If you’re spending more time out on your deck this summer, here are ways to create shade

Sitting outside on a sunny day in a comfortable chair, reading a good book, sipping a cool drink or hanging out with friends and family for an outdoor barbeque are among the benefits of having a deck. But too much sun hitting that deck can turn even the best of times into a scorching nightmare forcing you inside and out of the heat.

However, there is a remedy for too much sun: adding some shade to your deck can keep things cool and protect people, pets and even plants from that heat and direct sunlight.

With more people staying at home this summer due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, contractors are reporting an increase in homeowners interested in shading their deck space.

“We have definitely seen an uptick in people looking to add on to their decks and have more shade,” said T.J. Langerak, owner of Archadeck of Central Maine in Maxfield. “I can tell you that across the country in general sales of shade creating items are up.”

It looks like the money that people had planned to spend on trips are instead being spent at home, Langerak said.

“The going theory is people’s travel budgets are going into home improvement,” he said.

Here are seven ways homeowners can add shade to a deck.

Retractable awning

If you want shade on some days but not on others, a retractable awning lets you control where and when you block the sun. The awning attaches to your house and is supported by articulated, telescopic arms that extend the awning either manually or with a small motor. This is a more permanent shade solution, as the awnings are a fixed attachment to your house.

A pergola

These are permanent installed structures with an open roof. Pergolas come in a variety of architectural styles, with options for most budgets, and have some similarities to arbors. However, unlike an arbor, the sides of a pergola are left open. The open roof alone provides broken shade, but it can be filled in with fabric or vines, much like the standing trellis. There are also pergolas that come with movable metal fins that can be opened and closed so you can control the amount of sun hitting your deck throughout the day.