Everything You Need Before You Buy.
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KNOWLEDGE HUB

Everything You Need Before You Buy.

Four essential guides covering UK planning permissions, precise measuring, foundation requirements, and how to care for your structure across every season.

Planning & Permission Measuring Foundations Maintenance
An aluminium pergola being cleaned down as part of routine care

Your pergola is designed for long-term outdoor use, and looking after it properly is what keeps it performing. The Stewardship Program sets out a simple maintenance routine that protects your structure. It is a general guide: always follow the dated care and operating instructions supplied with your order, which are specific to your model. Where the two differ, your order documentation applies. None of these tasks require specialist tools or contractors.

Quarterly Care — Every 3 Months

What to Do
  • Rinse the frame with clean water using a garden hose on a gentle setting
  • Clear the Cascade drainage channels in the beams of debris and leaf matter
  • Check that downpipe drainage outlets are unobstructed
  • Wipe down the louvre blades with a damp cloth if visibly soiled
  • Check the remote control and motor response — report any irregularities promptly
What to Watch For
  • Any standing water on closed louvres — indicates the frame may have shifted from level
  • Unusual motor noise or hesitation — report within warranty period
  • Discolouration or surface oxidation at joints — early sign of coating compromise
  • Loose fixings at wall brackets or post bases

Annual Care — Once Per Year

1

Full structural inspection

Check all fixings, brackets, post bases, and wall anchors for security. Tighten any that have loosened over winter. Look for any signs of movement or settlement at post base positions.
2

Louvre pivot lubrication

Lubricate the louvre pivot points using only the lubricant specified in the instructions supplied with your order. Open and close the louvres several times to distribute it, and wipe away any excess. Do not substitute a general-purpose product unless it is confirmed compatible with your model.
3

Motor and electrical check

Run the motor through a full open-close cycle. Check remote range. If your model includes LED lighting, test all zones. Any electrical fault should be reported to us for warranty assessment.
4

Coating inspection

Walk the perimeter and inspect the powder-coated finish for chips, scratches, or areas of compromise. Minor surface marks can be touched up with manufacturer-matched touch-up paint — contact us for the correct RAL code and product recommendation.

Storm Readiness

How you set your pergola before bad weather matters. Positioning the louvres correctly reduces avoidable load on the motor and frame. Follow the operating instructions supplied with your order — the correct setting depends on your model and how your structure is enclosed.

Before a Predicted Storm

Set the louvres to the position given in the operating instructions supplied with your order — this varies by model and by how your structure is enclosed, so please use your own documentation rather than a general rule. If your model has a wind sensor, confirm it is active and responsive before storm season.

After a Storm

Inspect all fixings, brackets, and the frame perimeter. Check drainage channels are clear of wind-deposited debris. Run the louvres through a full cycle to confirm motor and pivot performance.

Coastal Environments

C

Increase rinse frequency to monthly

Use clean fresh water to flush salt deposits from all frame surfaces, beam undersides, and drainage channels. Do not allow salt deposits to dry repeatedly without rinsing.
C

Apply wax protection annually

A protective product applied to external surfaces after your annual clean can add a barrier against salt ingress. Use only a product confirmed compatible with powder-coated aluminium — check the care instructions supplied with your order before applying anything, and do not use a general household or automotive product on the assumption that it is suitable.

What Not to Do

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No pressure washing. High-pressure water forces moisture into sealed joints, compromises the powder coat at edges, and can damage motor seals. Always use a garden hose on gentle pressure only.
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No oil-based lubricants. WD-40, 3-in-1 and similar products attract dirt, degrade rubber seals, and are unsuitable for powder-coated aluminium. Use only the lubricant specified in the instructions supplied with your order.
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No DIY coatings or paint. Applying paint, varnish or any coating over the factory powder coat risks damaging it. Damage caused, or materially contributed to, by unsuitable products, drilling, modification or unauthorised repair is not covered by the guarantee. Minor chips should be addressed with the touch-up paint supplied for your model.
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No unspecified loads. Do not hang lighting rigs, planters, speakers, or any load-bearing items from the frame unless explicitly specified in your original order. The frame is engineered for specified loads only.
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No abrasive cleaning products. Wire brushes, scouring pads, and abrasive cleaners will scratch the powder coat. Use only soft cloths, sponges, and mild detergent solutions.
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No modifications without approval. Drilling, cutting, welding, or attaching third-party components to the frame without written approval will void the warranty on affected sections.
The show pergola at dusk with its LED strips on
WANT TO SEE THE SHOW PERGOLA?

See the Engineering In Person.

Our single full-size show pergola is at our Sutton, Retford premises, and viewings are by appointment. Book a viewing on the showroom page, where you can send the dates and times that suit you. Or use the form below to send approximate sizes and photographs. We aim to return an initial budget estimate within a few working days; if it suits your budget, we then move to the detailed specification, CAD drawings and firm written quotation.