Side by side
- How it's made
- Alumawood: Embossed aluminum with a wood-grain texture; made in the USA
- 4K Aluminum: Extruded posts and beams of 6061-T6 aluminum, with no steel inserts
- Wall thickness
- Alumawood: Not published
- 4K Aluminum: 1/4 in on 8-inch posts, 3/16 in on 6-inch posts, 1/8 in on beams
- Look
- Alumawood: Wood grain on every part
- 4K Aluminum: Smooth powder coat; wood looks (Warm Oak, Sandalwood) on lattice and roof panels
- Colors
- Alumawood: Seven on lattice and solid covers; white or desert sand on insulated
- 4K Aluminum: Black, Espresso, Adobe Tan, Apollo Grey and Quartz White
- Roofs
- Alumawood: Lattice, solid panel, insulated panel
- 4K Aluminum: Lattice, solid VEER and Twin Wall panels, ATLAS motorized louvers, decorative Soleil panels
- Published spans
- Alumawood: Solid panels span up to 20 ft
- 4K Aluminum: A 2×10 beam spans up to 33 ft between two 8-inch posts; lattice spans up to 20 ft without rafters
- Engineering (our practice)
- Alumawood: Standard engineering for most covers
- 4K Aluminum: Site-specific engineering for nearly every project
- Our quote
- Alumawood: On the spot for most covers
- 4K Aluminum: Within a few days of the site visit
- Material warranty
- Alumawood: Limited lifetime for the original owner; transferable once in the first 10 years
- 4K Aluminum: 20 years from installation; original purchaser only, not transferable
| Alumawood | 4K Aluminum | |
|---|---|---|
| How it's made | Embossed aluminum with a wood-grain texture; made in the USA | Extruded posts and beams of 6061-T6 aluminum, with no steel inserts |
| Wall thickness | Not published | 1/4 in on 8-inch posts, 3/16 in on 6-inch posts, 1/8 in on beams |
| Look | Wood grain on every part | Smooth powder coat; wood looks (Warm Oak, Sandalwood) on lattice and roof panels |
| Colors | Seven on lattice and solid covers; white or desert sand on insulated | Black, Espresso, Adobe Tan, Apollo Grey and Quartz White |
| Roofs | Lattice, solid panel, insulated panel | Lattice, solid VEER and Twin Wall panels, ATLAS motorized louvers, decorative Soleil panels |
| Published spans | Solid panels span up to 20 ft | A 2×10 beam spans up to 33 ft between two 8-inch posts; lattice spans up to 20 ft without rafters |
| Engineering (our practice) | Standard engineering for most covers | Site-specific engineering for nearly every project |
| Our quote | On the spot for most covers | Within a few days of the site visit |
| Material warranty | Limited lifetime for the original owner; transferable once in the first 10 years | 20 years from installation; original purchaser only, not transferable |
Both are attached or freestanding, both need a permit, and we pull it on every job with the cost in your quote.
How they're built
4K Aluminum extrudes its posts and beams: aluminum is pushed through a die into a solid profile, in 6061-T6 alloy, with no steel inserts. 4K publishes the wall thickness of every post and beam, so you can see exactly what's holding up your roof. Hardware is 304 stainless steel.
Simplified cross-sections. The gold band is the aluminum wall: true thickness above, enlarged below.
Alumawood is embossed aluminum with a wood-grain texture, made in the USA from recycled aluminum. Its lattice comes in 2×2, 2×3 and 1.5×1.5-inch bars. Alumawood doesn't publish wall thickness or alloy for its posts and beams, so if that matters to you, ask your installer for the spec sheets.
Either way, the spans, posts and connections are engineered for local wind requirements. Most Alumawood designs fit standard engineering; nearly every 4K project is engineered for its own site.
When Alumawood is the better fit
- You want the wood-grain look on every part of the cover.
- You want an insulated roof: Alumawood's insulated panels have a foam core, which also quiets rain.
- You want lattice that filters the sun: Alumawood lattice reduces sun exposure by 40% to 60% while letting the breeze through.
- Your design fits standard spans and engineering, and you'd like a quote at the site visit.
- You might sell within 10 years: the warranty can transfer once to the next owner in that time.
When 4K Aluminum is the better fit
- You want a clean, modern look with smooth powder-coated frames.
- You need long open spans with fewer posts: up to 33 ft between two 8-inch posts.
- You want posts on one side only: a 4K cantilever commonly projects 16 ft, and up to 24 ft has been built.
- You want a motorized louvered roof: 4K's ATLAS blades open and close by remote or app.
- You want privacy walls or decorative laser-cut panels built into the structure.
- Your design is custom: 4K has no standard sizes, so posts, beams and roof are chosen for your yard.
Warranties
Alumawood
- Limited lifetime material warranty for the original owner.
- It can be transferred once to a later owner during the first 10 years; after a transfer, coverage runs 10 years from the original installation date.
- The finish is warranted not to chip, peel, flake or blister under normal wear. Painting the cover yourself voids the finish warranty.
4K Aluminum
- 20 years from installation on the aluminum, and 20 years on standard powder coat colors; 10 years on wood-look finishes.
- Original purchaser only; it doesn't transfer.
- It has to be registered within 90 days of installation, using the original 4K invoice issued to the installing contractor.
- Skipping the recommended care voids the wood-look finish warranty.
Our installation
Whichever you choose, we add a 2-year warranty on our installation labor.
Care
- Alumawood: rinse now and then with a garden hose and a soft brush.
- 4K Aluminum: wash with a hose, warm water and mild detergent, quarterly or twice a year; no pressure washers. Keep gutters clear and check fasteners once a year.
What about price?
We don't publish prices because every cover is designed for its yard: size, roof, spans and engineering all change the number. If you're torn between the two, ask us to quote both at your free site visit. Quotes are good for 30 days.
What affects patio cover cost
