The sweat begins to roll down your back and your eyes begin to sting as it trickles down your forehead, past mother nature’s ingenious yet strangely ineffective sweat blockers – your eye brows.

Your children and beautiful wife seem to fairing no better. They appear to be melting on your patio furniture, sinking slowly into the plush, yet slightly faded fabric you got only last summer. Usually extremely active, your two young boys seem to have the life drained out of the them by the scorching rays of the sun, there blond hair melting off of their heads.

What one single addition to your patio or deck could change this scene complete? A patio awning, that is what.

Now there are several different types of patio awnings that you can choose from. Some are made from various fabrics – canvas, polyester, and several other synthetic fabrics. Others are made of high grade industrial aluminum which provides a sturdy bulwark against the elements as well as the sun. Each of these awning types has its own set of benefits and drawbacks, so making a careful analysis of what is going to work best for you, your family, and your patio type is an important step that you should not overlook.

If you need protection from year round sun then going with a permanent awning fixture is probably going to best meet your needs. You might live in a part of the country or the world where the sun is constantly beating down on your patio in all the seasons and the heat of the sun is to be avoided. Also another consideration is whether you want your awning to also provide protection from the elements such as rain, snow, and hail. Precipitation protection should also be a concern in you patio awning selection.

Without a doubt, if you are looking for year round protection from the sun and elements on your patio then you will want to go with a more permanent patio awning. For that, aluminum is probably going to be your best bet and Alumawood is probably going to be the what you are going to find in your search. Aluminum patio awnings are strong, durable, and require very little maintenance, but they are permanent so those looking for only seasonal protection should look elsewhere.

Where should those seeking seasonal protection look? To retractable patio awnings.

A retractable awning is going to be made of fabric and will be able to be stored compactly inside a holding case that is attached to your wall. At the push of a button, or for those inclined to go a cheaper route – the twist of a crank, the patio awning will extend over your patio giving you the protection from the sun, its harmful UV rays, and freak summer showers.

Retractable awnings really shine in patios that sometimes need shade to stop the sun from beating inside the house or to provide protection during a evening meal on the patio. A retractable patio awning is going to cost a little bit more than your regular fabric awning, but the price can be worth it in terms of comfort and ease of access.

Patios are great for entertaining all year round and patio awnings do a good job at opening up the space for use in all types of weather conditions. They add value to your home and create a welcoming environment for afternoon meals and evening get-togethers. If you are considering which patio awning to purchase, feel free to look around and see what this site has to offer in terms of awning information for your patio.

Patio Awnings is a post from: Patio Awning Inc.

In general, fabric patio awnings are a great way to provide shade to an outside space in a way that give a nice splash of color and interesting shape to your architecture.  They are great for saving energy and reducing the amount of direct sunlight that is able to pour into you windows.  And they are fairly durable, lasting several years before the elements begin to make a noticeable difference with how they look.  Let’s take a look at some of the different offers of retractable patio awnings.

Different Retractable Patio Awnings

Retractable patio awnings are a very popular type of fabric awning.  There ability to provide shade when needed and to retract back into its casing to let the sun shine down make it a perfect addition to a patio that gets some sun during the hot months of the year.  Retractable patio awnings are not necessarily the cheapest items on the market and can run from several hundred dollars to a thousand dollars or more.  There are some models that have arms that need to come down to support the awning’s weight while there are other models that do no require this feature.

Here are some examples of patio awnings currently featured on Amazon.com that do not have arms that need to support the awning’s weight:

Green Manual Patio Awning – This retractable patio awning is brought to you buy your friends at Target.  It is 12′ x 10′ in dimensions and will provide some quality shade for an outdoor sitting area or to shade a sliding class door or windows from the heat of direct sunlight.  It has an aluminum and stainless steel construction so the non-fabric parts will be resistant to rusting.  This is important since rust can get on fabric and turn it an unpleasant orange color.

The fabric is a polyester weave that has been treated with a Teflon coating to improve its durability when exposed to damaging UV radiation and the rain.  It will also help prevent the awning from developing an accumulation of dirt and mold.  When the awning is not in use, a protective covering will keep it safe from dirt birds (birds seem to poop on everything, including patio awnings), and the sun.

It is a manually controlled awning that is operated by a hand crank that can be found on the left-hand side of the awning when looking at it.

