ᐅ Louvered Roof for 3x5m Rooftop Terrace – Experiences / Tips?
Created on: 30 Jan 2022 15:33
H
Hamburch
Hello everyone,
I am currently considering adding a roof structure over my rooftop terrace.
What am I aiming for?
Basically, I want to be able to use the terrace more days throughout the year. At the moment, it cools down quickly when the sun goes down and some wind picks up. I imagine that my planned solution (see below) would protect the terrace—especially the dining area—from wind and light rain, while still preserving the spaciousness of the terrace by leaving it open toward the lounge area (which is under the awning). We usually have west winds here.
The main challenge is the wind, which is nearly always present even in good weather (7th floor). A sun umbrella quickly reaches its limits in these conditions. After having an awning installed last year, I still have almost no shade at the seating area for most of the day due to the sun being either too low or coming from the side. Therefore, the new roof should also be able to block the late afternoon sun if needed.
Here is a picture. The terrace is 5m (16 feet) deep and 6m (20 feet) wide. The wall faces north.
The awning is about 3.25m (10.5 feet) wide. To the left of the exhaust pipe, there is about 2.85m (9.4 feet) of wall.
Not visible: The pipe comes out of the floor about 20cm (8 inches) away from the wall, so with a different route upward, the terrace roof could be about 3m (10 feet) wide.
Here is my idea:
A 3m (10 feet) wide by 5m (16 feet) deep louvered roof (or alternatively an awning, e.g., Q.bus) with zip walls facing west (as shown in the photo) and south (to the left). The louvers do not need to be retractable, as that would exceed the budget.
I hope this explanation is clear. I would appreciate your opinions, especially any experiences with louvered roofs and recommendations for manufacturers or models. Also, from your experience, does the wind protection work well enough so that, for example, playing cards is possible when the zip awning walls are down? Because of the exposed location, the entire structure needs to be wind-resistant.
I will receive offers from Corradi and Warema (Lamaxa L 50) next week, but these will probably exceed $30,000 with zips, LEDs, and heaters. That seems like a lot of money but appears to be “normal.” Warema’s delivery time is currently around 6 months, which I would like to avoid, so I would be happy to hear about any alternatives.
A Q.bus would be about 50% cheaper, but I find the louvered roof much nicer.
Thanks in advance for your input, critical feedback is welcome.
I am currently considering adding a roof structure over my rooftop terrace.
What am I aiming for?
Basically, I want to be able to use the terrace more days throughout the year. At the moment, it cools down quickly when the sun goes down and some wind picks up. I imagine that my planned solution (see below) would protect the terrace—especially the dining area—from wind and light rain, while still preserving the spaciousness of the terrace by leaving it open toward the lounge area (which is under the awning). We usually have west winds here.
The main challenge is the wind, which is nearly always present even in good weather (7th floor). A sun umbrella quickly reaches its limits in these conditions. After having an awning installed last year, I still have almost no shade at the seating area for most of the day due to the sun being either too low or coming from the side. Therefore, the new roof should also be able to block the late afternoon sun if needed.
Here is a picture. The terrace is 5m (16 feet) deep and 6m (20 feet) wide. The wall faces north.
The awning is about 3.25m (10.5 feet) wide. To the left of the exhaust pipe, there is about 2.85m (9.4 feet) of wall.
Not visible: The pipe comes out of the floor about 20cm (8 inches) away from the wall, so with a different route upward, the terrace roof could be about 3m (10 feet) wide.
Here is my idea:
A 3m (10 feet) wide by 5m (16 feet) deep louvered roof (or alternatively an awning, e.g., Q.bus) with zip walls facing west (as shown in the photo) and south (to the left). The louvers do not need to be retractable, as that would exceed the budget.
I hope this explanation is clear. I would appreciate your opinions, especially any experiences with louvered roofs and recommendations for manufacturers or models. Also, from your experience, does the wind protection work well enough so that, for example, playing cards is possible when the zip awning walls are down? Because of the exposed location, the entire structure needs to be wind-resistant.
