A retractable pergola gives you a roof that folds away. Open it and the PVC fabric stacks back along the beams, so the space is open to the sky. Close it and you have a blackout, waterproof cover across the whole frame. One structure, two entirely different rooms, and a button decides which one you get.
This one runs on a motor. You work the roof from a remote instead of pulling a rope or turning a crank, which matters more than it sounds. A roof that opens in a few seconds is a roof you actually open, rather than one you leave shut from April to September. LED lighting sits inside the frame, so the space keeps working after dark without lights strung across it.
Every unit is built to the dimensions you send us. You are not picking the nearest stock size and then arranging your furniture around it.
At a Glance
Frame |
Powder-coated aluminium |
Roof |
PVC fabric, coated on both sides, blackout and waterproof |
Operation |
Motorised, remote controlled |
Drainage |
Channels in the beams, water leaves through the posts |
Mounting |
Wall-mounted with two posts, or freestanding with four |
Size |
Made to your measurements, units can be linked for wider spans |
Lighting |
LED lighting integrated into the frame |
Colour |
Dark grey as standard, custom colours on request |
How the Retractable Roof Works
The fabric panels run on tracks inside the beams. The motor drives them along the track until the roof is stacked back at one end, or pulls them forward until the panels meet and the roof closes. The fabric is PVC, coated on both sides, so the closed roof is waterproof and fully blackout. No light passes through the material, and rain runs off it instead of soaking in.
A fixed pergola roof makes you choose between sun and shade at breakfast and live with that choice all day. A retractable one lets you change your mind at noon.
Wall-Mounted or Freestanding
Two ways to stand it up. Against the house, the frame sits on two posts and takes its rear support from the wall. That keeps the floor clear and suits a patio that runs along the building or a deck outside a back door. Out in the garden, the four-post version stands on its own and goes where you want it: over a pool deck, a lawn, or an outdoor kitchen away from the house. Both carry the same roof system.
Made to Your Dimensions
Width, projection and height are all built to the space you give us. Wider spans are handled by linking units in a row under one continuous roof, which is the usual way restaurants and hotels cover a long terrace. Send us the measurements and tell us what the frame will be fixed to, and we will confirm the layout before production starts.
Colour works the same way. Dark grey is the standard powder-coat finish and the one we keep in regular production. If the frame needs to match a window system, a door or a finish you already have, send us the RAL code or a photo of the surface and we will confirm it before production starts.
Rain Leaves Through the Posts
Water does not sheet off the edges onto the seating below. The closed roof sheds into channels in the beams, the channels feed the posts, and the water runs down inside the posts and out at the base. The area under the pergola stays dry while it rains, and you avoid the drip line that makes some covered patios unpleasant to sit under.
Lighting Built Into the Frame
The LED lighting is wired into the frame rather than clipped onto it afterwards. Light spreads evenly over the whole area, and there is nothing hanging loose to rattle in wind or go yellow after one season.
Where It Works
Backyard patios and decks, poolside, outdoor kitchens, roof terraces. On the commercial side: restaurant terraces, cafe seating, hotel courtyards, anywhere an outdoor area has to earn its keep in wet weather as well as sun.
Fabric Roof or Aluminum Louvers
Both open and close, and the choice is about how you use the space. A retractable fabric roof clears the sky completely when it opens and reads softer, and the blackout fabric stops light entirely. A louvered roof keeps a rigid aluminum ceiling above you at every setting, which suits anyone who wants the structure to look like part of the building. If that is what you want, see our motorized aluminum louvered pergola.
Add Side Blinds
A roof alone does not solve low sun, wind or a neighbour's view. Side roller blinds close in the open edges and turn the pergola into an outdoor room. On exposed sites our windproof zip track outdoor blinds hold the fabric inside side rails, so it stays taut and quiet instead of flapping in gusts.
Common Questions
Is the closed roof really waterproof?
Yes. The PVC fabric is coated on both sides and the panels meet to form a closed roof, with the water taken away through the beams and posts. We still recommend closing it during sustained rain rather than leaving it partly open.
Does the fabric block all light?
Yes. It is a blackout material, so a closed roof gives full shade rather than a filtered light. That is the difference between this and a shade slat or mesh roof.
Can I mount it to the house?
Yes, and you can also have it freestanding. Wall-mounted uses two posts and takes support from the wall; freestanding uses four and can sit anywhere on the property. Tell us which one you need when you send your measurements.
How do I order a custom size?
Send us the width, projection and height of the area, plus what the frame will be fixed to (house wall, concrete, decking) and the destination. We will come back with the layout, the production time and everything else you need before you commit.