Pergola Found

[RayF-1]

Several recent posts deal with overhead cover (to include electric screens)(neat!)

Not a sales plug, but I found a good looking (picture) of a pergola while thumbing through a catalog.  12x12 and 9'H with roll back fabric overhead cover and bug screens.

Advertised as aluminum and steel construction, not sure of anchoring method.  Sells for $1K + ship and tax.

Search "pergola" at <plowandhearth.com>

RAY  

[Zep]

Looks Nice





Pergola With Retractable Roof

Our versatile pergola lets you create a cool, comfortable environment for enjoying the outdoors, day or night. Supported by four hefty columns with a flecked, powder-coat finish and a sturdy roof of aluminum and steel poles, this 12' sq. pergola is amply sized to accommodate dining sets or patio furniture. Close the weather-resistant, Olefin fabric top for instant shade, or crank it open to let in the sun or take in the stars. Floor-to-ceiling mosquito netting on every side keeps insects at bay. Assembly required. Imported.

Size
12' sq. x 9'H

Price: $999.95 + $100 Shipping

http://www.plowhearth.com/product.asp?pcode=1619

[Tatooed_Lady]

Gee, I hope the retractable roof works better than the Mitsubishi POS they installed at Miller Park (Milwaukee Brewers baseball park)......  

[Zep]

Ray......This pergola has me thinking.

In my opinion spa covers are not very user friendly.

Yeah you can buy the spa cover on hinges,
but then you have the cover blocking one
side of your tub?



I wish they could make a spa cover that was sort of an off-shoot idea of this pergola you posted.

Basically make the roof of the pergola out of spa cover type material, then make the four corner posts where they go up and down.

So you could basically push a button or crank up the spa cover to be a functioning pergola roof.

Of course it might hinder looking at stars directly over-head.

I am not sure what all the options are on covers, but the standard spa cover and/or hinges I am not thrilled about.

Has anyone had any experience with this type
of roll cover (shown in the link below)or anything
unique besides the standard covers?

I need something that won't cause a hernia, and doesn't look like hell!....LOL

http://www.hot-tub-spa-covers.com/roll_up_cover.htm

[Tatooed_Lady]

I would think that having the cover directly overhead could be.....well, wet.  

[Zep]

What about this?

Supposedly works like an insulated window?

Looks kind of "if-EEE"?








http://www.spacap.com/picturepage.html

[Chas]

The 'spa cap' is an alternative, but I sure would not expect it to work the same as a regular cover.

[Zep]

re: but I sure would not expect it to work the same as a regular cover.

You mean as far as heat retention?

[drewstar]

I think they are full of B.S.

In thier FAQ section:

Does it really work better than a foam cover?
       

This is a portion of a letter sent to us from a customer..."Being an engineer and a developer of a cryogenic medical device (the CryoPen), the SpaCap is a perfect hot tub cover. When insulating hot or cold things, insulation is what people think of. When the real key to insulation is air and space. The typical hot tub cover do this by using styrofoam and about two inches of space. The two major design flaws that a SpaCap solves is that it adds more air space and is a better insulator than foam. Foam is nothing more than a non-moving air space, but foam conducts heat better than no foam (like the SpaCap) I know the SpaCap is the best spa cover around.

Mike Haas, Thermodynamicist (engineer of heat
transfer)

Air is not a better insulatior of Foam.  Espically  a high density closed cell foam.  Even folks of the TP design understand the issue is heat loss and maintainig a heat barrier of  equal temp to  that of the item to be "insulated".  

Always be suspiscious when a direct question is asked, and they say "let me  show you this..."   Thus allowing you to draw "your own conclusions"  (really where they lead you) without them actually ever having said anything.

[Chas]

re: but I sure would not expect it to work the same as a regular cover. You mean as far as heat retention?

Right.

[Tatooed_Lady]

something like that might work okay in a warm climate.....but I'd hate to depend on it to keep our tub warm in Wisconsin in February.....