Pergola, Pagoda or Pergoda? What’s the real difference?
With the three words being so similar, it’s easy to get confused and wonder is there much difference between a pagoda vs pergola vs pergoda?
This article contains everything you need to know about all three, so if trying to answer the question what is the difference between pergola and pergoda is keeping you awake at nights, relax. Here, once and for all, we set the record straight, revealing the differences between pergola vs pagoda vs pergoda.
What is a pergola?
A pergola is a square or rectangular structure with either two or four legs holding up a roof. It’s designed to create an attractive, sheltered space in your garden. Use a pergola as a walkway over which you can grow flowers, or as an additional outside room under which you can relax on recliners, tuck into tasty food al fresco at a dining table, or as a covering for your hot tub.
Pergola definition
The definition of pergola according to dictionaries is a garden structure that plants can grow over or people can sit and walk under.
Typical materials and design features
- Aluminium: frame: By far the most popular material for modern pergolas to be made from is powder-coated aluminium. This is because it’s weather resistant, so you can leave your pergola up all year round. Pergolas made from wood and other metals are also common but not quite so durable.
- Free standing:: Pergolas with four legs are free standing and can be positioned anywhere there’s a strong, stable and flat surface
- Wall mounted: Some pergola types have just two legs and are designed to attach to an existing solid structure, such as a house.
- Polycarbonate roof: Some pergolas have roofs made from this plastic that’s over 250 times stronger than standard glass and filters out the sun’s harmful UV rays. Polycarbonate also helps ensure the temperature in the pergola stays cool.
- Louvered roof: Other pergolas have a slatted roof that you can adjust by hand or remote control to vary the light and airflow that gets into the space below.
Open roof: Some pergolas just have beams over the top, ideal for training climbing plants to grow.
When to choose a pergola over other structures
Pergolas come in various sizes, from 3m x 3m upwards and are ideal for covering patios and for using as a shelter for your car or items you wish to store.
They are less ornate than pagodas or pergodas, so are the best option if you are looking for a simple, modern structure for your backyard.
What is a pagoda?
Define pagoda
A pagoda is a multi-tiered tower, commonly seen in Asia and originally designed to be Buddhist places of worship. Each level has its own curved solid roof, the size of which gets slightly smaller the higher up you go.
Although the pagoda design has been adapted for use in many Japanese-style gardens, pagodas are a far less common sight in UK gardens than pergolas, due to their size, cost and comparative complexity of the structure.
Cultural roots: a touch of Asia in your backyard
Pagodas have been popular with East Asian and Southeast Asian architects for many centuries, and are often seen in gardens with a Zen or Japanese-inspired design.
Design elements
- Multi-tiers: A pagoda has several levels, making it a higher structure than a pergola.
- Solid roofs: Each level of a pagoda has a solid, curved or arched roof that provides all year round shelter.
- Far Eastern design: Pagodas have an unmistakable Asian style, making them ideal for any Japanese themed outside space.
Difference between pergola and pagoda (pergola vs pagoda)
Here are a few features that show what’s the difference between a pergola and a pagoda:
Aesthetic style: Minimalism or grandeur
Pergolas are basic square or rectangular structures, with pillar legs and beams across the roof. Pagodas are far more ornate, with curved roofing and Asian styling.
Installation and maintenance
Pergolas are easy to install and maintain, coming in a flat pack with full instructions. Their basic design makes them easy for two people to build. Aluminium frames also mean maintenance is easy, requiring a clearing of leaves and other debris from the roof when required. Pagodas are far more ornate, multi-level structures that are likely to require professionals to assemble and more maintenance.
Cost differences and value over time
Whats a pagoda cost compared to a pergola? Another difference between pagoda and pergolas is price. Pergolas are almost always less expensive than the same size pagoda. This is due in part to a pergola’s more simplistic design and single storey structure.
So, what’s a pergoda then?
The word pergoda combines not just the words pergola and pagoda but also design elements from both. They are more ornate than pergolas, taking their influence from India where British settlers used them to shelter from the sun. Unlike pagodas, pergodas can be single storey.
Which one belongs in your backyard?
Unless you are going for a garden with a Far Eastern or Indian theme, it’s likely that a pergola will suit your needs perfectly.
What about gazebos?
That’s a subject for another article!
