Metal Patio Roof

Posted on November 11, 2012 in Roof

The Benefits of a Metal Patio Roof

A patio makes a wonderful outside addition to virtually any home. For those homeowners that live in climates that are often described as “less than friendly,” however, a patio by itself just isn’t worthwhile. After all, who wants to grill out on the patio when there’s a dark cloud dumping buckets of rain on your head, right? The good news is that you can protect yourself from the weather with a metal patio roof.

Measuring For Your Metal Patio Roof

The first thing you must do is measure the patio area you intend to cover. You do this by measuring the length and width of your patio or area being covered if you are extending the length of the roof with a tape measure. You must also decide on a pretty flat roof, a slanted roof, or a peaked roof… though a peaked metal patio roof is really only a good option if your patio is so large that you need center posts in the patio area to support it.

Then Install Your Posts and Build Your Frame

Metal Patio Roof

For most patios, you’ll simply need four corner posts, and treated wood posts are pretty easy to install and will last for a couple decades. Dig a hole about a 1/3 of the length of the post you are installing, then sink the post into the hole and fill with concrete. Make sure your post is vertical and centered. You can do this using a square and a level. If you want a pretty flat roof, make the posts fairly level with each other. If you want a slanted or sloped roof, make the posts closest to your home taller than the other posts. If you are tacking a peaked roof, make the center posts taller than any of the other posts.

Make sure the concrete has fully dried before installing your roofing frame.

To build your roof frame, simply use treated 2×4 boards and connect them with L-brackets to the top of the posts. You can also use decking shear hangers for this, which is what I prefer to use because you simply install the shear hanger and then drop the 2×4 treated board into it.

You can also use steel or aluminum posts for this if you wish, with tubing replacing the roof frame.

Installing the Roof Panels

Metal Patio Roof

Finally, you’ll need to cover your roof with either aluminum or steel panels. If you are building a flat or slanted roof, start at the bottom of your frame and then and work up, overlapping each panel by about 2 or 3 inches to prevent weather leakage. Use galvanized steel or aluminum screws to attach the panels, and you can generally use a standard home drill to make this happen.

Metal Patio Roof

If you are installing a peaked roof, you’ll want to run your roofing panels from the edge of the frame to peak in the center of your patio, and then you’ll need to cover the top with a peak ridge cap. You will need to overlap panels at the seams if you haven’t purchased panels that have interlocking seams.

Not every roofing panel is going to be the exact size you need it to be. Make sure you at least have a pair of tin snips handy… but a saw capable of cutting metal will be your best friend during this final stage of construction.

Metal Patio Roof

Get Your Metal Patio Roof Installed Today!

For a quick weekend project that will only cost you a couple hundred bucks, you can put up a metal patio roof that will help you to enjoy the outdoors no matter what season it is. Use these steps above and you’ll have a foolproof way to get your roof up right away!