Wheelers Hill 7.2m × 4.5m Alfresco Pergola over a Raised Deck

Wheelers Hill / Aluminium Pergola

A newly built deck gave this Wheelers Hill home room to entertain outdoors, but it still needed overhead shelter. Furite Outdoor Living’s 7.2m × 4.5m aluminium pergola adds a dark roof above the raised timber platform while retaining its balustrade, stairs and open outlook.

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Project at a glance

Project background: shelter for a new elevated deck

The single-storey red brick home has a tiled roof and a broad elevated deck facing the backyard. With the timber platform and balustrade already in place, the next step was to make the outdoor area more comfortable to use in changing weather. The pergola needed to work with the existing deck layout and the home’s roofline, rather than require the outdoor area to be rebuilt.

Client requirements

The client wanted an alfresco entertaining area with a black aluminium frame and dark polycarbonate roof. Keeping the new timber deck and balustrade was central to the brief, alongside roof drainage and attention to the building requirements applicable to the property.

• Cover a 7.2m × 4.5m footprint above the deck.
• Provide 2.45m clearance height and a 300mm roof overhang, as specified in the project brief.
• Retain the existing stairs, timber platform and balustrade.
• Incorporate roof fall and guttering to manage rainwater.
• Use a dark frame and roof finish to complement the home’s tiled roof and window frames.

Installation solution: work around the deck and access

The black posts and front beam establish the outer edge of the covered area, while the roof frame extends back towards the house. This arrangement defines the alfresco zone without closing in the sides of the deck. The stair opening remains part of the outdoor circulation route, and the timber balustrade continues to frame the garden outlook.

Dark polycarbonate sheets complete the overhead covering. The roof fall, guttering and 300mm overhang are considered together to direct rainwater off the roof. The dark framing also connects visually with the home’s roof tiles and window surrounds, contrasting with the lighter timber below.

The design provides shade and overhead rain protection. Because the pergola remains open-sided, wind-driven rain can still enter; its coverage is intended to improve the usefulness of the deck rather than create an enclosed, fully weatherproof room.

Completed project outcome

The 32.4m² roof turns the exposed deck into a defined alfresco area for seating, outdoor meals and gatherings. Its black frame and dark roof create a consistent appearance beside the red brick home, while the existing timber deck and balustrade remain in place.

The supplied installation photos document the progression from an uncovered deck to an assembled frame and fitted roof. The final image shows the roof in place while an installer completes finishing work.

Explore pergola options for your Melbourne deck

See our custom aluminium pergolas in Melbourne for product information and common planning questions. To compare a lighter frame and roof appearance above a timber deck, explore our Kew 6m × 3.53m pergola case study. Our Ivanhoe curved pergola project offers another example of fitting a roof beside an existing Melbourne home.

For a Wheelers Hill pergola enquiry, share photographs of your deck, its approximate dimensions and how you want to use the space. These details help guide discussions about roof colour, clearance, post locations and drainage. Browse more Furite project case studies for different outdoor layouts.