You cannot choose which way your backyard faces, but you can design the patio for it. The same 6 × 4 m roof works very differently on a north-facing yard in Logan and a west-facing one in Ipswich. Here is how the sun moves in South East Queensland and what that means for the roof.
How the sun moves here
Brisbane sits at about 27.5° south. At midday in June the sun is only about 40° above the northern horizon, so it reaches a long way under a roof. At midday in December it is almost straight overhead. In summer the sun also rises well south of east and sets well south of west, so a south-facing yard still gets early morning and late afternoon sun.
North-facing
The easiest yard to design for. In summer the high sun sits on the roof, and the area underneath stays shaded. In winter the low sun reaches in under the front edge and warms the space and the room behind it. Keep the roof high at the outer edge so the winter sun gets in, or use a flyover to lift it.
West-facing
The hardest. From mid-afternoon the sun is low in the west and comes in under the roof whatever the roof is made of. An insulated roof stops the heat coming through the roof, but not the sun coming in from the side. Answers that work:
- Project the roof further out, so the shade line reaches further.
- Add a blind or screen on the western side that rolls down for the afternoon.
- Use a slatted privacy screen on the west end, which blocks the low sun but keeps the breeze.
- Choose an insulated roof so the ceiling does not radiate heat down on you as well.
East-facing
Morning sun, afternoon shade from the house. An east-facing patio is often the most comfortable place to sit on a summer afternoon. A single skin or insulated roof both work well; it comes down to rain noise and whether you want a ceiling for lights and fans.
South-facing
Shaded by the house for much of the day and cool in summer, but darker, and the room behind can lose light. A flyover lifts the roof above the gutter so light still reaches the house. Clear sheets in part of the roof, or a louvred section, let winter light in. A light-coloured ceiling helps too.
How far should it project?
Projection is how far the roof comes out from the house. Further out means more shade, but more posts, a bigger beam and a darker room behind. A rough guide: the shade line on a summer afternoon falls well inside the outer beam, so if you want the outdoor table fully shaded, the roof needs to project past it by a metre or more. We look at the yard at the measure-up and suggest a size that shades the furniture you have.
Roof colour
Lighter roof colours reflect more of the sun’s heat, so the space under a single skin roof stays cooler. Under an insulated roof the colour on top matters less, because the core stops most of the heat. Either way, a light ceiling such as Surfmist keeps the space bright.
Height
A higher roof lets in more low winter sun and more breeze, and feels less closed in. It also lets more low summer sun in on a western side. On a single-storey home, a flyover or gable gives height without a heavy look.
Using the space at night
Whichever way it faces, a patio gets most use in the evening. Plan downlights, a fan and a power point before the build, so the electrician can run the cables while the roof goes on.
Bring the sun into the quote
Tell us when you use the backyard most, morning, afternoon or evening, and what time of year. We look at the sun on site and design the projection, height, roof and screens around it.
Trees and neighbours
Existing shade changes the answer. A big tree to the west may already block the worst of the afternoon sun, and a two-storey house next door can shade a yard that faces north on paper. We look at the real shade on site, at the time of day you use the space, rather than going by the compass alone.