The patio is the space many people overlook when planning wall art, because anything outdoors has to withstand rain, sun, and frost. But a sheltered patio with a house wall behind it and a roof above is actually one of the most underused places for a poster. Here we look at the conditions to consider, how light breaks down color, which frames and glass hold up, and when it’s time to bring the pictures inside for winter.
Quick facts: The Blue Wool scale measures lightfastness from 1 (very poor) to 8 (excellent), and the ISO 105-B02 test method uses xenon light to simulate daylight. Direct sunlight causes fading faster than indoor lighting, and a south-facing wall is exposed to more light than a shaded wall. According to the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, a building permit is required to build a patio in an area covered by a detailed development plan, among other cases, if it is more than 1.8 meters above ground.
What counts as a patio, and when does it become a space for art?
According to the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, a building permit is required to build, move, or extend a patio in an area covered by a detailed development plan if it meets certain criteria. One of the thresholds concerns its height above ground: over 1.8 meters is the threshold mentioned by the authority. This means that a low deck at ground level is generally treated differently from an elevated patio on posts. Always check with your municipality’s building committee before making alterations; exceptions may apply depending on your specific property. The regulations are described on the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning’s page about patios.
For art, how high the patio is matters less than how well protected it is. A patio only becomes a space for a poster when it has three things: a solid wall behind it, a roof that keeps the rain off, and a location where the picture avoids direct sunlight for most of the day. If any of these three is missing, it’s wiser to keep the art indoors and let plants and textiles adorn the patio.
Light makes the difference: The Blue Wool scale and why south-facing is the most dangerous
Everything printed on paper fades in the light, and the stronger the light, the faster it fades. The industry measures this using the Blue Wool scale, where eight reference samples of wool dyed with dyes of varying light sensitivity are exposed to light and compared with the sample. Level 1 fades quickly, while level 8 lasts a very long time. The most common test method for lightfastness is called ISO 105-B02 and uses a xenon lamp that simulates daylight. There are also separate standards for outdoor use, including ISO 11341.
In practice, this means three things for the patio. First, direct sunlight fades prints faster than ordinary indoor lighting. Second, the direction the wall faces matters a lot: a south-facing wall gets more light than a north-facing wall or a corner shaded by the roof. Third, some colors fade faster than others, and saturated magenta, yellow, and cyan are particularly sensitive. So if your patio faces south, choose artwork with muted colors or hang it where the roof casts shade between eleven and four.
"Light is art’s slowest enemy, and on the patio it always has time on its side."
A common question is whether pigment-based printing lasts longer than dye-based printing. The general answer is yes: prints made with pigment ink are more lightfast than water-based dye inks, which are described as the most prone to fading if left unprotected. Protective coatings with UV filters improve durability further, which is one reason UV-protective glass or plastic is worth the money on a patio.
Which wall on the patio works for a poster?
Three locations work in practice. The first is the house wall beneath a fixed roof, where the picture hangs protected from rain and gets a little sun in the morning or evening. The second is a wooden screen wall or windbreak, which provides its own wall in the corner of the patio. The third is a pergola with a roof made of tightly woven fabric or polycarbonate, where the hanging can be combined with lighting.
Avoid completely exposed areas, fences, and railings. Rain and condensation can reach the picture there even if it’s behind plastic glazing, and temperature differences between day and night can warp the paper and loosen the mounting adhesive. The same applies to walls that never dry out, such as near a downspout or a damp foundation. Always leave at least a couple of centimeters of space between the frame and the wall so moisture can evaporate.
The difference between a sunroom and a balcony
A glass-enclosed sunroom protects against the weather but lets in much more light through the glass, so somewhat different rules apply. We’ve written a guide of our own: Posters in the sunroom. On a balcony, the space is often so small that wind exposure and rain matter more than light, as we explain in the balcony guide. A patio sits somewhere in between: larger than a balcony and more open than a sunroom, which means you have to choose the protection yourself instead of relying on the building.
Motifs that belong on the patio
Most people want pictures on the patio that extend the garden or vacation. This works best with motifs that draw their colors from nature. See our selection of nature prints for landscapes, forests, and the sea, and botanical posters for plants that echo the herb boxes and geraniums on the table.
