and warranties.
• Deck cover is what people say when the space happens to be a raised wooden deck.
• Door awning is a different product. Much smaller, sized to shelter an entry door rather than a seating area.

If you are covering furniture, a barbecue or a dining table, you want a patio cover. If you are covering a doorway so people do not get rained on while they find their keys, you want a door awning.

The four questions that decide which one you need

1. Is it attached to the house, or standing on its own?

Most patio covers mount to the wall of the house and slope away from it. That is the simplest and usually the cheapest option, and it sheds water away from the building. If your deck sits away from the house, or the wall you would mount to has windows, siding or a roofline in the way, you are looking at a freestanding structure such as a gazebo or a carport instead.

2. What does your deck surface allow?

A patio cover's posts need something solid to sit on. Concrete is ideal. A well-built deck with proper footings underneath the post positions will work. A floating deck on blocks usually will not, and that is worth checking before you order rather than after.

3. How much snow does your area get?

This is the one Canadians underestimate and it is the most important number in the whole decision. Snow load is measured in pounds per square foot, and it varies enormously across the country. A structure that is comfortable in Vancouver may not be right for Barrie or Quebec City.

Every series we carry publishes a snow load rating. If you are not sure what your area requires, our snow load calculator converts between snow depth and pounds per square foot so you can compare like with like.

4. How much light do you want underneath?

Roof panels come in different levels of light transmission. Clear panels keep the space bright and are popular where the covered area sits against a north wall or shades a window. Solar grey and bronze panels cut glare and heat, which suits a south-facing deck used at midday. It is a comfort decision more than a technical one, and it is worth thinking about before you pick a series, because the panel type is built into the model.

The five Palram-Canopia series we carry

We stock five patio cover series across 29 sizes, from a compact 7.5 by 7.5 ft up to a 31 ft Stockholm spanning a full deck.

• Sierra and Sierra Cabrio
• Olympia
• Stockholm
• Helsinki

Rather than describe each one here and have the numbers go stale, we keep them all in one place. Our patio cover comparison table puts all five series side by side with sizes, frame and roof colour options, wind resistance, snow load, light transmission, warranty, DIY assembly and whether the model is modular and extendable. It pulls current pricing automatically, so what you see is what it costs today.

A note on measuring

Measure the depth of your deck from the house wall outward before anything else. Depth, what the manufacturers call projection, is the number that rules most models in or out. Width is easier to solve, because several series are modular and can be extended with link kits.

Also check what is on the wall where the cover would mount. Windows, vents, lights and second-storey features all affect where the ledger can go. If you are mounting onto vinyl or aluminum siding, read our guide on the header board method first, because siding on its own is not structural and will not hold an awning.

Still not sure?

Send us a photo of your deck and the wall you are thinking of mounting to, along with the depth measurement, and we will tell you honestly which series fits and which do not. We have been supplying Palram-Canopia structures across Canada since 2007, and we would rather talk you out of the wrong size than sell you one.

Call 1-877-277-0190 or email sales@awnings-canada.ca. Free shipping to the ten provinces on orders over $125.

Browse all patio covers or compare all five series side by side.