If you have recently constructed or are considering building a deck or patio, you may be asking yourself what is the cheapest way to cover a patio. When I was younger, I thought that if I wanted to build a patio that was going to be usable year round, I was going to have to put some sort of roof over it. It was not an option for us because we wanted to be able to sit outside on our deck in all four seasons. It turned out that if I had simply covered the bottom of the deck with some sort of plastic tarp, it would have worked just fine.
So, what is the cheapest way to cover a patio? You really don’t have to do anything more than the simple things. For example, did you know that some plastic shopping bags will work just as well as any kind of tarps or other coverings? They are cheap and easy to use, and can be found at most grocery stores. Also, consider what kind of gardening tools and supplies you have. Many times, gardening supply stores sell their own small sized tarps and other items that are meant specifically for covering patios.
Another great option that you can use is vinyl film. This is very similar to shopping bags but much cheaper. It is also very easy to apply. We used these for years in our patio garden and they held up very well. We purchased them in different colors, but the one that we ended up loving the most was green. It actually added some color to our patio, and we even got to choose the pattern.
If you want something more substantial and professional looking, you can always invest in what is known as patio covers. These look like the real thing and are very affordable. You can purchase them in a wide variety of styles and materials. Also, if you are handy with basic carpentry skills, you can build your own patio cover. This is a relatively simple process that only takes about an hour or so to complete.
When looking for a cover to cover your patio, be sure to shop around. There are so many patio covers available on the market today. You may even find a great deal on the materials that you need. You do need to make sure that the materials you buy are strong and will hold up. You do not want to spend money on a patio cover that will fall apart in a short period of time.
One idea to help you save money is to buy the materials from a garage sale. Often times people will sell gardening supplies, including tools, because they no longer need them. Sometimes they will sell their gardening supplies for cheap because they no longer use them. Garage sales can be a great place to find discount materials.
Another idea for finding materials at a discount is to shop at home improvement stores and dollar shops. These types of stores will often sell their products at discount prices, sometimes even cheaper than the gardening supply store. You may be able to find a carpet that has remnants of a carpet tile in it, which is very cheap material. You can cut this material into squares and fit them together to create a patio cover. If you have a few pieces of this left over, you will have enough for several patio covers.
The cheapest way to cover a patio is to use a green roofing membrane. This is something that can be installed with ease. The only thing you need to be careful of is that it does not get stained or damaged by rain or snow. Make sure to take these precautions when choosing this material.