I will receive offers from Corradi and Warema (Lamaxa L 50) next week, but these will probably exceed $30,000 with zips, LEDs, and heaters. That seems like a lot of money but appears to be “normal.” Warema’s delivery time is currently around 6 months, which I would like to avoid, so I would be happy to hear about any alternatives.
A Q.bus would be about 50% cheaper, but I find the louvered roof much nicer.
Thanks in advance for your input, critical feedback is welcome.
I would install a glass roof over the entire terrace, fully enclosed with sliding glass walls. A retractable awning underneath and an air conditioner inside. Otherwise, it’s unbearable in summer.
When the weather is nice, open the sliding walls; when it rains, close them. Everything stays dry, clean, and protected from storms. You remain flexible for all kinds of weather conditions.
Here’s an example. In the end, it’s not even that expensive. The sliding glass walls are available up to 6m (20 feet) in one piece. I’m planning to build something like this next spring.
This way, you can use the space year-round with high-quality furniture, etc. You might also need a vertical awning. It should have been installed alongside the existing one because the current awning offers little protection against low-angle sunlight.
Alternatively, as mentioned, a vertical awning is an option but is more vulnerable to weather and wind. Still, both glass walls and an awning together are recommended. Sun protection or shading could also be achieved cost-effectively with curtains behind the glass walls.
But there are almost endless possibilities.
When the weather is nice, open the sliding walls; when it rains, close them. Everything stays dry, clean, and protected from storms. You remain flexible for all kinds of weather conditions.
Here’s an example. In the end, it’s not even that expensive. The sliding glass walls are available up to 6m (20 feet) in one piece. I’m planning to build something like this next spring.
This way, you can use the space year-round with high-quality furniture, etc. You might also need a vertical awning. It should have been installed alongside the existing one because the current awning offers little protection against low-angle sunlight.
Alternatively, as mentioned, a vertical awning is an option but is more vulnerable to weather and wind. Still, both glass walls and an awning together are recommended. Sun protection or shading could also be achieved cost-effectively with curtains behind the glass walls.
But there are almost endless possibilities.
K1300S schrieb:
Yes, we do that, although the average wind here might not be quite as strong as in Hamburg. During storms, you wouldn’t sit outside anyway, but otherwise it definitely helps a lot and is surprisingly stable despite the span.The original poster is sitting outside on the 7th floor in Hamburg. Where are you located?
Hamburch schrieb:
The main problem is the gusty wind.Have you measured what the new solution would need to withstand?
Hamburch schrieb:
Which manufacturer are your screens from, and what is the size of the area?The vertical awnings are from Mobau, model Zipline 150 E – approved for wind speeds up to 80 km/h (50 mph). Ours are 4 m (13 feet) and 6 m (20 feet) wide, and about 2.80 m (9 feet) high.Durran schrieb:
but there are almost endless possible solutions. Usually, it comes down to the budget. If the original poster wanted to spend $50,000 (about 45,000€), they wouldn’t be asking here.
@Durran Thanks. A fixed roof is not an option, though, since there is no garden behind it.
The terrace also needs to be suitable for grilling, but especially for sunbathing.
With sliding glass walls, it would also be a major challenge to install the tracks on the floor.
Besides the fact that we are in a condominium community and that a conservatory or sunroom involves very different building regulations compared to a simple canopy.
I have also considered removing the awning and completely rebuilding the entire terrace at some point.
The terrace also needs to be suitable for grilling, but especially for sunbathing.
With sliding glass walls, it would also be a major challenge to install the tracks on the floor.
Besides the fact that we are in a condominium community and that a conservatory or sunroom involves very different building regulations compared to a simple canopy.
I have also considered removing the awning and completely rebuilding the entire terrace at some point.
guckuck2 schrieb:
Have you measured what the new solution needs to withstand?We need to make a distinction here. When open, it obviously has to withstand strong winds, but it also doesn’t present much surface area then. When closed, as mentioned, it’s not about strong wind but rather annoying gusts.
However, this will be discussed in more detail, of course.
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