Wood or Aluminum Pergola? Pros, Cons & Climate Considerations for Tennessee Homeowners
Have you been trying to figure out how to add more charm and functionality to your backyard?
If so, perhaps you’ve considered installing a pergola. The dappled sunlight, room-like feel, and overall charm draw you in. The only problem is—should you go with a wooden pergola or an aluminum one?
At Keystone Custom Decks, we build beautiful pergolas throughout Central Tennessee, and we’ve seen in real time how these two options stack up against each other. That’s why, today, we’re writing this blog to give you an overview of the differences between wood and aluminum pergolas, and which one will best suit your needs.
Let’s get started!
TL;DR - Wood or Aluminum Pergola?
- Pergolas are outdoor structures that create a room-like space with dappled light, adding charm and dimension to your landscaping. They come in various materials, including wood and aluminum.
- Wood pergolas are sturdy with a majestic, timeless look, but require regular maintenance.
- Aluminum pergolas are often more affordable and easier to install, and they sometimes come with handy adjustable louvers. They also require minimal-to-no maintenance. On the other hand, they’re not as sturdy and may look “cheap.”
- When well-maintained, wood pergolas usually have a higher long-term value. However, they may not be practical in a humid environment with lots of wood-boring insects.
Why a Pergola?
When transforming your outdoor space, you have many outdoor structure options, including porches, gazebos, and pavilions. What is the advantage of going with a pergola?
Although a pergola is not right for everyone, here are a pergola’s top strengths:
Dappled light
An open deck or patio gets baking hot in the summertime. But a fully-covered solution, like a porch roof or pavilion, can create more darkness and shadow than you need.
Pergolas offer an in-between solution: enough shade to make you much more comfortable—and cool your home down if your pergola is attached to a sunny side of the house—but enough sunlight to still feel like you’re out in nature getting that vitamin D.
Room-like feel
No one wants to sit down and converse with a friend in the middle of a parking lot, a huge empty lawn, or other wide empty spaces. Instead, even when outside, we seek out room-like spaces, such as under a tree or nestled against a building.
If you have a deck, patio, or lawn that has space for gatherings but just doesn’t feel comfortable or homey, pergolas are a simple way to solve this problem, as they give a room-like shape to a space.
Charm and dimension
Another landscape design tip: not only are room-like spaces important, but so is shape and dimension. There’s nothing inspiring about a flat lawn, but a landscape with varied heights, shapes, and textures to the vegetation and hardscaping is a place of beauty and charm. Pergolas offer one way to accomplish this.
Affordability and ease of installation
Unlike other options for adding dimension, charm, and a room-like feel to your space, pergolas are relatively inexpensive and easy to install.
Optional weather protection
In the searing Tennessee sun, the dappled shade of pergola beams may feel sadly insufficient. That’s why many pergola owners outfit their pergola with shades or sails to block the sun.
Many aluminum pergolas have adjustable louvers which can angle to block more sun depending on the time of day, or close completely for full shade. Some high-end aluminum pergolas are also designed with tightly-fitting louvers which, when closed, also offer full rain shelter.
Optional climbing plants
Finally, pergolas, particularly wood pergolas, offer a beautiful base for climbing plants—which, as a bonus, offer even more shade!
But now that we’ve gone into detail on the advantages of pergolas, let’s look specifically at wood pergolas, and what their advantages and drawbacks are.
Advantages and Drawbacks of Wood Pergolas
Most pergolas are made of classic wood beams supported by wood posts. The biggest advantage of this type of pergola, compared to aluminum pergolas, is that it’s sturdy and majestic with a specific look—slightly rustic and vintage, yet timeless—that’s deeply appealing to many people.
Other advantages of wood over aluminum include:
- Wood is better for climbing plants, if you’re into that
- Wood is cooler to the touch in direct sunlight than aluminum is
- Wood is easier to repair after heavy damage
- Wood pergolas tend to have more design flexibility than aluminum ones
- Wood pergolas are heavy, which makes them sturdy in high winds
On the other hand, wood has disadvantages too, including:
- Wood’s heaviness may make it more difficult to install on your own
- Wood is much more susceptible to damage from moisture, insects, and rot
- Wood is a high-maintenance pergola option
- Wood pergolas do not have adjustable beams—which means the sun shade you get is just what you’re gonna get, unless you add additional shades or sails
What do you think? Does wood sound like the right pergola option for you?
Before you make the choice, let’s go over the advantages and disadvantages of aluminum.
Quick note: Although this blog focuses on comparing wood and aluminum, those are not the only pergola options! Another option we’re not covering, which has many of the same advantages as wood without the high maintenance, is vinyl. Although we don’t go into vinyl on this blog, we have a whole blog comparing vinyl to wood pergolas.
