Patio covers
Shade is a structure, which means it is permits, footings and posts.
How much sun a cover blocks is the first question and the least interesting one. The ones that matter are what it is made of, whether it needs a permit and an engineered footing, and what it will look like in fifteen years — because a cover is attached to your house and is not something you swap out on a whim.
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5 ways to narrow this down. Combine as many as you like — they stack.
3 of 3 patio covers in this category
Open pergolaWood pergola
Posts, beams and rafters in cedar, redwood or douglas fir, open to the sky. Warmest-looking option here by a distance, and the one with a standing appointment for cleaning, sanding and re-finishing.
Solid roofSolid-roof cover
A real roof: rafters, sheathing, and usually tile or composition to match the house. Full shade, rain protection, and the only option here that lets you hang a fan, a heater and a television without qualification.
Representative photoFabric & retractableShade sail
Tensioned fabric on posts or building anchors. The fastest and cheapest way to put real shade over a patio, and the one most obviously temporary — the fabric is a consumable measured in years.