What to Notice When Buying a Curved Canopy?
A curved canopy can enhance your outdoor living space by providing shelter, style, and long-lasting protection.
Whether you are upgrading your patio or looking for a durable outdoor roof for a new outdoor space, it’s important to understand what to look for. Choosing the right canopy for your outdoor living space requires careful consideration of materials, installation methods, water drainage, and light diffusion.
A curved canopy pergola installation in Te Awa, Napier (Hawke’s Bay, NZ)
Here, we discuss key factors to ensure your new structure meets functional and aesthetic needs.
1. How Sturdy is the Aluminium and Other Fittings?
One of the first things to consider is the strength and durability of the materials. Look for high-density, robust aluminium that can withstand outdoor wear and tear for the long haul. A high-quality curved canopy should be engineered to withstand New Zealand’s weather conditions, particularly in high wind locations.
At Douglas Innovation, our canopies feature high-density aluminium fixtures paired with stainless steel fittings, which can be upgraded to marine grade steel for superior corrosion resistance in harsh coastal conditions.
Our Curved Canopies come with strong warranties:
- 2-year workmanship warranty
- 10-year powder coating warranty
- 10-year PVC fabric warranty
Designed & fabricated by our specialists, our canopies are designed to be lightweight and strong, with fire retardant fabric that is UVA and UVB resistant to protect both your canopy and the people underneath it.
2. How Will It Fix to Your House?
The method of installation is another crucial aspect to consider. Will your curved canopy be freestanding, or attached to your house?
At Douglas Innovation, we offer both options, with custom brackets available for building attachments.
For attachment to your home, the frame can be fixed using a soffit beam or wall beam, we can help with this and create bespoke fixtures, ensuring seamless integration with almost any roofline.
For freestanding canopies and/or posts, we offer two primary fixing options for the posts:
- Dyna bolted to an existing patio or deck
- Set in concrete footings for extra stability
Each option offers flexibility in terms of design and placement, allowing you to create an outdoor canopy that perfectly fits your space.
3. How and Where Will Water Run-Off?
Another factor to consider is plumbing, and how water will drain from your curved canopy. While many designs allow water to free-drain off the sides, more integrated systems can be installed with drip rails, gutters, and downpipes to manage water flow effectively.
This is where our expertise comes in – our team will work with you to design a water management system that will fit your needs. Whether you’re looking for simple or more complex drainage solutions, having a plan for water run-off will help prevent long-term issues for your canopy and surrounding areas.
4. What Will the Light Be Like Underneath the Canopy and from Inside the House?
One advantage of a curved canopy is its ability to provide shade without sacrificing natural light. Our aluminium structures are strong, stable and come with a translucent waterproof PVC skin that blocks harmful UV rays while allowing plenty of natural light to filter through.
The textile creates a pleasant outdoor environment with diffused natural light, while also ensuring that your interior spaces remain well-lit and UV-protected.
A canopy can also help control the amount of heat and sunlight entering your home, reducing the need for air conditioning in summer. This added layer of solar protection can lower energy costs, making it a smart investment for year-round comfort.
5. What size and colour is it?
Some Curved Canopy solutions on the market are only available in a fixed size and colour scheme (usually black or white). At Douglas we take a made-to-measure approach, customizing the roof to fit your space to a tee.
Aluminium can also be powder-coated in any colour from the Dulux Duralloy palette, giving you free rein to match your joinery or home décor. We can also look at adding Ziptrak screens to fit your pergola frame, creating shade and shelter and letting in light as you need it.
A custom curved canopy with Ziptrak screens, Westshore, Napier (Hawke’s Bay, NZ)
6. What if I’d like a flat roof?
No problem! Check out our Clearspan Raked Roofs, which offer 3 different types of glazing in clear, tinted, or opaque. As well as the Curved Canopy the Clearspan is also a popular choice of fixed roof, better suited to some roofline shapes or house styles.
Want to find out more?
At Douglas Innovation, we specialise in creating bespoke outdoor canopy solutions that are built to last and designed to enhance the functionality and beauty of your home. Whether you need a freestanding structure or one attached to your house, our expert team can help you find the perfect fit.
We would love to chat with you and show you the range of options available. Once you’re ready, we offer free quotes with no obligation.
Please browse our custom canopies to get an idea of what’s possible here and let’s explore your options.
You name it, we’d love to customise and craft it. Get in touch.
You can contact us today or come see us in person.
