Enclosing your patio is easier than you think!

You had dreams once.

When you were a young and impressionable new homeowner you saw yourself lounging on your new home’s patio. Enjoying the sun, braai lit, drink in your hand…

But then reality hit.

Despite South Africa having a great climate, we still have a huge number of unpleasant days.

Winter means either cold or wet (or BOTH these days) depending on where you life, spring and autumn mean wind and gusts as the seasons change and summer once again can be unpleasantly hot and wet…

So really, apart from that one perfect day in October, what’s the point of having a huge, open patio?

An open patio looks good on paper but the first time your braai is ruined by a sudden summer shower, a winter cold snap or an August windstorm, you’ll find yourself googling “enclosing a patio DIY cost” or something similar.

Don’t worry – we have got your back.

There are many ways to go about protecting your braai zone, and obviously getting a professional building contractor to turn a space into a perfect braai room is the ultimate dream, but we decided to look at other options.

If you have a patio, chances are it’s got some sort of roof already. Now we just need a plan for walls. This can be done by installing aluminium sliding doors and windows.

Are you not really a braai kind of guy?

You don’t have to braai in your new braai-room-patio-expansion. It can also be your games-room, gaming-room, viewing-room, reading-room, man-cave, girl-den…whatever your heart desires. The point is simply – there is a sweet spot between a full revamp of your patio, with building contractors and registering new municipal plans, and simply not using that part of your home because the weather keeps getting in the way. Enclosing a patio gives you space and options. Leaving it open just means you have one more space that needs to be cleaned even though you never use it.

Top Tip! Summer bodies are made in winter, so you can even commit the space to  an indoor gym/exercise room.

If none of the above work for you, just enclose the space and let it sit for a while. Whether it becomes a catio, extra storage, a grow room and nursery for your house plants or just a sensible, value adding upgrade to your home, you can’t go wrong with aluminium doors and windows.

Budget friendly

Enclosing an existing space with something as simple, affordable and durable as aluminium doors and windows allows you to have the warm buzz of home renovations, without the hole in your wallet.

The benefits of aluminium include:

• Longevity – these frames can last up to 30 years, and won’t bend to the elements by warping, cracking or rusting.
• There is basically zero maintenance needed.
• You don’t have to paint them…but you CAN.
• They have a classic look that blends well into any home style – it doesn’t take over your design.

Local manufacturers include:

Find trusted and vetted aluminium frame and door suppliers here.