Advantages and Drawbacks of Aluminum Pergolas
Aluminum pergolas have a completely different vibe than wood pergolas. Instead of rustic and timeless, they exude a modern industrial look. But beyond the look, many people choose aluminum because of how simple and headache-free it is!
- Virtually no maintenance
- No damage from pests, rot, or mold
- Lightweight and easy to install
Some aluminum pergolas come with adjustable louvers, which is a huge advantage. You can angle the louvers according to the angle of the sun, providing optimal shade every time, just as you would with, for example, venetian blinds. Close them completely, and you have full sun blockage—maybe even rain blockage if you choose a high-quality option!
But despite these advantages, aluminum has drawbacks too. For example, although aluminum suits some home styles, you may not like how it looks. Ultimately, it’s a matter of personal taste.
Also:
- While you don’t have to worry about pests or water damage, if hail or falling branches damage the surface, it’s difficult to repair
- Since it’s so lightweight, it may creak or even fall over during windy conditions (which is why it’s important to make sure it’s anchored properly!)
- It will be hot to the touch during summer
- Cheaper, flimsier aluminum pergolas may not be able to withstand the weight of hanging plants or other decor
Ultimately, aluminum pergolas are popular with homeowners who want a low-maintenance option. If that’s you, you may be interested in our blog on Easy, Low-Maintenance Ideas for Tennessee Backyards!
Wood Vs. Aluminum: Making the Choice
Now comes the real question: knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each pergola type, which is right for your home?
Initial Cost Breakdown
Aluminum pergolas are typically cheaper than wood ones, simply due to the difference in material cost. Still, both aluminum and wood pergolas come at a variety of price points. Here are some cost considerations to keep in mind:
- Smaller pergolas are cheaper
- DIY is cheaper (in the short term!) than professional installation
- Wood pergola prices vary depending on wood type used
- Aluminum pergola prices vary depending on the quality of the structure and louvers
- Overall, more durability = higher upfront costs
Long Term Value
Although wood pergolas tend to cost more initially, they also tend to hold their value better than aluminum.
But wait!
While a beautiful, well-constructed wood pergola made from a high-quality wood like cedar will be very popular with future home buyers, the same cannot be said for a dilapidated, sagging structure with pest and water damage.
In other words, if you invest in a quality, professional build and have time for maintenance, wood will hold its value better. But if you don’t, aluminum will—since a standing aluminum structure is more appealing than a sagging wooden one.
Climate Considerations
Besides cost issues, your local climate will have a large impact on which type of structure is right for you. Here’s how climate affects pergolas:
- Heat and sun can dry and fade wood
- Humidity and rain may cause rot, mildew, and fungal issues
- Storms and wind can blow over aluminum pergolas that aren’t anchored properly
- Wood-boring insects can destroy wood pergolas
In Central Tennessee, wood pergolas are likely to cause far more headaches than aluminum ones. The main issues are rain/humidity and wood-boring insects. To maintain a wood pergola in Central Tennessee, you’ll need to stain and seal every 1-2 years, check for moisture and insect damage regularly, and potentially use a borate-based wood treatment to repel insects.
(For more info on how the local climate affects structures, read our blog about climate tips for Tennessee porches.)
Choosing your structure
Ultimately, it’s best to go with the pergola that you will use.
Maybe you like the look of wood better, but you know that you’re more likely to sit under a pergola that has convenient, adjustable louvers and doesn’t require much maintenance. In that case, aluminum is the best option for you.
On the other hand, if you’re already maintaining your home and outbuildings to protect them from moisture and insects, adding a wood pergola into the mix might not seem like a big deal. If the beauty of the wood feels so inviting that you find yourself drawn to the outdoors, go with wood!
By taking a careful, realistic look at the benefits and drawbacks of each, you’ll be able to figure out what option is best for your home.
And the best part is—there’s no need to try and DIY it! Professional builders and installers can help you create a high-quality, beautiful, rot-and-pest-resistant structure that’s built right the first time, so there are no headaches on your end.
But where can you find a reputable builder in Central Tennessee?
Let’s get into it!
Where to Find a Reputable Pergola Builder in Central TN
No matter whether you choose wood or aluminum, you want a pergola builder who is committed to building you something sturdy, beautiful, and functional.
At Keystone Custom Decks, our goal is to make your dream outdoor living space a reality. That means we’ll work closely with you to construct a beautiful pergola that fulfills your vision of what your backyard should be—whether that ends up being a wood or aluminum option.
Or, if you’re dreaming of other outdoor structure options, we also build:
What does your dream outdoor space look like? Whether it’s a simple pergola or something more complex, contact us today to have a meaningful conversation about your vision!