This year, the summer holidays will be spent more on balconies due to the Corona-related restrictions. Those who have a garden, a balcony or a terrace can also enjoy the sunny days from home. So it is all the more important to make your own holiday oasis suitable for summer. Of course, this includes the right sun protection to protect yourself from unwanted glances and UV rays. We show you which sun protection suits you best.
Trees provide the most beautiful shade. Nowhere else is it more pleasant, even at more than 30 degrees, than under a tree with an umbrella-shaped crown, for example a weeping willow. Or under a roof plane that has been properly pruned. However, natural shade has a serious disadvantage: it takes many years for a young tree to grow large enough to provide sufficient shade. But it will protect you and your family from the sun for generations.
Suitable for houses with gardens and garden flats
The simplest sun protection for garden, balcony or terrace are sunshades. They now come in many sizes, permanently mounted or with an umbrella stand, plain or colourfully patterned, round, square or rectangular. To protect you safely from the sun, the umbrella should be large enough and offer high UV protection. The more densely woven the fabric and the more densely coated it is, the better it protects you. Protection factor 50, for example, means that the umbrella lets through one fiftieth of the harmful UV rays. Look for a factor of 50 or, even better, 80. Polyacrylic is UV-resistant and hardly fades. In addition, polyacrylic repels dirt and water when you leave your sunshade outside. Good alternatives are cotton and linen, which also protect against UV rays, but are less weather-resistant and therefore require a little care.
If you do not install your sunshade permanently, you will need an umbrella stand. It must be heavy enough not to tip over if there is a slight wind. For smaller umbrellas, fillable plastic stands are suitable, for larger ones concrete or granite stands, which are also available with rollers.
Suitable for houses with garden, garden flats, flats with balcony and terrace flats
With an awning, you protect yourself from the sun and design your garden, balcony or terrace at the same time. The awnings come in countless colours, shapes and sizes, opaque or transparent. They are resistant and retain their UV protection function. As with sunshades, look for a protection factor of 50 or more. If you want the awning to be wind- and waterproof, opt for a rot-proof and durable fabric, usually a close-meshed polyester fabric with a stabilising webbing reinforcement. However, heat build-up can occur underneath if the sun shines long and intensely. A water-permeable awning made of rot- and tear-resistant hard polyethylene (HPDE) regulates the heat in the shade and avoids heat accumulation. It is better to choose a light colour, otherwise the awning will darken the shaded area. Important: Pay attention to safety and only use sturdy ropes, screws and hooks when attaching your awning to trees, poles or walls.
Suitable for houses with gardens, garden flats, flats with large balconies and terrace flats
With sun blinds or marquees, you can protect yourself from the sun outside and from the heat inside. Blinds are available in half or full cassettes that are mounted on the ceiling or wall and are raised and lowered with a motor or hand crank. Motorised blinds can be operated remotely or integrated into a smart home system and controlled with a wind and sun sensor, for example. Marquees are available in many materials. Acrylic is lightfast and plays with colours and light. Just like polyester, which is lighter than acrylic despite the necessary UV protection layer, but tear-resistant and hard-wearing. Polyvinyl chloride is even more tear-proof and resistant. This is why PVC blinds are particularly suitable where they are continuously exposed to wind and weather. In addition, dirt and pollen can be removed more easily.
Suitable for houses with garden, garden flats, flats with balcony and terrace flats
Anyone who has eaten in a grotto or spent the night in a rustico in Ticino has sat under a shady pergola. Pergola derives from the Latin pergula for extension or porch. It used to protect the transition from the house to the terrace from the sun and lean against the house. Traditionally, pergolas are made of natural stone, as in Ticino, but nowadays they are also made of artificial stone, wood, plastic or metal. Stone and wooden pergolas are stable and suitable for heavy climbing plants, for example vines or knotweed. For less stable pergolas made of plastic or metal, we recommend climbing roses, for example. If you cannot or do not want to wait until the plants have grown densely enough and provide enough shade, you can cover the pergola with fabric or shield. There are now also glazed pergolas made of aluminium or metal with slats or water-repellent fabrics that can even be opened and closed automatically. These are no longer pergolas as in Ticino, but they extend the seating area in the garden and protect against UV rays.
Suitable for houses with gardens and garden flats
In the past, romantic garden arbours made of wood and overgrown with climbing plants stood in the parks of many stately homes. Modern arbours or pavilions are made of wood, plastic or metal. Wood is more susceptible to weathering and requires more maintenance. That is why pavilions or arbours should be made of treated hardwood, for example teak, and stand on plinths, otherwise the legs will rot in the damp soil over time. Metal, usually coated steel, is tough, weatherproof and durable. Simple arbours and pavilions have no side walls, those with water-repellent and waterproof side walls not only protect from the sun, but also from wind and rain. The simple alternative is party tents made of plastic, usually polyester, with or without windows. They are particularly suitable for short-term use such as summer parties or children's birthday parties when the weather is uncertain.
Suitable for houses with garden and garden flat
