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West-Facing Backyard Too Hot to Use? Shade That Works in Las Vegas

Written October 20, 2026. The sun angles come from NOAA's solar calculator and the temperatures from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals, as our heat guide quoted them.

Quick answer: A west-facing backyard is hot because the sun is low and straight in front of it during the hottest hours, so it shines in under a patio roof. More depth alone does not fix a west exposure. Three things help: a solid or insulated roof instead of lattice, a lower front edge, and something upright on the west side, such as a screen, a wall or a hedge. Call or text 725-502-3114 for a free on-site estimate, where we look at the patio layout and sun exposure.

Why is a west-facing backyard so hard to shade?

Because the hottest hours and the lowest sun come together. NOAA's hour-by-hour normals for July put the hottest part of the day between 4 and 5 PM, and the normal temperature is still 100.6°F at 7 PM. Those are the hours most people want to sit outside.

In those same hours the sun drops into the west. On July 15 in Las Vegas it is 46 degrees above the horizon at 4 PM, 34 degrees up and due west at 5 PM, and 22 degrees up at 6 PM. Sunset is at 7:58 PM.

The house does not help. On a west-facing yard the house sits east of the patio, so its afternoon shadow falls away from the yard. An east-facing patio is the easy one, because by late afternoon the house is between the patio and the sun.

Why doesn't a deeper patio cover fix it?

Because the low sun reaches far under any roof. On a patio that faces west, for every foot of height at the front edge of the roof, the sun reaches about 1 foot back under it at 4 PM, about 1.5 feet at 5 PM and about 2.5 feet at 6 PM. If the front edge is 8 feet above the slab, that is 12 feet of sunlit floor at 5 PM and 20 feet at 6 PM. Under a roof 12 feet deep, the sun line is at the back wall by 5 PM.

What actually blocks the west sun?

1. A solid or insulated roof. Lattice gives about 40% to 60% shade, and it is not ideal on a west-facing patio that takes direct afternoon sun. Solid covers are the recommended configuration for west-facing patios, because they block 100% of direct sun. An insulated cover blocks the same sun and adds a 3-inch foam core under the hot top skin. It is the coolest of the three to sit under.

2. A lower front edge. The rule above works both ways: the lower the front edge, the less floor the late sun reaches. There is a limit. The attachment point on the house controls height, slope and drainage, and if the cover starts too low, the finished patio may feel compressed or drain poorly.

3. Shade on the west side. Something upright on the west side, such as a wall, a hedge or a screen, stops the sun that comes in under the roof. We add shade and privacy screens to covers, priced on top of the cover. Our cost post lists screens on recent jobs at about $530 for a 12-foot screen to about $3,500 for one long side of a 32-foot cover.

4. Shade on the glass. A cover over a west-facing wall with windows or a sliding glass door blocks direct sun from reaching the glass and the wall. West-facing patios with sliding glass doors are where insulated covers deliver their greatest energy benefit. For a west window with no patio in front of it, an aluminum awning installed above it shades the glass directly.

5. The side yard. Many Las Vegas homes have narrow side yards that receive intense afternoon sun. A lattice cover over a side yard creates a shaded walkway there.

Fans and misters help under a cover, and both have limits at Las Vegas temperatures. Our heat guide covers what each one can and cannot do.

What can I check in my own backyard?

  1. The direction. Stand with your back to the house wall and read the compass on your phone.
  2. The sun line at your hour. If you eat outside at 6 PM, go out at 6 PM and mark how far the sun reaches toward the house.
  3. The front-edge height. For a cover that is not built yet, multiply the height you have in mind by 1.5 for 5 PM and by 2.5 for 6 PM. That is about how far the sun will reach under it.
  4. The glass. Note every west-facing window and sliding door the shade could cover.
  5. Photos. Take photos of the back of the house and the patio. They help us give you a real number faster.

What does City Seamless do?

Every project of ours starts with a free on-site estimate, where we look at the patio layout, sun exposure and HOA requirements. On a west-facing yard we can put a solid or insulated roof over the part you use and lattice farther out, as one combination cover, with a screen on the west side where the late sun gets in. We install Alumawood and Four Seasons Elitewood covers, and we pull the building permit and handle it from application through final inspection.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my west-facing backyard hottest in the evening?

Because the sun is low and in the west during the hottest hours. On July 15 in Las Vegas the sun is 34 degrees above the horizon and due west at 5 PM, and NOAA's hourly normals for July put the hottest part of the day between 4 and 5 PM.

Will a deeper patio cover shade a west-facing patio?

Not by depth alone. For every foot of height at the front edge of the roof, the 5 PM sun reaches about 1.5 feet back under it, and about 2.5 feet at 6 PM. A solid or insulated roof, a lower front edge and something upright on the west side do more.

Is a lattice cover enough for a west-facing backyard?

Usually not. Lattice gives about 40% to 60% shade, and it is not ideal on a west-facing patio that takes direct afternoon sun. A solid or insulated cover blocks 100% of direct sun.

Do shade screens help on the west side of a patio?

Yes. Something upright on the west side, such as a wall, a hedge or a screen, blocks the low sun that comes in under the roof. Our shade and privacy screens are priced on top of the cover.

Will shading the west side help inside the house?

A cover over a west-facing wall with windows or a sliding glass door blocks direct sun from reaching the glass and the wall. An aluminum awning installed above a west-facing window shades that glass directly.

Related City Seamless resources

Planning a patio cover? Request a free on-site estimate or Call or Text 725-502-3114.

About City Seamless Patio Covers

Company: City Seamless Patio Covers, family-owned in Las Vegas, with trade roots dating to 1976
Nevada Contractor Licenses: #0081882 and #0082656
Awards: Best of Las Vegas, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2024 and 2025 (Patio Covers)
Products: Alumawood and Four Seasons Elitewood patio covers: lattice, solid, insulated, combination and freestanding
Permits: Handled by City Seamless, from application through final inspection
Contact: Call or Text 725-502-3114 | cityseamlesspatiocovers.com

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