Retractable Patio Awning – Motorized Pro – 12ft. (Black) (12′ wide x 10′ extension) – This retractable patio awning is a motorized version, meaning that all awning motion is controlled by a mechanical device that moves the awning open and closed. You won’t have to crank this sucker by hand like you will have to do with the one previously mentioned. This awning is sold by Sunsetter, a major name in retractable patio awnings.

The dimensions in this awning are the same as the one mentioned above (12′ x 10′ – so 12′ wide with a 10′ extension).  It will also fit under eaves and overhangs as low as 7′6″ – which is fairly low.  This low clearance is pretty useful for adding the awning to a section of the house that is on the side or rear of the house with a sloping roof.

The canopy of this retractable patio awning consists of 5-layers of Acrylic, Dacron and color pigmentation – giving it a good chance of resisting fading, mildew, the sun’s UV rays, and harsh weather at the hand of the elements.  It can be installed on lots of different house sidings, including wood, masonry, brick, aluminum and vinyl.  The motor on this retractable fabric awning need to be plugged into a regular outlet, which is nice because you won’t have to hire an electrician to get this puppy installed.   It comes with a SOMFY motor that will power this patio cover, but a hand crank override is also installed if power were to go out at your home.  The SOMFY motor is controlled by a remote control, offering the ease and comfort of automated rolling.

This awning also comes with a built-in weather breaker (included) that will descend from the fringe of the facriv when the sun gets low on the horizon or an uncomfortably cool breeze marches in.

If you are interested in find more retractable patio awnings check out this page on Amazon.com: Retractable Patio Awnings

3 Reasons a Fabric Patio Awning Might Not Be For You

Here are three reasons why you may not want to purchase one of these types of awnings:

1. You want long lasting, durable support (if this is you, you might want to consider an aluminum patio awning)
2. You need protection from more elements than just the sun and light rain
3. Your outside space is abnormally large

Retractable patio awnings will make a great addition to any home that is looking to get some shade up in a well used area. They provide shade when needed, but are able to be stored economically – giving you the biggest bang for you buck. While they are not good for every person in every situation, you can really get a lot with a retractable patio awning.

Retractable Patio Awnings is a post from: Patio Awning Inc.

But for patios, aluminum awnings excel.  Their strength and extreme durability make them prime candidates for shade and shelter structures all over the house.  Modern technology is making them more and more appealing to the eye.  The development of Alumawood – aluminum formed to mimic the appearance of painted wood – has given individuals seeking to beautify their outside area the option to go with a wood-like feel while enjoying the durability and longevity of aluminum.

What Is Amlumawood?

Alumawood™ is a material engineered to be weather resistent and rustproof. It is  is made for structural grad aluminum and sports the weather resistant Tuffcoat™ polyester paint system.  This combination can withstand all that mother nature can throw at your aluminum patio awning.  The damage wrought by rain, snow, hail, and sun  are resisted by this double combination of human engineered weather resistance.  Rust simply won’t be an issue.

Awnings made with this material have the benefits of wood without the hassle of wood. If you like the look of real wood for you patio awning but dislike having to treat, stain, and maintain it year after year then an Alumawood patio awning is probably going to be up your alley.  This high grade aluminum is embossed with a wood like pattern in the manufacturing process that give is the look and feel of real wood.  Add to that the fact that is will never rust, burn (it is metal, after all), crack, warp, rot, have its paint peel, or attract pesky termites and you have a pretty solid wood replacement on your hands.  Not to mention that you will hardly every have to maintain your Alumawood awning.

Aluminum patio awnings add value to your home. By increasing the outside living space in a professional manner you will be increasing the overall price of your home.  Depending on the circumstance, you can increase the value by as much as 10 times the amount of money that you invest in the awning.  Wouldn’t it be nice to increase the value of your home by $3,000 to $10,000?  An aluminum patio awning could do just that depending on your local real estate market and the current state of home prices.

When compared to real wood, Alumawood™ patio awnings shine. In a strict cost comparison the price of an aluminum patio awning is going to be comparable to a wooden one – but the disparity between the two really begins to shine once you start considering the cost of maintaining a wood patio cover with that of an aluminum one.  Consider for a second the time extra time you will have to spend taking care of a wood patio cover, all the time sanding, scraping, painting, finishing, and treating the wood.  Then consider the cost of the materials needed to do this work.  You won’t have to spend any of this if you go aluminum.  Add to that a lifetime warranty made by the manufacturer and you got yourself a wide disparity between real wood and aluminum.

