Winter patio enclosures
Winter Patio Enclosure: Clear Walls, a Tent or a Dome on the Patio?
There are three ways to use a patio in winter. Clear vinyl or plastic side walls close in a patio that already has a roof. A pop-up tent or gazebo with sides covers it for the season. A freestanding clear dome puts a closed room on the patio with the sky overhead. A Domevora dome is the third kind: rigid polycarbonate on an aluminium base ring, from US$1,094 EX-WORKS, and it does not need an existing roof or posts.
Prepared by Linda, Marketing, Domevora · Domevora sizes and prices from our published model specifications · Other enclosure types described in general terms; check the specification of any product you buy · Hero photo: client installation, cropped and colour-corrected
Short answer
Which temporary patio enclosure for winter?
If your patio already has a solid roof and posts, clear side walls are usually the cheapest way to close it for winter: you keep the space you have and add walls. If it has no roof, you need a structure that brings its own: a tent or gazebo with sides, or a dome.
A dome is the choice when you want the patio to feel like a room rather than a covered area: closed on every side, a door that shuts, and the sky still visible. It covers part of the patio, not all of it, so it suits a table, a seating corner or a row of restaurant igloos better than a whole terrace.
Side by side
Three kinds of winter patio enclosure.
Clear vinyl or plastic side walls
Needs: an existing roof, pergola or awning with posts to fix to.
Covers: the whole patio under that roof.
Through winter: roll-down or zip panels; check how they handle wind and cold, as soft film can stiffen and crease.
Best for: enclosing an existing covered patio or restaurant terrace.
Tent or gazebo with sides
Needs: level ground and anchoring or weights.
Covers: the area of the tent.
Through winter: fabric roof; snow and wind limits depend on the product, and many are made for seasonal use.
Best for: a large covered area for a season, at low cost.
Freestanding clear dome
Needs: a level base and anchoring; no roof or posts.
Covers: 3.3 m² to 28.3 m² per round dome.
Through winter: rigid polycarbonate shell rated for −40 °C to 120 °C; stays up all year.
Best for: one private room or table with the sky overhead.
The three can work together: side walls for the main covered terrace, and a few domes on the open part of the patio as the tables guests ask for.
If a dome fits
Patio dome sizes and prices.
Home patio
Round 2.1 m from US$1,094: two chairs and a small table.
Round 3.0 m from US$1,445: a family dining table for 4–6.
Round 3.5 m High from US$1,692: a table and a sofa, 3.0 m high.
Restaurant terrace
Round 2.5 m from US$1,300: 2–4 guests.
Round 3.0 m from US$1,445: 4–6 guests.
Round 4.0 m from US$1,341 shell only: 8–10 guests.
What the price covers
Configured prices include the shell, aluminium door and window, base profile, LED light strip and curtains, EX-WORKS Suzhou.
Freight, duties, the base, heating and installation are extra; we include a freight and duty estimate with the quotation.
Making it work in winter
Heat, air and snow, whichever enclosure you choose.
Heating
Any clear enclosure loses heat quickly. For a dome, size an electric heater from the shell area and the temperature difference; a single-skin clear shell loses about 5–6 W per m² for every degree. Avoid flueless gas heaters in any closed enclosure. How to size the heater.
Condensation
Warm breath and food meet a cold clear wall, and water forms on the inside. Keep some ventilation open and move air along the surface. How to stop condensation.
Snow and wind
Clear snow gently from any enclosure and keep doors free. Check the wind and snow figures for the exact product you buy against your site. For our domes, see wind and snow.
Questions buyers ask us
What is the best temporary patio enclosure for winter?
It depends on what is already there. If the patio has a roof and posts, clear side walls are usually the simplest and cheapest. If it has no roof, a tent or gazebo with sides covers a large area for a season, and a freestanding clear dome gives a fully closed room with the sky overhead that can stay up all year.
Is a patio dome a patio enclosure kit?
In a way. A Domevora dome ships as a labelled kit that bolts together on a level base, but it does not enclose your existing patio: it is a freestanding room that stands on it. Two people can put the smaller sizes up in an afternoon.
How much does a winter patio dome cost?
From US$1,094 for the Round 2.1 m to US$1,692 for the Round 3.5 m High, fully configured, EX-WORKS Suzhou. Restaurant sizes run to the Round 4.0 m for 8–10 guests. Freight, duties, the base, heating and installation are extra.
Can I take it down in spring?
You can: the panels unbolt and the kit can be moved. Most owners leave it up, because the shell holds its properties from −40 °C to 120 °C. In summer, plan shade and ventilation for a clear room in the sun.
Send us the patio size and what you want to use it for.
Tell us the space, whether it has a roof, how many people it should hold and your delivery address. We will say plainly whether a dome or side walls suit it better, and send the EX-WORKS quotation with a freight and duty estimate.