Covered Decks & Pergolas in Tempe, AZ

Covered decks and pergolas turn a deck that is too hot by noon into a place you can sit through the afternoon. In Tempe, where average July highs are about 106°F, shade often matters more than the deck itself. The choice is mostly about how much shade you want and how the structure will stand up to monsoon wind.

Solid cover, pergola or louvered roof

• Solid patio cover: full shade and protection from rain, with a sloped roof that drains. It feels like an outdoor room and usually needs the most structure.
• Pergola: open rafters or slats that cast filtered shade and let hot air escape. Tighter slat spacing and a north-south orientation give more shade in the afternoon.
• Louvered roof: adjustable aluminum blades that open for air and close for shade or rain, at a higher price.

Materials that suit the desert

Aluminum and insulated aluminum panels do not rot, crack or need staining, which is why they are common across the Valley. Wood pergolas look warmer but need the same UV protection as a wood deck. Lawn Love's 2026 figures put aluminum and vinyl pergolas around $20 per square foot and wood around $35, with fiberglass higher.

Built for monsoon gusts

Monsoon season runs June 15 to September 30, and downburst winds are common. In one storm, gusts in Tempe reached 60 to 71 mph. Covers and pergolas act like sails, so wind pulls up on the roof and pushes on the posts. We size footings, use post bases and beam connectors rated for uplift, and attach to the house only where the wall and roof framing can carry the load.

Tempe permit requirements for covers

The City of Tempe's residential patio cover handout says a building permit is required and asks for a dimensioned site plan with setbacks, a foundation plan with footing depth, width and rebar, sections and details, and a roof framing plan. Manufactured trusses need calculations sealed by an Arizona-licensed engineer, and beam spans over 20 feet need plans from a registered architect or engineer. Setbacks and lot coverage come from Tempe's Zoning and Development Code, and a cover that reaches into a required setback may need a use permit from the Planning Division first. We prepare the drawings and confirm the requirements for your lot.

Adding a cover to an existing deck

An existing deck usually was not framed to carry the posts of a cover. In most cases the cover gets its own footings next to or through the deck rather than resting on the deck boards. We check the deck structure and plan the posts so the cover stands on its own.

HOA rules on shade structures

Many East Valley HOAs control the height, color and roof material of covers and pergolas, often requiring that they match the house. We provide the drawings, color and material details the committee asks for before work starts.