Many aluminum patio awnings have a lifetime warranty. Because the material used in to create alumawood are so strong and durable the manufacturer of this product has backed it with a lifetime warranty (see your aluminum patio awning provider for specific details and to see if they have a lifetime warranty on their products).  They do this to entice you to purchase their product because they feel that it is so valuable and properly priced.

Alumawood™ kits are simple to install. The installation kit and guide provided by your supplier is generally very easy to follow.  If you go this route, a complete system will be delivered to you that has all the necessary components for installation (aside from the necessary power tools or concrete if you install it as a stand alone).  Many alumawood providers proclaim that you can complete an installation over the course of one weekend, but that may vary depending on your building proficiency and the scope of your project.

Alumawood™ meets ICBO residential engineering specifications. Alumawood™ products are fully engineered, meeting ICBO specification, which typically satisfies any permitting requirements. This is important for getting the permits needed to add this type of structure to your home or other location.  Be sure that you work with your aluminum patio awning provide and local government organization to get the proper building permits before embarking on any major product like this.  In some cases a permit will not be required while in others one will be – be sure you check things out before you make any major decisions.

Aluminum Patio Awning Costs

The cost for an aluminum patio awning is going to depend mainly upon who you buy it from and whether or not you install it yourself or have someone install if for you.  Self installation is definitely the way to go if you are looking to save some cash.  This is called DIY installation (Do It Yourself installation).  In this method you buy the aluminum panels and all the necessary installation equipment and then you do that work of setting it up yourself.  This can be easy or hard depending upon the type of patio that you are fitting with the awning and your own particular set of skills.

In most cases, you can do this by yourself just fine.  You don’t need any special equipment other than a hammer, some nails, and maybe a power tool or two.  Most people already have all the tools that they need, but if you do not you might want to include the cost of the necessary tools in the overall cost of the project.

DIY aluminum patio awnings start as low as $10 per square foot and go up from there depending on the provider and other considerations, such as whether or not any cement will need to poured, etc.  You should definitely check around, especially in today’s economy, to make sure you are getting the biggest bang for your buck.  While you already save a lot by going aluminum by going aluminum in the long run, you want to make sure that you are getting the best deal on your patio awning now that you can.

Where Should You Put An Aluminum Awning?

This type of awning works great over a patio or other outside living space.  They can even be excellent for the side of a house to store wood.  One place that can be particularly nice to have covered is a spa or pool area.  One of the biggest elements of pool care is keeping dirt and debris out of the water, and an awning – especially a permanent one -  will do just that.

Cleaning Aluminum Patio Awnings

Aluminum patio covers are pretty easy to keep in good condition.  In most circumstances all you need is normal rainfall to give your awning a clean and new feel.  This is because of the quality of aluminum and the paint finish that most manufacturers finish their patio awnings with.  However, if you do need to do some awning cleaning then we recommend that you take the following steps, paying particular attention to the elements of your awning that do not get sufficient exposure to nature’s cleansing elements:

• To clean the appearance of moderate dirt ‑ Simply spray the awning with some water from a garden hose with the option to use a soft-bristled brush if the water is not enough.
• To clean heavy dirt ‑ Wash with some mild detergent, dish soap, or other household cleaner mixed with water.  You can use a brush or a cloth rag if you would like.  Here is a sample of one cleaning mixture we have found that some find useful:
  • 1/3 cup detergent (Tide®for example)
  • 2/3 cup trisodium phosphate (Soilax® for example)
  • 1 gallon water
• To clean mildew ‑ Mildew often forms when moisture is does not evaporate quickly enough from a house or other structure (such as trees) and can have adverse affects on the health of humans if the mildew is particularly strain.  Luckily, it is very simple to clean from aluminum patio awnings.  The following cleaning solution is on example of a mixture that works well:
  • 1/3 cup detergent (Tide® for example)
  • 2/3 cup trisodium phosphate (Soilax® for example)
  • 1 quart sodium hypochlorite 5% solution (Clorox® for example)
  • 3 quarts water
• To remove chaulking compounds, tar, etc. ‑ Use mineral spirits in reasonable amounts, apply directly to the foreign substance. Rinse the area thoroughly with water immediately after cleaning.

Final Word On Aluminum Patio Awning

Getting the right fit between you and your outside decor is an important step for an owner of an home, RV, or mobile home. You want things to look nice, but you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg getting it. Aluminum patio awnings provide unparalleled durability and last as long as you want them to. The can add good value to a property while creating outside space that is livable, comfortable, private, and energy efficient. If you have an outside space that you think could benefit from some shade all year round, then you should probably think about purchasing an aluminum patio awning.

