Design Your Custom Houston Pergola in 3 Easy Steps

We love custom pergolas as an outdoor living design solution in Houston. When done right, they offer all the shade, durability and curb appeal of a covered patio structure — all at a stronger price point. 

Allied Outdoor Solutions started its mission to elevate Texas outdoor living right here in Houston. We’ve spent decades crafting custom designs to beat the heat, tackle Gulf Coast humidity, and define outdoor spaces for thousands of H-Town homeowners.

Let’s talk about what Houston homeowners truly want and need in a backyard pergola. We’ll share material suggestions, roofing styles and tips to personalize your design. 

Follow our easy 3-step guide to custom pergola design — then, schedule a consultation with us. Our local design-build pros will turn that dream into your new outdoor living reality.

4 Things Houston Homeowners Want in a Pergola

Outdoor living in Houston is challenging — extreme humidity, high heat, and unpredictable rain can make it hard to truly enjoy our backyard. A thoughtfully-crafted pergola saves you from those challenges and augments the way you enjoy your backyard.

We’ve built thousands of custom pergola designs for Houston homeowners since 2009. We reviewed local project data and discovered the 5 things local residents request most in new pergola construction.

Defined Outdoor Living Space

If you’re investing in a new pergola, you want more than a few deck chairs and a potted plant. It’s the home of a clearly defined outdoor living space — and how you define that space is up to your distinct personality and style.

Will you create an outdoor grill or bar island? Do you want a spot to relax and watch the game with friends? Or is a poolside pergola with tropical vibes on your wish list?

A Connection With Nature

Our research revealed 2 distinct ways Houstonians want to connect with nature in their backyards:

1. A deep, interwoven feeling between outdoor living and nature; and
2. A place to enjoy the view, with some overhead protection.

The choice between lattice and louvered pergolas gives homeowners excellent control over how — and how much — they interact with nature in their outdoor spaces. 

Low Maintenance Durability

“I don’t want to manage my outdoor space,” one homeowner told us. “I just want to relax!”

An outdoor entertainment space isn’t so entertaining if you’re constantly doing chores. Local homeowners want a pergola that’s as durable and low maintenance as possible.

Consistent Aesthetic Appeal

Whether you live in a modern farmhouse or Spanish Revival, Houston homes are packed with personality and style. Any outdoor shade structure you build has to reflect and complement your existing architecture. 

Material selection is crucial when pairing your pergola design with your home and other outdoor spaces. Our team of highly skilled outdoor living designers blends your new pergola with the rest of your property.

Your 3 Step Plan to a Breathtaking Houston Pergola

You’ve decided to design and build a pergola in your outdoor space. We think that’s a great idea — now, let’s help you achieve that vision.

Every successful pergola project is made up of 3 steps:

1. Material selection
2. Shade structure options
3. Adding functionality

Let our design-build professionals walk you through these steps and make the process simple.

Trust the Allied Outdoor Solutions Design-Build Process

Our process is what makes us different. We’re Houston homeowners ourselves — we understand the challenges, dreams and opportunities on your mind as you approach your new outdoor project.

When you work with Allied Outdoor Solutions, you’re assigned a team of dedicated local professionals — Houston designers and builders for Houston projects. From planning to permitting to design to construction, our local expertise carries the day for your family.

Step 1: The Right Materials for Houston Pergola Construction

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Material selection is absolutely crucial to the long-term success of Houston outdoor construction — perhaps more so than any other Texas city. 

Our unique blend of high humidity, blazing heat and dense coastal rainfall quickly exposes and damages low-quality building materials. Even materials that work well in other regions fail in Houston. 

We’ve identified 3 core building materials that succeed in most Houston pergola builds. Let’s look at their innate qualities, advantages and drawbacks.

Aluminum

Aluminum’s lightweight, durable composition makes it ideal for local pergola construction. From roof structures through support beams and framing, it’s highly dependable and weather resistant when properly treated and installed.

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Rust and corrosion resistant
• Modern aesthetics
• Minimal maintenance
• Eco-friendly

Cons:

• Higher initial cost (vs. vinyl or wood)
• Less natural look than wood

Cedar

It’s hard to beat cedar on aesthetic value. Cedar is easily stainable and paintable, and is generally more resistant to rot and insects than other types of wood. You’ll need to reseal your cedar periodically to prevent warping and cracking.

Pros:

• Natural beauty
• Rot and insect-resistant
• Aesthetic versatility
• Reflects heat well
• Able to span longer distances than other wood types

Cons:

• Regular sealing required 
• Higher upfront cost vs. pine

Modified Concrete (Flooring)

Modified concrete overlay or pavers are an ideal choice for pergola flooring in Houston. 

Carvestone is a modified concrete overlay product rated to withstand up to 6,000 PSI of pressure. It’s easily colored, textured and patterned to fit any aesthetic style, and provides excellent stability in backyards rich with black clay soil.

Pros:

• Aesthetic versatility
• Heat and moisture resistant
• Less expensive than natural stone
• Excellent pressure resistance

Cons:

• If you really want stone, you really want stone
• Sealing required every 2 years

Step 2: Pergola Roofs are Non-Negotiable in Houston

Our local design-build teams strongly recommend a roof structure on every Houston pergola. They provide a bit of shade, some protection from heat and rain, and the ability to add overhead lighting and ventilation elements (like smart fans).

Here are the 2 best roof structures for Houston pergola construction.

Louvered Roof

The top choice for Houston pergola construction. Louvered roofing offers a mechanical structure and incredible control. You decide how open or closed the roof structure is at any given time — open it up for ventilation and sunshine, and close it when heat or rain becomes too overbearing.

Pros:

• Unmatched personal control
• Rain protection
• Ventilation
• Modern aesthetics
• Highly durable

Cons:

• Price point
• Complex installation (can’t DIY these)

Lattice Roof

A lattice roof is as “classic pergola” as it gets. But that means a tradeoff in Houston — what you’ll get in traditional beauty, you’ll lose in heat and rain protection.

Airflow is excellent in lattice pergolas, but there’s less opportunity to build in extra overhead lighting and fans. You’ll also have less protection for your outdoor appliances.

Pros:

• Classic pergola aesthetics
• Good natural airflow
• Cost-effective
• Simple construction

Cons:

• Partial shade only
• No rain protection
• More susceptible to degradation (wooden lattice)

Step 3: Make it Personal, and Make it Functional

You’ve picked your pergola materials, and chosen the roof style that best suits your needs and design preferences.

Now, let’s make your new outdoor living structure truly yours. 

Here are 3 great ways to incorporate your personality and lifestyle into your new pergola.

Pergola with Outdoor Kitchen

Pergola with Entertainment Center

Rustic Lattice

Let’s Make Your Dream Houston Pergola a Reality

You don’t have to dream about a new Houston pergola — we’re here to make it part of your outdoor living reality for decades.

Trust Allied Outdoor Solutions for thoughtful, custom pergola craftsmanship. We’ve delivered beautiful, durable outdoor structures for thousands of homeowners from Fulshear to Friendswood.

Talk to us — tell us how you want to use your new pergola space. We’ll provide the best pathway for lasting success.