# Forum Home Renovation Pergolas, Gazebos, Strombellas & Rotundas  building a new pergola with lazerlite roof

## xanadu

Hello, 
We are building a pergola which is 6mt wide and 3.6mt deep, do we need three posts to hold up the 6mt beams or will 2 do? (4 posts in total or 6?) Also it is 2.1 mt at the front and 2.7 at the back to allow rainfall runoff, does anyone have any idea which lazerlite is best so we don't overheat everyone sitting underneath it please?

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## Bedford

Welcome to the forum, you could use four posts if you have a big enough 6 meter beam, you could also cantilever it a bit too. 
If that 600mm of fall is in the 3.6m, that's more than you need and will look a bit strange. 
Here's some info on Laserlite.

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## xanadu

:Redface:  Thanks Bedford, I will check the size of the beams and get back, the drop from back to front is only only about 20cm, not 60cm..oops! Xanadu.

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## ringtail

Ive got two roofs done in laserlite apollo in the grey metallic colour. Works great for heat shielding. Just make sure the correct side goes towards the sun.

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## r3nov8or

Re laserlite, I used the grey (but not the metallic one ringtail mentioned) and because it is effectively black to the sky it absorbs heat and it gets too hot in summer, so in summer I install 2 grey shadesails ($50 each at Aldi) under the roof with chains, turn buckles etc. I believe the metallic sheets have heat reflective particles. 
If you want to use a 'base' (non-metalic) colour, the Opal (white) reflects the most heat and lets in most light. In some circumstances this is the best of both worlds. We used this as "light strips" on our carport. 75% of the carport is colorbond so hard to compare its heat properties with the grey verandah at my place, but it is well lit underneath.

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## ringtail

The metallic ones work really well - not solarspan well, but heaps better than standing under zincalume or colourbond

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## Bedford

Here is some Opel Laserlite at about mid day on a 38* day, the shadow gives an indication.

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## Flok

It's all very confusing, isnt't it!  
Anyway, has anyone used Suntuf SolarSmart (manufactured by Palram)? Here's what they say about their sun smart product: 
"Suntuf SolarSmart range of sheeting is simply the best on the market! Currently no other Australian profiled sheet can provide as much light while reducing heat as well as Suntuf SolarSmart." 
It comes in only 3 colours and apparently Diffused Ice lets the most light in while at the same time it reduced the heat the most. I wonder if anyone has used it??

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