Aluminum Patio Awnings is a post from: Patio Awning Inc.

Metal Patio Awnings

As one might expect, metal is the material of strength and durability for home awnings. They can be initially more expensive because the cost of the raw materials (aluminum, tin, etc) is generally much greater than that of fabric, but this is not always the case depending on the type of fabric awning you are comparing it to (like a motorized retractable patio awning - these cost a $1000 or more).

Metal awnings have been traditionally used over windows and doors but this is not their exclusive use. They also can extend workspace or storage space on the side of a house or garage. One of the main reasons it is used extensively in this function is because of its natural durability and natural resistance to the elements. Metal is profoundly sturdy and can take quit a licking from mother nature and human idiocy and still keep on ticking.

The other benefit that metal patio awnings provide is their ability to absorb a lot of the heat generated by the sun. They suck it up like magnates, or white on rice, or a one year old and birthday cake. Metal awnings are to heat as water is to thirst – it completely obliterates it. So all that heat from the warm afternoon summer sun is going to get absorbed by your metal patio awning and not by you and your family sitting outside to enjoy a nice summer afternoon. You’ll be degrees cooler because of its hard work.

But sunlight is not all that metal patio awnings are good at absorbing. These also do splendidly well at taking all forms of precipitation and pinning them to the ground, Greco-Roman wrestling style. Who wants a nice afternoon BBQ to be disrupted by a quick summer shower? Nobody! Who wants their wood storage area to be crushed by a snow drift three feet deep? Only crazy people! Metal awnings can provide this type of protection again precipitation that canvas awnings simply cannot compete with.

But what about rusting – doesn’t precipitation have some power to whoop a metal awning’s tush? Hahaha – never! Many, if not most, metal patio awnings are made with wonderful aluminum. This metal sent from above is actually resistant to rust (that is why aluminum cars don’t really rust, ever) and can come in many different shapes and sizes. It may be the same material that makes up flimsy aluminum cans, but aluminum is actually a very strong and durable metal that is also very pliable under certain conditions.

This pliability allow awning manufacturers to create them in various styles and colors so that you can easily find a color and style that matches the rest of your home. Corrugated aluminum awnings are not the only thing around!

As one might expect, patio awnings that are made out of aluminum are pretty much going to be stationary. You might be able to find one that is able to move flush with a wall, but this simply will not work if you have an entryway or window that the awning would block when it does so. Also, metal won’t roll so that type of retractable awning is out of the question.

Fabric Patio Awnings

Fabric patio awnings are exactly what they sound like – patio awning made out of some sort of fabric. This could be either a canvas or a synthetic fabric like GORE™ TENARA®.

Here is a blurb from GORE, the manufacturer of this fabric:

Made from 100% woven high strength expanded PTFE fibers, the ‘woven’ family of GORE™ TENARA® Architectural Fabrics, combines exceptional textile aesthetic qualities, unlimited flex-life, complete immunity to UV sunlight, and exceptional flame properties.

Woven GORE™ TENARA® Architectural Fabrics enable designers to achieve interesting interior projects that have strict flammability requirements, as well as provide a true ‘textile’ look for exterior shade structures.

Ideally suited for interior and exterior retractable, deployable and permanent structures utilizing a wide variety of structural techniques, including fixed & space frame, tensioned cable-edge, geodesic, and stapled panel systems.

As you can see, this fabric is engineered to be incredibly strong and to endure the most aggressive elements that nature will throw at it. The UV protect is particularly important since exposure to these rays alone has been the cause of deterioration for many fabric shade structures over the years. If the patio awning is made of canvas, it is much more likely to suffer wear and tear because of the wind, rain, snow, and sun.

However, fabric awnings are much more likely to be found in retractable awnings since fabric is extremely pliable and can easily be rolled up in a small space. Almost all retractable awnings are made from some sort of fabric.

Another benefit of fabric patio awnings is that they are much cheaper than their metal counterparts. As I have already mentioned, this difference in price is combined with a diminished ability to withstand the forces of nature that will be its daily companion as it brings shade to your patio.

Finally, fabric awnings can be much “prettier” to look at than metal ones. They can often be richer in color and texture and are generally more pleasant to look at from far away and from directly underneath them than metal patio awnings.

