If you’ve lived in Southern Utah for more than a single summer, you know that the St. George sun is unforgiving. While the rustic look of a cedar or redwood pergola is undeniably beautiful on the day it’s installed, the “Desert Reality” usually sets in by year two.
At Sun Country Awnings, we see it all the time: homeowners who spent thousands on wood structures only to watch them bleach, crack, and warp. Here is why aluminum is the undisputed king of the desert and why it’s the smartest investment for your St. George home.
1. The Battle Against “The Big Three”: Warping, Cracking, and Peeling
Wood is a porous, organic material. In our climate, it undergoes a constant cycle of extreme stress. During the day, the 110°F sun bakes the moisture out of the grain. During a rare monsoon or winter frost, it absorbs moisture and expands.
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Wood: This constant expansion and contraction lead to checking (deep cracks) and warping. Within 24 months, the beautiful stain you picked out will likely begin to peel and flake away.
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Aluminum: Aluminum is dimensionally stable. It doesn’t matter if it’s 115°F in July or 25°F in January; your aluminum beams will remain perfectly straight and true.
2. Maintenance-Free vs. Maintenance-Heavy
Owning a wood patio cover is like owning a classic car—it requires constant “tuning” to stay beautiful.
The Wood Maintenance Cycle:
To keep wood from rotting or graying, you must sand, restain, and reseal it every 2 to 3 years. This involves:
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Scraping off old, flaky finish.
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Power washing and drying.
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Applying expensive UV-rated stains.
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Losing a whole weekend (or paying a contractor hundreds of dollars) to the labor.
The Aluminum Maintenance Cycle:
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Step 1: Grab a garden hose.
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Step 2: Spray off the red dust.
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Done. Aluminum covers feature a high-performance, baked-on powder coating that is specifically designed to resist UV rays. It won’t peel, and it never needs a paintbrush.
Color Options for Aluminum Awnings
3. The Unseen Enemy: Termites and Pests
St. George is home to subterranean termites and carpenter bees. To these pests, a wood pergola is essentially a giant “All You Can Eat” buffet attached to your house. Once they establish a home in your patio cover, it’s only a matter of time before they start looking at your home’s framing.
Aluminum is completely impervious to pests. You will never have to worry about wood rot, fungal growth, or insect infestations. It’s “set it and forget it” peace of mind.
4. Fire Resistance
In the dry, high-desert environment of Southern Utah, fire safety is always a consideration. Wood is fuel. If a stray ember from a fire pit or a nearby brush fire hits a dry, cracked wood pergola, the results can be devastating.
Aluminum is non-combustible. It provides a safer environment for your outdoor kitchen, grill, or fire table, ensuring your home isn’t carrying extra fire risk right next to your back door.
5. Better “Red Rock” Aesthetics (That Actually Last)
Modern aluminum structures aren’t the shiny, “tin-can” looking covers of the 1970s. Today’s aluminum is embossed with a driftwood texture that mimics the look of real wood grain.
Available in colors like Adobe, Desert Sand, and Spanish Brown, these structures are designed to match the Southern Utah landscape perfectly. The difference? Our aluminum will look exactly the same 10 years from now as it does on the day we install it.
The Verdict: Save Your Weekends
When you choose aluminum, you aren’t just buying a patio cover; you’re buying back your time. Instead of sanding and staining under the hot sun, you’ll be sitting in the shade with a cold drink.
