How to Enclose a Restaurant Patio

Retractable

• Retractable patio enclosures are made of glass panels hooked up to a series of tracts. With a touch of a button, the restaurant owner can close the glass panels against the onslaught of a freak rainstorm and open them again when the last drops fall. The advantages of a retractable enclosure include that you will not have to heat the area during the winter and you won't have to inconvenience your customers or re-seat them to provide cover in the event of rainstorms or inclement weather.

Fabric

• If your restaurant patio has a roof over it, adding fabric covers may be the most cost-effective method of providing relief to customers from insects and light rain, and they can be installed with minimal effort and attached to the existing structure. With a fabric patio cover, your guests can still enjoy the fresh air. You can choose from a selection of fabrics to find a material that complements your patio decor. Note that fabric patio coverings are not a good option for trying to turn summertime seating into wintertime space.

Aluminum

• Similar to the glass retractable enclosures, aluminum is a lightweight option that can fully enclose the patio area to create an area that you can heat during the winter. Contractors build a series of supports in your current patio area, and a combination of glass and aluminum panels are installed and hooked up to a control system. With the touch of a button, the panels slide out to cover the patio area.

Remodeling

• Permanently turn your patio area into weatherproof seating by remodeling the restaurant to wall in the patio area. If you've discovered the patio area goes unused or new construction around you now makes the patio less appealing, check to see if enclosing the area is an option. Compare the cost of using the same materials to wall in the patio as are used in the rest of the building. Compare the cost of permanent walls to that of a temporary enclosure before you make a decision as to the best solution for your problem.