What Works Best For My Patio Awnings
Since most patios are of a small nature either a metal or a fabric awning can be a good fit, but which one works best for me? That answer is going to be something that you take the time and weigh the different pros and cons about. A metal patio awning will be much more durable and do a great job of fighting off the elements, but it will also be much harder to change once it is installed and will probably cost you a little bit more.

The fabric patio awning will look better, has the potential to be significantly cheaper than metal, and can be retractable or easily moved when not necessary. Its downsides consist of decreased durability from element exposure.

No matter what you go with, you are going to find something that is going to increase the value of your home, add interest to your patio or deck, and provide wonderful shade from the intense sun when you need it most. Are you consider the purchase of a patio awning?

Patio Awning Materials is a post from: Patio Awning Inc.

Patios are made to be places where you can sit outside to enjoy the warming effects of the sun or a nice cool summer evening – so why would you want to cover it with a patio awning?

There are a lot of answers to this question, so let us start with one of the most basic answers: sometimes it is not so nice to be in direct sunlight.  Hot summer days are a prime example of when you still want to be outside but you don’t want the heat of the sun intensifying an already hot day.  This is so obvious that it might not even be worth mentioning, but being in direct sunlight really does heat you up faster – especially if you are wearing a heat catch color like black or dark blue.

A similar reason to use a patio awning is to find protection from the suns harmful UV rays.  Sunburns and over exposure to sunlight has been show to increase risk of developing melanomas (skin cancer) and increased wrinkling of the skin.  You want to keep your skin safe from the elements while you enjoy a pleasant afternoon picnic sipping some cool lemonade and eating a massive hot dog lathered with ketchup and mustard.

Another sun related reason would be to get protection from the sun’s glare.  The brightness of the sun can reflect off of things such as your concrete patio (white is a very strong sun reflector and can cause a lot of damage to unprotected eyes that are getting hit by the sun from below and from above) or shiny outdoor appliances like patio tables, chairs, or gas grills.  While you are outside cooking the last thing you want to be doing is squinting the whole time.  That can lead to headaches and is very unpleasant.

This brings up another strong reason to use an awning for an outdoor patio – protecting your furniture and equipment from the suns harmful rays.  Fabric can fad quickly under direct sunlight, turning once vibrant colors into shadows of their former glory.  Also, plastic seals or covers can become damaged a wear much faster if they are consistently exposes to the sun.

These four reasons to buy a patio awning can be summarized as providing protection from the sun.

There is still one argument for buying a patio awning that has to do with protection from the elements.  It has to do with protection from rain.  Have you ever stood out in the middle of a rain storm?  It can be an amazing experience to be outside in the midst of the power of nature dumping millions of gallons of water from the sky.  It can make one feel alive.  But there are some unpleasant side effects associated with this – being soaked to the core!

Patio awnings provide protection from the soaking while still give you the unique experience of being outside while mother nature unleashes its awesome power all around you.

Still another reason would be to improve the decor of the patio.  A plain concrete or wood patio is not that appealing to the human eye.  An awning can add a splash of color that matches your house’s overall color scheme or it can add an interesting shape or texture to your house.  Both of these can be very appealing from a design perspective and should be considered when considering whether or not to buy a patio awning.

Finally, patio awnings can really help reduce energy costs, especially cooling costs in the hot summer, if they are used properly.  By blocking the sun from beaming directly into a west facing window you can significantly reduce the amount of heat naturally absorbed by your home.  This reduction in the thermal mass heating effect can make your entire house cooler and prevent your walls from fighting against your air conditioning.  This saves you money – and that is always nice.

It doesn’t matter if you are going with a retractable awning, an aluminum awning, or a fabric awning – each of these can provide the protection that you are looking for when you buy a patio awning for your home, RV, or mobile home.  Certain types of awnings may meet your needs differently, especially if you have certain decor requirements for your awning so be sure that you do some research before you take the plunge and buy a patio awning.

Why Buy A Patio Awning? is a post from: Patio Awning Inc.

Whether you have a retractable awning, an aluminum awning, or a canvas awning we hope that our website will provide the information that you are looking for to meet your need.

That is our desire – to provide useful and informative pages for our viewers, and if you find anything to add to a topic that we cover we would love it if you would leave a comment.  Your feedback will make this site better for everyone.

So take a look around and get to know Patio Awning Inc. as we walk in the world of patio awnings together.

Welcome To Patio Awning Inc. is a post from: Patio Awning Inc.