Both fiberglass and plastic pergolas offer the benefit of a low maintenance outdoor structure. There are two types of plastic pergolas currently available, the first and most common is constucted from vinyl(also known as PVC). The second type of plastic pergola is constructed from a material similar to composite decking(Azek or Palite). These are low maintenance materials, however they differ significantly in terms of quality, lifetime and finish. Below is a detailed comparision of these materials.
* Maintenance free
* Available in any color
* Structural material with free-spans of up to 20'
* Will not mildew, mold or yellow
* One piece CNC rafter tails
* Low maintenance but will mildew and yellow over time
* Non-structural vinyl tubes
* Pressure treated lumber is inserted into the vinyl and can sag, twist and rot
* Available in a limited number of colors
* Snap-on rafter tails
* Requires bi-annual painting
* Yellows and mildews over time
* Sheets of Azek are glued to either aluminum or lumber for structural support
* Azek will delaminate and fall of over time
* High cost of ownership
| Fiberglass | PVC(Vinyl fencing) | C-PVC(Azek) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance: | Maintenance free. | Maintenance free. Will yellow & mildew. | Requires bi-annual painting. Will yellow & mildew. |
| Finish: | Available in any color | Limited color options | Limited color options |
| Durability: | Hard industrial coatings. Durable cast fiberglass column bases. | Scratches easily. Plastic post bases break easily | Azek delaminates and fall off over time |
| Lifespan: | Designed to last a minimum of 15 years | Minimum of 5 years | Minimum of 5 years |
| Structural Properties: | Structural fiberglass pultrusions will not sag or warp. | Structural pressure treated core. Prone to sagging and warping. | Structural pressure treated core. Prone to sagging and warping. |
This Azek pergola was poorly constructed. It experienced yellowing, excessive rot and sagging as a result of the manufacturer cutting corners.
This what the main structural support beam looked like when the Azek fell off and the remainder was removed.
The client's contractor reached out to us and we replaced the existing structure with a fiberglass pergola that will last for years to come.
Daniel CarmanThe pavers have been laid for the terrace and sidewalks. Almost a year and half has gone into this phase of my yard transformation. Your pergola Fits into the picture just right. Thanks so much for the help! Dan
MichaelHello Matt, This could not have been easier, and it looks absolutely beautiful! took us just shy of 6 hours to put it up, and my wife is already priming the mahogany caps. wish i had another one to put somewhere! thanks again
Michael & Maria D'AmbroseThe pergola has truly transformed our backyard into an outdoor paradise! We enjoy the hot tub every night. The privacy wall and beautiful drapery makes our pergola a wonderful enclosed outdoor room.
Kathleen DavisMax, Thank you, we are very happy with the pergola!! It looks great and the size and height are perfect, like you said. My husband and father-in-law built this entirely in the rain. It was a lot of fun for us to watch and hold umbrellas for them. They did a great job and even finished in a day and a half. Then a few days later, an extremely bad storm hit with nearby tornadoes and major tree damage and fallen trees throughout our entire town. The pergola remained intact, so we know that structurally it is good too. Well it is finally sunny again, so we could finally see how the sunlight filters in on the patio. The pergola really makes the patio an inviting place to be. Looking forward to many great times in our new outdoor area. Thanks again!
Dennis HoslerI am putting in the patio with the dimension to fit the pergola on top. Thanks for your responses. You have good customer service. Your website looks great. Keep in touch with anything new or upcoming. God bless.
Sonja Hansen and Dennis Szabaday in Nashua, NHGreetings! Attached are photos of our Baldwin Pergola which we love. We are very happy. Here are photos showing what it looks like when we hang the colored sheets up for added shade - very festive and inexpensive. Thank you again!
Missy SiennaI thought I would share with you some of the photos I took tonight of the grape arbor! It looks beautiful--I almost hate to cover it with grapes!
Minh VuThere is still landscaping to do but I thought you would like to see the completed pergola on location. The quality and packing were quite excellent and I've received rave reviews about the pergola from neighbors.
Tim, Cathy, and Elizabeth.It was such a beautiful day on Sunday I had my coffee under the pergola and Sunday night we ate dinner under it. We never spent any time out on the patio in the past.
Dori PaulYou are wonderful. We sat in under the pergola each meal on Rosh Hashana and our guests said that they felt they were away at a beautiful restaurant or hotel!!
We realize that we cannot build every pergola in the world, so we've decided that we'll be the company that builds all the really nice pergolas in the world.
