10 Patio and Deck Shade Ideas

deck canopy

If your deck or patio gets a bit too sunny or hot for comfort, it's probably time to add some shade and make spending time there more enjoyable. There are many ways you can add shade to your deck or patio without having to own expensive tools or having prior building experience.

With Kee Klamp, it's possible to build all sorts of shade structures using just a few basic tools (such as a drill and an Allen Wrench). Kee Klamp fittings are similar to traditional threaded pipe fittings, yet they connect by sliding over pipe and tightening down a set screw on the fitting.

This makes them easier to use than traditional threaded pipe fittings. This also allows for adjustabiltiy and with over 80 different types of Kee Klamp fittings, you can build just about any type of structure imaginable.

To show that you can build your own DIY shade structure for your patio or deck, in this post we've compiled 10 ideas built by our customers using Kee Klamp fittings. These ideas include shade sails, umbrellas, awnings, trellis structures, and more. Take a look:

DIY Shade Sail

shade sail

This first idea comes to us from Bob in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Bob built this custom 20 ft. shade sail for the deck attached to the back of his house. The shade sail also doubles as trellis and features a wire grid on one side. The fittings used in this project include the Single Socket TeeSide Outlet ElbowFlangeWall FlangeSingle Sided Clip, and Double Sided Clip

The clips are used to attach the wire grid to the pipe uprights. For an in-depth look at this project and the fittings used, visit the full project write up here.

 

Dual Umbrella Support

patio canopy cover

This project was built by Patrick in Napa, California. It features dual umbrellas held in place by a custom stand built from Kee Klamp fittings. Patrick had trouble finding stands that would support more than more umbrella, so he decided to build his own. The stand makes use of the Single Swivel Socket, the Adjustable Swivel Socket, the Double Swivel Socket, and the Single Socket Tee.

Read more about this project here.

 

Covered Patio with Pipe Accents

covered patio

This customer built an entire shaded patio out of wood then used Kee Klamp fittings and pipe to created awning "accents". To do this, the Swivel Flange fitting was used. See more of this project here.

 

DIY Trellis

Porch trellis

In this project, Peter used Kee Klamp to build a custom wisteria trellis for his backyard patio. The main fittings in this project include the 45 Degree Single Socket Tee and Side Outlet Elbow.

Here's what Peter had to say about the project:

The following pictures are of a pergola or climbing frame I built from your system for a very vigorous wisteria vine in the historic district of Frederick MD. The vine previously had a light frame which was in constant danger of collapse, especially in windstorms and from snow accumulations. Your system supports a grid of lighter garden stakes and netting for the vine to work itself around.

Read more about Peter's custom trellis here.

 

Front Porch Shade Structure

front porch shade structure

This shade structure acts more as a design piece but nevertheless does provide some shade to the front porch of this small house. The main fittings in this project include the 90 Degree Elbow and Flange fittingA full write up on this project can be found here.

 

Porch Awning

porch awning

This awning extends from the side of the house and mounts to the ground. The main fittings in this project include the Single Socket TeeFlange, and Swivel Flange.

 

Translucent Roof Canopy

translucent roof canopy

This project features a translucent roof that diffuses sun light and adds just enough shade to this sitting area. Important fittings in this project include the Flange and Crossover fitting.

 

DIY Attached Canopy

attached canopy

Here we have a canopy that was built by Tamer in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. The design takes after many of the trellis designs we have seen built by our customers.

However, a tarp can simply be placed over top of the structure to provide shade to the patio. Fittings in this project include the Standard Railing FlangeSingle Socket TeeFour Socket Cross, and Swivel Flange.

 

Deck Canopy

deck canopy

This project was built by Sean in Leominster, Massachusetts. It's a free standing canopy with a tarp over the top pulled tight to add some shade to this deck. A few of the fittings used in this project include the Flange and the Eave Fitting.

 

DIY Shade Wall

shade wall

This shade wall was built by Lynn in Freehold, New Jersey. This type of project can be great to block sunlight from a specific direction. The fittings in this project include the M50 fitting and Malleable Plug. The M50 is used to attach the canopy to the pipe supports. The Malleable Plug is used to cap off the exposed end of pipe at the top of the supports.

If you want to add some shade to your porch, patio, or deck, try browsing our list of fittings to discover how you can build your own shade structure using Kee Klamp.

If you have any trouble or would like some assistance creating a custom design, feel free to reach out to our team for help. Our team is experienced in designing and building Kee Klamp projects. We'll even go so far as to create a 3D drawing of your project so you can see what it will look like before you buy.

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