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.