More Outside Time, Fewer Forecast Checks
The Paynes wanted more hours in the backyard without first checking the forecast. A summer thunderstorm shouldn’t mean packing up and heading inside. Neither should the flat August sun at two in the afternoon.
The goal: a covered outdoor space that looked like it grew out of the house, not bolted onto the back of it.
From the first walkthrough, the direction was clear:
- Natural wood everywhere possible
- Clean lines, no ornamental extras
- A roof that could shrug off anything the Georgia sky threw at it
Cedar From Post to Ceiling
Every visible piece of lumber on the structure is cedar:
- 6×6 posts anchoring each corner.
- 6×10 beams spanning the opening with real timber-frame proportions, not dressed-up dimensional lumber pretending to be heavy.
- Tongue-and-groove cedar ceiling running the length overhead, sanded smooth and finished to keep the grain reading warm against the dark shingles above.
Cedar earns its keep in the Georgia climate. It resists rot, holds stain well, and carries a scent when warmed by the sun that no composite can fake.
Over time, the color mellows toward a silver-honey tone; the grain only gets more interesting as it weathers.
A Shed Pitch with Honest Proportions
A shed-style roof was the right call for the house. A single clean slope does four things a gable can’t do as well:
- Moves water off fast, in one direction.
- Keeps the ceiling height generous at the back wall.
- Opens the sightline out into the yard, no ridge line breaking the view.
- Leaves room overhead for larger ceiling fans, which matter once July hits in north Georgia.
The roof went on in Owens Corning Black Onyx shingles, matched to the existing roofline so the cover reads as original construction, not an addition.
Where Downspouts Become Decoration
Rain chains instead of downspouts, running into oversized planters packed with greenery.
When a Georgia rain picks up:
- Water runs down the chain in a visible cascade
- Lands in the planter below
- Feeds the plants on its way through to the drainage
No plastic gutter sticking out of the corner of the roof. No splash block kicking water across the patio.
Functionally, the chains handle drainage. Visually, the chains add motion and sound to a space that otherwise sits still between storms. The planters become part of the scenery, not accessories dropped in at the end.
The Paynes loved the idea from the first sketch. It’s one of my favorite ways to handle downspouts on a covered patio.
Work With a Builder Who’s On-Site Every Day
Kirchner Customs runs a small, dedicated crew that’s on the job from demo to final walkthrough.
- No rotating strangers
- No subcontracted shortcuts
- When you walk the site, you’re talking to the people making the calls
If you want a covered patio that reads like part of the house, with materials worth looking at up close, let’s start the conversation.
