If you are a café owner who is looking to expand the space and seats in your establishment to accommodate more clients, one way you can do that is with restaurant patio enclosures.
Integrating enclosures into your building is a great way to have these patio enclosures that work all season round. Here are some restaurant patio solutions:
Temporary Restaurant Patio Enclosures
Temporary enclosures are often made up of branded panels used to create an open-air restaurant and separate the café from the rest of the street.
The advantage of these enclosures is that you can put them up and take them down when necessary. However, the disadvantage is that they don’t offer protection against the weather, including rain, sun, wind, and the like, so the customer won’t enjoy the utmost comfort.
However, they can be managed if you run a seasonal café and you’re only open when the weather is right.
Permanent Enclosures
Permanent enclosures are often made from thermally broken aluminum frameworks that help to retain heat, making them great for winter, with or without heaters.
These permanent exposures are an added fixture/extension to your building that remains there all year round as an added structure to your restaurant or café, which is an advantage.
There are two permanent enclosure types to consider.
The first is the retractable walls/roof made from high-quality vinyl and other materials. These enclosures are cost-effective and can be removed when necessary. However, don’t provide much bad weather protection.
Fixed walls/roofs create a complete restaurant or café outdoors. Although they are more expensive, they offer more benefits like improved insulation.
For customization, you can also combine both options, for instance, strong wooden walls and retractable roofs.
Patio Canopies
Patio canopies are now becoming popular for sidewalk cafés because they provide rooftop protection from the rain. These canopies can either be permanent or retractable, depending on whether you want a permanent or temporary terrace.
Permanent patio canopies are stronger, more expensive, and longer lasting than temporary ones.
Factors to consider when choosing Restaurant patio enclosures
You need to consider several factors when you want to get an enclosure for your café or restaurant. They include:
Nature of materials
Temporary and permanent enclosures are made from different materials. Permanent enclosures are either made of aluminum, which is insulated and can be heated or cooled. They can also be made of steel, which is heavy, used for structural frames, and requires more maintenance effort. Wood is another option for permanent enclosures. Although it delivers a good appearance, it needs a lot of work.
Temporary enclosures are often made of vinyl, and they can be clear or colored. It can also be used for panels or roofs.
Sun Protection
Your patio enclosure should deliver protection from UV rays. The best materials to deliver this include ETFE, photovoltaic glass, and polycarbonate. Photovoltaic glass is the costliest, and it can convert light into electricity.
Motorized Insect Screens
These screens have the same craftsmanship and building as heavy-duty hurricane screens. They come with a welded-end retention system, which is an upgrade from zipper-based solutions, ensuring that the screen lasts long and can withstand winds as strong as 75mph without falling apart.
With this in mind, choose the best restaurant patio enclosure and set up your restaurant and café beautifully.