An aluminum pergola is a powder-coated frame with a louvred roof that opens and closes. We install aluminum only, because it does not rot, warp or need sanding, and because louvre motors, lighting and screens need a rigid frame. Wood is cheaper and warmer, and it needs work every season.
Aluminum vs wood pergola
An aluminum pergola is a structure of extruded aluminum posts and beams, powder-coated in a colour you choose, carrying a roof of pivoting louvres instead of fixed boards. The louvres turn through roughly 135 degrees. Open, you get filtered light and air moving through the space. Closed, the blades seal against each other and the roof becomes a weather cover, with rain collecting in a concealed channel and running down inside the posts to your drainage. A wood pergola is a different animal: posts, beams and fixed slats or a stretched canopy, open to the sky, pretty under dappled light and useless in a downpour.
The louvres run on a motor with a remote or an app, so you adjust the roof from the table rather than climbing anything. Sections are modular, so one bay can span up to 14 ft 9 in wide and 20 ft deep, and bays combine for longer runs, corners and wall-mounted layouts against the house.
We design, install and service these; we do not build them in a shop. The job starts with a free on-site measure where we check what the structure can be anchored to, where water will go, and how power reaches the motor and lights. On install day the frame goes up in sections, posts are set plumb and levelled, drainage is connected, and a licensed electrician handles any hard-wired lighting or heat. Everything we install carries a 5-year warranty, in writing. We will not anchor a pergola to deck framing or a fascia board that cannot carry the load; if footings are needed, we say so before you sign.
What it solves
Maintenance you will actually keep up with
Wood is a seasonal chore: sand, stain or seal, chase the grey, replace the board that split. Powder-coated aluminum asks for a bucket of soapy water and a rinse, plus clearing leaves out of the drainage channel in autumn. Nothing rots, nothing splits around the fasteners, and the colour does not need a coat every couple of summers to stay even.
Standing up to Ontario snow and wind
A wood pergola with open slats sheds snow because it is mostly air. Close a roof over it and the loading changes completely. Our aluminum structures are engineered for snow loads up to 300 kg/m², with the louvres closed, posts set on footings or a sound slab, and the geometry doing the work. That is the whole reason we will not build a solid roof onto an existing wood frame.
Louvres, motors and lighting are an aluminum-only story
A moving roof needs a frame that does not move: no seasonal swelling, no twist, no sag that throws the blades out of alignment. Motors, dimmable LED runs, heaters, fans and drop screens all mount into the extrusion channels and the wiring hides inside the posts. On wood, the same gear hangs off brackets and surface conduit, and every joint shifts with the weather.
Finish options that hold their colour
Powder-coated aluminum comes in a long list of colours and textures, including dark greys and matte blacks that stay even across the whole structure. You can match window frames, railings or a soffit line. The frames arrive finished, so there is no site painting, no smell, and no second colour coat to book two summers later.
The honest case for wood
Wood is warmer to look at and to touch, it suits a cottage or a heritage streetscape in a way aluminum does not always manage, and it is far cheaper per square foot. A handy owner can build one over a long weekend, change it later, and repair a single beam with a saw. If you want dappled shade over a bench and nothing more, wood is a sensible answer.
Our verdict
If you want a roof you control – shade on demand, dinner finished in the rain, lights and heat built in – buy aluminum, because the moving parts need the rigid frame and the finish survives the climate. If you want a shade feature, you are comfortable with yearly upkeep, and the budget is tight, build wood and enjoy it. We only install aluminum, so we will tell you plainly when wood is the better fit.
What it costs
We put the figure in writing after the free on-site measure – every one of these is sized and priced to the opening.
What moves the number:
- The footprint of the structure – a larger roof needs more louvre panels and a stronger frame.
- Whether the louvres are motorised with remote or app control, versus a simpler fixed-pitch design.
- Integrated features such as lighting, heating, drop screens or a rain sensor added to the structure.
- Site preparation – a bare patio slab versus a structure that needs new footings or anchoring.
- The frame and louvre colour or finish chosen to match the house.
- Access for the crew and equipment during installation.
Jobs we've done
Louvered pergola over a poolside lounge in autumn
Louvered pergola with an integrated retractable screen
Louvered pergola with integrated lighting at night
Two louvered pergolas across a rear patio
Louvered pergola with retractable screens over a poolside patio
Retractable screens along a louvered pergola patio
Still deciding between a full structure and something that retracts away when you do not need it? We set the two side by side, including what each one does in rain and wind.
How the ROLLerUP® Process Works
Consultation
We assess your space, understand your needs, and offer expert recommendations.
Custom Design & Quote
You’ll receive a tailored design with material options and a transparent quote.
Professional Installation
Our team handles everything—quick, safe, and precise installation with minimal disruption.
Post-Installation Support
We offer walkthroughs, warranties, and care instructions to ensure long-term satisfaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where we install this
Ontario puts a pergola through everything in twelve months: freeze-thaw cycles that open every joint in a wood frame, wet spring weeks, August sun, and snow that sits for months. That is why we settled on aluminum and stopped offering anything else. Most GTA backyards also come with a slab or a deck that was never poured with a roofed structure in mind, so anchoring and footings get checked before colours do. Municipal rules differ from one town to the next, particularly for anything attached to the house. We have put in 5 installs in Toronto on this product line since 2022, plus work further north, and the drainage detail matters more here than the colour does.
More about louvered pergolas
Louvered pergolas guides
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Get a free on-site estimate
We measure the space, check what the structure can be anchored to, and put the figure in writing after the visit.