Think in terms of three color families. Green and gray-green blend in with shrubs and pots, and are also relatively lightfast in the muted shades common in botanical illustrations. Blue and turquoise add a cool touch and suit patios with gray or oak decking. Ochre, terracotta, and sand work well against plastered walls and brick, and their earth pigments have a long history in art of withstanding light. Avoid bright pink and neon yellow if the patio gets sun, as these colors are among the first to fade.
Size and hanging on the patio
Outdoors, the surroundings can overwhelm a picture, so choose one that’s larger than you think you need. On a wall two to three meters wide, 50x70 or 70x100 works well, while 30x40 can easily get lost. Hang the picture so its center is around 150 centimeters above the floor, a little higher than indoors since you’ll often be viewing it from a distance while seated. Two pictures of the same size, spaced five to ten centimeters apart, create a calm, orderly look, while one large picture clearly defines a space.
Tip: Try it out for a week before putting anything up permanently. Hang an inexpensive print in the intended spot for seven days and note how long the sun hits it and whether dew or rain reaches the surface. If it stays dry and in the shade for those seven days, the spot is suitable for a proper poster.
Evening light on the patio: let the image have its moment
A patio is used mostly in the evening, and that’s when lighting determines how a poster looks. Daylight and evening light have very different color temperatures, and many images that look muted at three in the afternoon become rich and warm when the lanterns are lit. So choose images where dark areas can play a part, such as forest scenes, nocturnal landscapes, or botanical illustrations on a dark background.
Outdoor lighting should be aimed so it doesn't cause glare. Light sources with a warm color temperature, around 2200 to 2700 kelvin, create a pleasant atmosphere and are less damaging to paper than strong fluorescent or halogen lights with high UV output. Place the lamp to the side of the picture and slightly in front, at an angle of about thirty degrees, so the glass doesn't reflect the light source. String lights above the picture work well as long as they aren't close enough to warm the frame.
Also bear in mind that a solid roof makes the patio darker than the surrounding garden. A poster with a light background or white border brightens the space, while a dark image needs more lighting to stand out. Try standing in the spot at dusk and notice what catches your eye. Whatever stands out most then is usually what should hang there.
Three types of patio and what works for each
The classic patio at a detached house, facing the garden, is often partly covered and open to the air elsewhere. A larger picture works well on the wall nearest the door, as that area is the driest and best protected. A townhouse patio is smaller and has neighbors on either side, so a wooden privacy screen can serve as a natural place to hang a picture, facing inward toward the seating area rather than toward the neighbors.
The built-in corner patio at a vacation home often has paneled walls, and paneling holds screws better than stucco. There, wooden poster hangers with magnets are an alternative to a frame, provided the poster hangs under a roof and is protected from moisture. If you'd like to learn more about decorating a summer cottage, see our guide Posters for the summer cottage.
Frame, glass and mounting for a sheltered outdoor space
The frame makes a bigger difference outdoors than indoors. Choose a frame made of wood or metal that can withstand moisture, and ask for UV-filtering acrylic glass instead of regular glass. Acrylic is lighter, won't shatter if a broom or child happens to bump into it, and is available with a built-in UV filter. The mat should be acid-free, and the backing should be sealed to keep out dust and insects.
Mount it with stainless steel screws and plugs suited to the wall material, and place small rubber pads along the bottom of the frame so air can circulate. Never drill into a facade without knowing what lies behind it: electrical wires, water pipes and insulation are commonly found there. If you rent or live in a condominium, ask the property owner or association for permission before drilling into the facade.
Seasonal routine: up in May, in by October
Swedish patios have a clear-cut season. Condensation forms on the acrylic glass when nighttime temperatures begin to drop, and frost can crack the adhesive and make the paper lose its flatness. So this time of year, in late October, is the right time to bring the pictures inside. Wipe the frame, let the poster rest for a day at room temperature before taking it out of the frame, and store it flat in an acid-free box or in a sturdy tube if you do not want to hang it indoors.
Until the pictures go back up in May, the patio wall can feature something else. A lantern, a small shelf with potted plants, or a linen textile creates a winter scene without exposing the art to the weather. Many people also choose to change the motifs with the seasons, and in the full poster collection, there is a new picture for every summer.
Frequently asked questions about posters on the patio
Ready to give your patio a wall print that can withstand summer? Start by measuring the area and determining how much light it gets, then browse posters featuring famous places if you want to bring a little vacation home.