Adding shade to a sunny patio

A patio that faces south or west can be unusable on a July afternoon. There are three common fixes, and they work on very different timelines.

Pergola

Shade from the day it is finished. Open rafters give dappled light; add a canopy or train a vine over it for more.

Shade tree

The slowest option, and the one that eventually does the most. Planted on the west or southwest side, a tree cools the patio and part of the house for decades — but it takes years to get there.

Shade sail

The quickest and least expensive. Sails come down for winter, and the posts they hang from need solid footings.