Patio covers provide shade during hot Las Vegas summer

The most popular word these days is shade as daytime temperatures in Southern Nevada soar to 110 degrees and above. And patio covers bring relief from the sun while providing a pleasant environment to enjoy an iced beverage.

Charlie Lane knows that there is an average of 294 days of sunshine per year here, and he also knows that a perfect patio cover can maximize a comfortable outdoor living space during these summer months. Lane owns Custom Outdoor Creations, which specializes in Alumawood Patio Covers. The company builds freestanding and custom patio covers — lattice, solid or combination — and also outdoor kitchens that can be customized for needs and budget.

Alumawood is painted aluminum embossed with wood texture and then roll-formed into specific shapes to be used for building materials. The structures are affordable, easy to maintain and hold up against wind and rain, and the paint doesn’t fade. Generally, normal rainfall is sufficient to keep its appearance clean. Alumawood comes in several colors including white, Desert Sand, Spanish Brown, Latte and Mojave Tan.

“Backyards and other outdoor areas where people relax have become very popular since the pandemic,” Lane said. “At first, COVID set me back and I was nervous about the business. But then about a year ago, people realized they would be staying home more than ever before and wanted to utilize their outdoor space. And there is nothing smarter than to invest in your home, and that includes expanding or upgrading your backyard, especially when it involves shade, which is a luxury here.”

Lane said his phone has been ringing off the hook now that summer is here. People want shade, and that includes projects he has completed for a commercial property over 200 feet long to a 10-by-10-foot patio cover for a home.

“A solid patio cover is not just to make the backyard nice,” he said. “With an aluminum patio cover, the area can be 20 degrees cooler and at the same time increase the value of the home. Aluminum retains the heat that escapes into the air above the cover.

“I can also enclose the patio with thick aluminum panels filled with foam that decreases the heat or cold. The unit can also be built with tinted windows and doors, a skylight and recessed lighting along with a fan. Basically, the patio becomes an extension of the home. It’s like adding another room.”

Lane has changed how he deals with customers.

“I don’t visit the home per se,” he said. “I’m trying to eliminate being in a person’s backyard to minimize face-to-face contact. I have been doing Zoom calls, and customers send me photos of their backyard along with the yard’s measurements. The telephone conversations are very good, and after I give them a quote, we schedule an in-person meeting to discuss final design.

“Another issue we’re dealing with is that all permits from city building departments and homeowners associations have become digital. What used to take one day to pull a permit can now take up to four weeks. This makes things difficult because everyone wants their shade now. I also have to take into consideration that suppliers are taking longer to get materials to me.”

Lane designs outdoor kitchens that can cost from $5,000 to $100,000.

“Whatever the customer wants for their kitchen, we can do it,” he said. “We use high-quality grills and appliances, and I can tell you that, over the past 20 years, I have built thousands of barbecue islands in homes throughout the valley. The size of the outdoor kitchen depends on the yard’s available space and how it’s going to be used.”

Lane said, “For a small yard or patio, you want to look at more efficient and simple layouts, such as a linear layout or an island. If you have more room, an L-shaped or U-shaped layout can help make the most of your kitchen’s functionality. Plan to have enough space for food prep, cooking, serving and cleanup and include enough space so people can move around easily. Ideally, you want it to be large enough to be comfortable but not so large that it isn’t efficient.”

Setting a kitchen against the wall of a house or along the fence is an opportunity to install lighting above the grill or add storage shelves. The disadvantage is that the cook’s back will be to the guests, the dining area and the action.

An island kitchen enables the cook to engage with family and friends. The stand-alone grill stations are open on all four sides, allowing easy access for both the cook and other guests.

“It’s all about communication,” Lane said. “We’re a small company that believes in personal service, but it’s up to the homeowner to tell me what he or she wants. If you want something small, I can do that. If you want something elaborate, I can do elaborate.”