A Covered Rooftop Deck Can Revolutionize a Home or Restaurant

Have you ever coveted the amazing views from the covered rooftop deck that was recently opened downtown? More and more restaurants, hotels and private clubs have been taking advantage of the once unusable space on their roofs to open luxury lounges, dining spaces and relaxation salons. This trend has also become popular with homeowners. These premium spaces may seem out of reach for your home or restaurant, but with some thoughtful research and the right sun and rain protection, you too can turn your rooftop deck into a one-of-a-kind destination.

Let’s start with how you should evaluate your property for a potential covered rooftop deck.

Can you build a rooftop deck on any building?

The first step in evaluating a rooftop outdoor space is to determine whether the roof can structurally support a rooftop deck. This evaluation needs to be done by a qualified contractor or engineer. For most property owners, the first call will be to a qualified professional. You can generally expect most residential roofs will need reinforcement to accommodate the added weight of a rooftop outdoor living space. Commercial buildings will also need similar analysis, but if your building already houses a luxury rooftop pool or viewing platform, chances are the roof will also support a covered rooftop deck.

Will adding a rooftop deck be expensive? 

As with all building projects, the budget will vary depending on the size and scope of the covered rooftop deck project. Obviously, reinforcing a roof to accommodate the added weight can drive the needed investment as well. Local building codes vary from municipality to municipality as well, so make sure your contractor is checking with local building officials during the early stages of these discussions. In addition to added support for a roof deck, local codes will prescribe railing height, pergola height, and other important elements that will drive design decisions. Make a solid plan that is well researched with the help of a qualified builder before deciding to take on a rooftop remodel.

While building a covered rooftop deck or rooftop pool cabana can get expensive, the return on that investment is often outsized. For homeowners, such a luxurious outdoor space with views to the horizon offer years of enjoyment and boost the resale value for your home. For commercial properties, a rooftop dining space or rooftop bar will repay your investment exponentially over the years.

Designing Your Covered Rooftop Deck

Designing your new covered rooftop deck always needs to start with the appropriate patio cooling solutions. Afterall, you’ll get more use of the space if there is shade available for your family or guests. While rooftop spaces can benefit from traditional outdoor shade structures, like cabanas, these structures tend to block the view on some sides of the pavilion. The ideal shade structure to cool a rooftop deck is a modern aluminum pergola. Available with fixed roof designs for full-time shade or motorized adjustable louvered roofs that provide more flexibility, today’s modern pergolas are ideal for rooftop environments. Here in South Florida, we usually recommend a louvered roof design that allows you to control the sun/shade balance on the covered rooftop deck. These motorized louvered roofs also provide the flexibility to open during sunny mornings, then close tightly to seal out rain in the afternoon.

Whether you are designing your covered rooftop deck for a home or a commercial business, there are some design additions that our team often recommends to customers. Those include: 

• Automated Louver Controls – Motorized adjustable louvered roof pergolas come standard with a traditional handheld remote control. The remote puts louver controls right at your fingertips, but more advanced autonomous louver controls are often preferred for rooftop pergolas. With weather-tracking sensors embedded into the pergola, your smart pergola will automatically close the louvers when the first drop of rain is detected. Wind sensors watch for potential damaging gusts, and open the roof to keep updrafts from harming your system. With the often-unexpected wind storms here in South Florida, this feature offers great peace of mind to safeguard your investment.
• Shade Screens and Privacy Curtains – Unless your rooftop deck is atop a downtown skyscraper, chances are there will be nearby buildings with views of your roof. Building motorized retractable privacy screens into your pergola’s frame will allow you to create some privacy for sunbathing or evening dinner parties. These privacy screens can also be swapped for retractable sun screens that block additional sun rays if the mid-day sun becomes too powerful or if a setting sun leaves you squinting.
• Pergola Lighting Options – Evenings are some of the most pristine times to enjoy your new covered rooftop deck. If you are adding a rooftop dining space to a restaurant, hotel or private club, then the evenings will likely be your busiest times too. Incorporating a well-planned lighting scheme for the covered space will not only make it accessible after sunset, but the right combination of recessed lighting, downlights and LED strips will create the perfect tropical night ambiance.

Covered Rooftop Deck Inspirations

Commercial Rooftop Restaurant Ideas

Here at SYZYGY Global, we are proud to be the leading commercial pergola dealer in South Florida. Our work adorns some of the most prestigious country clubs and most sought-after restaurants in the region. Here is just a sampling of the projects we have completed for our commercial partners.

Residential Rooftop Deck Ideas

From the winding canals of Jupiter, Florida to the palatial estates of Boca Raton, our team has designed custom pergolas to fit seamlessly with the most amazing architecture in South Florida. Here are a few of the projects we’ve completed.

Conclusion

If you are interested in exploring a covered rooftop deck for your home or business, please reach out to our team to see how we can turn your roof into a one-of-a-kind destination.