Expert Austin Pergola Builders Share Their Top 5 Tips

Looking for modern pergola ideas for your East Austin home? Rustic ideas for a Hill Country estate? Or vintage solutions for that centrally located Craftsman? One thing’s for sure — there’s no such thing as a “one size fits all” Austin pergola.

At Allied Outdoor Solutions, we create custom, hand-crafted outdoor living spaces for ATX homes — so we think all that diversity is an amazing thing.

Through all of Austin’s unique styles, material options and outdoor living personalities, 5 key factors to great pergola design shine through. Our design-build experts share them with you in this guide to stellar Austin pergola concepts.

From Style to Stability: 5 Tips for a Perfect Austin Pergola 

Allied Outdoor Solutions has transformed over 25,000 Texas backyards into custom outdoor living spaces. But we know the ones you care about most are the design-build projects that took place in your neighborhood. 

We asked our research team to review thousands of Austin outdoor projects to discover the common themes in local pergola design. We looked at homeowner wish lists and preferences throughout the area — from contemporary East Austin to rustic Hill Country.

As diverse as ATX outdoor living can be, there are 5 key components to every successful design that happens in your city. Here’s what Austin homeowners truly want from a new or renovated pergola space.

Thoughtful, Personalized Aesthetics

We think “Austin Weird” is a beautiful tribute to the diversity of its people and its architectural styles. Spend a day walking or driving around town, and you’ll see vintage bungalows, North Austin ranches, Central Craftsmans and Hill Country’s vernacular style.

There’s no place for prefabricated pergola design in ATX. Limestone and cedar look great in Hill Country, while brick and stamped concrete complement ranch homes. 

The materials, roof structures and design elements within your pergola structure must seamlessly reflect your home and your one-of-a-kind personal style.

Define Your Outdoor Living Zone

A freestanding pergola allows you to create a specific outdoor living area anywhere on your property. How you define that space is up to your imagination.

Zoning your outdoor living spaces creates clear-cut borders for relaxation, outdoor cooking, poolside living and entertainment. All of these options are easily achieved under the protection of a quality pergola roof.

Design with Stability in Mind

We don’t need to tell you about the rolling hills and sloped properties throughout Austin. These grades and slopes provide visual intrigue and add character to your lot — they also create foundation issues due to erosion and clay soil expansion.

A reinforced foundation with intelligent drainage solutions helps offset these challenges. Our local design-build teams have the expertise to provide grading, retaining walls and terraces to level your pergola structure.

Then, we use flooring materials like durable pavers and modified concrete overlays to further stabilize the soil underneath your new living space.

Think Green, Think Sustainable

Austin homeowners love building natural elements into their outdoor spaces. Limestone, cedar and flagstone don’t just look beautiful — these locally sourced building materials offer naturally sustainable solutions for your pergola.

Eco-friendly metal options like aluminum work wonders in pergola framing and roofing. They’re also fully recyclable and offer further sustainability to your structure.

Outdoor Gathering Places

Austinites love outdoor gathering spaces — just ask the 1.3 million annual visitors to Zilker Park, or the crowds that pack bars and patios on West Sixth.

It’s no wonder that homeowners here want their pergolas to be friendly and inviting. Cozy outdoor furniture, grills and bar islands, custom fire features and outdoor TVs are popular amenity requests. 

Super Structure: The Right Pergola Materials for Austin

The ultimate measure of a pergola’s success is its ability to be shared with family, friends and loved ones. Their freestanding, inviting nature is meant to inspire fun, communication and connection.

Well-built, thoughtfully-designed pergolas can support countless outdoor entertainment concepts. From barbecues to game nights, margaritas to day naps, here are 3 ways to develop a dedicated outdoor space under your new pergola.

Louvered or Lattice? Choose Your Pergola Roof Style

Choosing a pergola roof style is a delicate balance of style, function and protection from heat and inclement weather. 

• Louvered roofs offer total control — open and close the slatted roof easily with its mechanical structure. They offer protection from the elements, and the ability to let the sun shine in.
• Lattice roofs pack quintessential pergola style, with their airy open feel. While you get all the curb appeal of a classic pergola, you do lose protection from rain and heat.

Trust Carvestone for Austin Pergola Flooring

Flooring materials in Austin pergola design must mitigate shifting clay soil and provide added durability against heat, moisture and pressure.

Carvestone is an optimal choice in North Texas. This modified concrete overlay can be colored, textured and patterned to match virtually any aesthetic. It’s rated to withstand up to 6,000 PSI of pressure — roughly 2x higher than standard concrete. 

Seal your Carvestone every 2 years for ideal heat and moisture protection.

Rustic vs Modern: Choosing Accent Materials

Use these design materials to perfectly blend your pergola with your existing home architecture.

• Rustic Hill Country: Limestone and treated cedar
• Modern East Austin: Aluminum, flagstone or porcelain pavers
• North Austin Ranch: Brick, stamped concrete and natural stone
• Central Austin Craftsman: Brick, bluestone and travertine

Talk to Your Personal Austin Pergola Expert

Backyard pergolas are a wonderful way to flex your creativity and bring unique style to your outdoor living space.

So, how can we help create one that truly speaks to you?

Trust Allied Outdoor Solutions and our decades of local design-build experience. Your dedicated Austin Construction Coordinator, Construction Supervisor and outdoor living designer will guide you through every step of the process.

Talk to us. We’re here to make your dream pergola a part of your life for decades to come.