Looking for ideas. What would you do?

etherdome

Recently the arbor over my grilling area (deck) became rotten past the point of no return. The deck was not far behind it. They had both been there for over 30 years and I was lucky enough to enjoy the last 10. Despite routine maintenance, a vine growing over an arbor  will eventually contribute to it’s rotting away. 
I decided to replace it with something longer lasting, safer for grilling, and less maintenance. We installed a flagstone patio, which is now complete and we couldn’t be happier with it. During the planning phase we couldn’t decide exactly what we wanted as far as shade/ shelter is concerned and decided to move forward with the patio, see what it looks like and decide from there.  Here we are and are still having a hard time .    In the photo you can see the old header from the arbor which still needs to be removed . What would you do?   I know options are limited but maybe you can draw from your own experiences . Open to cheaper options like shade sails all the way up to new arbor or even shed roof. Thanks ahead of time . Pictures attached. 

Botch

Tonight I'll see if I can find my thread on my rebuild; yours already looks much nicer than what I've got but our starts are identical: wooden deck/arbor, overtaken by a large vine, collapse!  

six_egg

I am by no means a builder, designer or carpenter but with that setup what about a pergola? You will get rain but they seem to work well to keep an area cooler.

1voyager

Two of my neighbors have Sunsetter retractable awnings and love them. They are beautiful and neither one has faded due to bright sun. One awning is at least four years old. The other one was installed about three years ago.

ColtsFan

I would come off that header and build a pergola out to that little retaining wall. Not 100% shelter but some nice shade

YEMTrey

Doesn't somebody on here have a pergola with rotating blinds on top?  Can keep out sun/rain, then open up?

fishlessman

 pergola with retractable awning over the table area

JethroBodeen

Free standing pergola not connected to the house. That's what I would be looking into.

nolaegghead

https://www.foreverredwood.com/del-norte-outdoor-kitchen-pavilion.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw_absBRD1ARIsAO4_D3sDnmvOLsIpb0LrnHOBsmvPZtqF2GE2ytXuVxbTMA1pEPSc4B7zqKMaAvF8EALw_wcB#lg=1&slide=9

etherdome

YEMTrey said:

Doesn't somebody on here have a pergola with rotating blinds on top?  Can keep out sun/rain, then open up?

A louvered pergola is a hell
of a concept ....

etherdome

JethroBodeen said:

Free standing pergola not connected to the house. That's what I would be looking into.

Any particular reason for the freestanding preference?  Thanks

JethroBodeen

etherdome said:

JethroBodeen said:

Free standing pergola not connected to the house. That's what I would be looking into.

Any particular reason for the freestanding preference?  Thanks

Spending almost all of my life in a hurricane zone. I tend not to like miscellaneous things attached to the house. Less chance for water intrusion, rot, etc. also. Repairs and alterations become easier as well.

HeavyG

YEMTrey said:

Doesn't somebody on here have a pergola with rotating blinds on top?  Can keep out sun/rain, then open up?

I recall seeing them mentioned here a year or two ago (which was the first I had ever heard of them). Very cool product if they are really effective in rain and can stand high winds.

https://www.equinoxroof.com/

Botch

My build is here:  https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1151456/my-new-eggvironment , but you have to click on the pics separately (Just the one titled "pergola" will give you the idea).  
Mine is free-standing, although very close to the house (that's how the contractor built it).  My main issue, and it might be yours depending on which direction your house back faces, is the evening sun; in mid-summer its too hot to be out there at all, pergola or no; and in the evenings the sun streams in and hits my west-facing house, the pergola doesn't help.  
The only solution I like, and I don't really like it, is to plant a row of poplars to the immediate west.  
This probably didn't help much, but a couple things to think about.  

etherdome

Botch said:

My build is here:  https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1151456/my-new-eggvironment , but you have to click on the pics separately (Just the one titled "pergola" will give you the idea).  
Mine is free-standing, although very close to the house (that's how the contractor built it).  My main issue, and it might be yours depending on which direction your house back faces, is the evening sun; in mid-summer its too hot to be out there at all, pergola or no; and in the evenings the sun streams in and hits my west-facing house, the pergola doesn't help.  
The only solution I like, and I don't really like it, is to plant a row of poplars to the immediate west.  
This probably didn't help much, but a couple things to think about.  

Thanks so much . You really made a transformation there !!! Looks awesome. The back of our house faces north north west. Sun goes down at 10 o’clock (directionally).  Still hot but not your same situation . Any tips on maintaining the flagstone ? 

Botch

etherdome said:
Any tips on maintaining the flagstone ? 

Wish I did.  The flagstone underneath my apple tree is gradually turning black, and I don't know how to clean it (admittedly, I haven't tried anything, lazy).  

Gulfcoastguy

JethroBodeen said:

etherdome said:

JethroBodeen said:

Free standing pergola not connected to the house. That's what I would be looking into.

Any particular reason for the freestanding preference?  Thanks

Spending almost all of my life in a hurricane zone. I tend not to like miscellaneous things attached to the house. Less chance for water intrusion, rot, etc. also. Repairs and alterations become easier as well.

Not to mention the wind starts working on the attached pergola which then works on the side of the house. 
I favor the retractable Sunsetter.

NorthPilot06

JethroBodeen said:

etherdome said:

JethroBodeen said:

Free standing pergola not connected to the house. That's what I would be looking into.

Any particular reason for the freestanding preference?  Thanks

Spending almost all of my life in a hurricane zone. I tend not to like miscellaneous things attached to the house. Less chance for water intrusion, rot, etc. also. Repairs and alterations become easier as well.

When looking at horses I’ve found many with pergolas attached to the house/roof without the proper flashing. It will rot, to @JethroBodeen point, if water finds its way into your walls

etherdome

appreciate the point.  was probably super lucky to never have a problem with the previous pergola that was attached. 

YukonRon

This is exactly what I speak of, when I tell the folks joining the cult of The Big Green Egg, the initial cost of the purchase to own a Big Green Egg, is the least expensive aspect of becoming a member of this club.

Congrats and hope you get the ideas you need.

Fred19Flintstone

1voyager said:

Two of my neighbors have Sunsetter retractable awnings and love them. They are beautiful and neither one has faded due to bright sun. One awning is at least four years old. The other one was installed about three years ago.

When we bought this hovel years ago, it had two Sunsetter awnings.  We thrashed them for 3-4 years because our deck faces west and there’s nothing blocking the sun.  The Sunsetters worked fine for that, but being extended during a couple of thunderstorms kinda wrecked them.

Next year’s project is replacing the rotten deck and putting a permanent awning out there.  Nobody really uses the deck now because the sun exposure is brutal.  I’ll probably have to find another place for my potted tomatoes though.

edit:  Part of the grand plan is to move the eggs from the garage to the new deck.  

etherdome

Still needs a full staining after the wood dries out and other things like a TV and some furniture 😁 but here is the “final” product . Thanks for your input! 

northGAcock

I would give up on the Bulldogs and become a Gamecock if it were me.

etherdome

@northGAcock Ha! Im depressed enough already with all this COVID $hit.  On a serious note, I do like the Gamecocks over all other SEC teams. Live in SC and my grandparents were Gamecocks.  I just don't likem when they play UGA.