Build a Deck Sunroof

Decks and patios are a major source of America’s entertainment and relaxing enjoyment, but they can be hot in the summer sun. They can actually be dangerous if they reflect the sun’s ultraviolet rays. And running your grill during a rainstorm that arrives the same time as your guests can be a real frustration. One answer is a sunroof over your patio or deck. If designed properly, a sunroof can cut the summer sun, but still allow winter sun rays to warm the house. The sunroof shown is a typical do-it-yourself project, placed over a wood deck, although sunroofs can also be constructed over patios as well.  

End View

Use the Right Materials

Because these projects are always exposed to the weather, the sunroof shown was built of Wolmanized Residential Outdoor wood to match that of the deck. The wood is southern-pine, pressure-treated with a copper azole preservative. This produces long-time protection against termites, decay and has a lifetime limited warranty. The wood was also “re-dried”—an extra feature that provides extra benefits at a small cost. When wood is pressure-treated, it is saturated with a liquid solution of preservative. As the wood dries, it shrinks. That’s normal for wood. Treated wood can be re-dried at the treating plant; this may be done naturally through air-drying, or more commonly, in a kiln. If re-drying is done, this is indicated on the lumber’s end tag by ADAT (for Air Dried After Treatment) or KDAT (Kiln Dried After Treatment). Drying makes the wood lighter in weight, ready for immediate painting and able to meet building codes (when applicable) for dried material. Perhaps more important, factory drying is done under controlled conditions, unlike the drying that takes place in a project when one side of a deck may be exposed to hot sun while the other faces moist earth. As a result of the uneven drying, the lumber can warp (twist, cup or bow).

Detail House Wall

Not all wood treaters offer re-drying, and many dealers do not sell it because of the extra cost. However, it is an option worth consideration for homeowners who wish to avoid exchanges and warped lumber, or who wish to paint their wood without waiting 6 to 12 months for it to dry.  

Rafter End Detail

The framing of the sunroof was finished with Sikkens Cetol SRD one-coat wood finish in Cedar tone to match the existing deck and blend in with the Western Red Cedar siding of the house. Sikkens is an easy-to-apply, one-coat oil and alkyd resin formula that provides protection from exposure to sun, rain, sleet and snow. And it also acts as a barrier to ultraviolet sun rays, providing further protection and longevity to the wood. Treated wood must be absolutely dry before Cetol SRD is applied—a main reason for the re-dried wood. The finish was applied to each board and allowed to dry before construction. This not only kept the mess from the deck, but provided extra protection to all the wood surfaces.

End Post Detail

The covering for the sunroof is Sequentia Super600 from Crane Composites. The company has several products, and it’s important to consider your area’s year-round weather conditions when choosing a covering. The amount of snow, rain and wind you receive, as well as the intensity of the sun and range of temperatures are all factors. The house shown is in the Missouri Ozarks where the saying is, “If you don’t like the weather today, just wait, it will change tomorrow.” And it does, with temperature ranges from over a 100 degrees F to well below zero. And heavy rains, heavy snow, hail and high winds are all common. Sequentia Super600 is a heavy-duty, commercial-grade fiberglass with a 20-year warranty. It features heavy-duty fiberglass reinforcement and has UV-resistant properties. The Sequentia line-up comes in clear plus six colors; white, terra cotta, sky blue, yellow, graphite, green and beige. Terra cotta was chosen to blend with the treated wood finish and the Western Red Cedar siding. The color is a beautiful translucent that provides moderate light transmission and low heat transmission.