There are several different terms to describe outdoor structures that provide some form of cover and allow you to enjoy your garden for longer, Patio Canopy, Veranda, Gazebo, Cantilever Canopy, Carport, Hybrid Canopy and so on. All these structures differ slightly from one another and meet varying price points.

For the purposes of this article, I’m going to compare two of these names: Patio Canopy and Veranda. From the look of it these structures are very similar, both often attach to the house wall, both can have a polycarbonate roof, both have an aluminium frame. So, what is the difference?

1. Verandas are more expensive than standard Patio Canopies, but the extra money brings with it additional features.
2. While both Patio Canopies and Verandas are made of aluminium, Verandas use stronger, more structural profiles especially for the eave’s beam / gutter and posts. For example, Patio Canopies tend to use 65mm aluminium box sections for the legs, while Verandas have posts that can be up to 110mm wide. Why the difference? It means verandas can span longer lengths, for example the Homestyle Veranda can have a projection (distance out from the wall) of up to 6 metres whereas the maximum projection of the Harmony Patio Canopy is only 4.1m. The bigger the canopy you want the stronger the profiles you need, and this is where Verandas have an advantage over Patio Canopies. In addition, there tends to be a bigger distance between posts, which gives you a more uninterrupted view of your garden as Verandas need fewer posts.
3. Because stronger profiles are used Verandas can be free standing whereas Patio Canopies tend to need the support of a wall to hold up the back of the canopy. The greater strength of the profiles used on Verandas gives them the strength to be a self-supporting structure. Being free standing means Verandas can be located anywhere in your garden giving you much greater flexibility in how you want to use your new space.
4. Verandas can have glass roofs as well as polycarbonate roofs whereas Patio Canopies come with multiwall polycarbonate as standard. Glass is much heavier than polycarbonate, so the stronger profiles found in verandas are needed to take the additional weight. Glass roofed verandas are stylish and add that wow factor to your garden.
5. Verandas are more flexible than Patio Canopies. Patio Canopies are modular in design and while you can get them cutdown from larger sizes, Patio Canopies are less flexible when it comes to say varying the pitch. Verandas are made to a bespoke size, whatever the requirements you may have the veranda is made to suit. For example with the Homestyle Veranda the customer can specify what pitch they want (within limits), the projection, and how the posts will fix onto or into the ground. At the planning stage side walls can also be added which will be made to fit the required sizes.
6. Following on from the above Verandas have a wider range of additional extras such as lighting, side walls and sliding doors, think of a Patio Canopy being a B&Q kitchen while a veranda is more like a handmade bespoke kitchen.

In summary both a Patio Canopy and a Veranda will give you additional, flexible outdoor space that you can use for a variety of uses. Verandas however are more robust and can be made to suit your requirements which makes them suitable for commercial applications as well as domestic ones, such as a café or school. The main differences lie in the level of “bespokeness” that you can have with a veranda and the stronger, more robust profiles that are used.

For further details or to see our range of Patio Canopies and Verandas please visit www.thecanopyshop.co.uk or call 01536 446393 and talk to Danielle or Lisa.