Patio Covers Place » retractable awnings

Porch Awnings

Mike — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 07:39:02 +0000

The porch is becoming something of a lost feature in many homes. Now, the patio and patio living are becoming the new wave in home designs and trends. No matter what you call your space, the addition of one or more porch awnings will surely make that space a more enjoyable area to lounge in. There was a time when you could find an outdoor swing hanging from the front porch of most every home on the block. No matter that this was several decades ago, the neighborly image is still alive and well in many communities throughout the country.

What the porch offers is a place to recount the days events, share time with friends or family and just enjoy a little down time away from the hussle and bussle of daily life. Where you might consider a covered patio a more effective use of your home’s space or layout, the porch offers a more open feeling. It can provide a more inviting place to share a cool drink and a nice conversation or good book.

So, with this in mind, how do you go about shading it to keep it everything you’d like it to be? Well, the first thing to consider is the size of your porch area. If you’re talking about using this type of awning for a smaller space, then a manually operated awning will work just fine. These roll up awnings are made to easily retract, but the process can get cumbersome for some individuals and for certain applications. For larger or multiple areas, you might look into getting a motorized retractable awning. These work in the same fashion as the manual ones, they are just much more simple to operate.

Patio Awning Materials and Designs

Your awnings will consist of several parts; the framework and the fabric material itself. Most cases and moving parts are made of more durable and lightweight metals. An aluminum porch awning is probably the most common type of metal used. The fabric has come a long was as well. While you can still find canvas, it is more common to find vinyl awnings in various printed materials now. There have been advances made in the way that these fibers are spun and colored so that fading due to ultraviolet (UV) exposure has been minimized. In addition to their durability, they also keep their color, as fading is also lessened by this process. Because of the various patterns and colors available in today’s marketplace, this is welcomed news to homeowners looking to maintain that new look.

This leads to another topic, maintenance of your garden awnings. Basically, you can follow the guidelines as set forth from the manufacturer of your particular awning set. You may need to lube or oil certain moving parts. The weather and conditions in your particular zone may necessitate unique cleaning instructions. Cleaning the awning material itself is fairly straightforward.

Cleaning your patio awning is as simple as spraying with your hose and using a mild detergent solution. You can also hand wash with a non-abrasive cloth and mild detergent, then wiped clean with a dry cloth. The soap residue may interfere with the moving parts of your awning, so you’ll want to ensure that you clean them thoroughly. This alone should keep your awnings functioning well for years to come.

As you shop for these awnings for home, consider the costs for the various types we’ve discussed weighed against the maintenance and other aspects of using your patio space. If you spend much time outdoors, then it is certainly a wise idea to invest in some quality porch awnings.

Roll Up Awnings

Mike — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:57:57 +0000

With most types of awnings or patio shades, the main factor that is being addressed is shade. Let’s face it, there isn’t much else that a patio awning is really supposed to do. However, you can get shade for your patio or deck using other structures and patio accessories, so why are awnings the way to go? This is what we will be discussing in this article. Hopefully, you will appreciate how these roll up awnings can give you all the benefits of shade as well as some esthetic and other additional functional benefits.

There are several styles of roll up awnings to discuss. Like all patio accessories it seems, there are often several names used to discuss one item. The same is true regarding the various types of outdoor shades and awnings. Besides finding the term spelled as one word, as in ‘rollup’ awnings, you might also see these listed as retractable awnings as well. Many online vendors and outlets use some of these terms synonymously, so don’t be confused.

How They Work
The name of these particular awnings, basically describe their function. They work by way of a mechanical winding or rotor that simply rolls up the awning as it closes and unrolls it as it opens. This allows you to not only control how much shade you would like to have (in some cases) but also to open or close them only when you want.

If you live in a very sunny region, you will likely have yours open much of the time. In areas where the climate is known to swing, you might want to only keep yours open when you are using your patio to avoid damage to the awnings from the elements. This is one of the key selling points and best features of this style of awning. The fact that they can roll up gives you the ability to keep them protected while not in use. The metal tube into which your awning is stored does a great job of keeping them safe from water, sun, and dirt and grime.

What Kinds Are There?
The main types are the manual or motorized styles. A manual roll up awning will have a crank handle that you simply turn to open or close your shade. It can be locked away when not in use, so the handle is out of the way. These are typically less costly than the motorized awnings.

The motorized awning comes in several styles as well. Aside from them all being electrical, the differences are in how the opening or closing takes place. You can get these to operate by way of a switch. These would require you to turn them ‘on’ and ‘off’ to open and close them. Then, there are motorized versions that operate by way of using a remote. Same mechanical means of function, but with the ability to open or close them right from your chaise lounge. Finally, there is the automatic retractable patio awning. This one opens and closes following either a timer or can be activated by light. In other words, you could either set it to open at the time you would normally go out to sit and close in the evening or allow the sun to open and close your awnings for you. What ever type of style you choose, roll up awnings will certainly make your patio time more comfortable and enjoyable.

Awnings for Home

Mike — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:07:00 +0000

There are a variety of awnings for home and garden use. The most common styles are the roll up awning and the retractable awning. Why these styles are the most popular is no accident. They are both very convenient to use and provide wonderful flexibility for the homeowner. Some of these styles feature manual opening and closing mechanism while others are powered. We’ll get back to those in a moment. Needless to say, the main reason for patio awnings is because you are looking for shade for your deck or patio space.

With the various styles mentioned, there are sub-categories or classes within those. As far as the different names, don’t let those confuse you. Depending upon manufacturers and the online sites you are searching, the names of the awnings or canopies or patio covers will all be used interchangeably. For the most part, how we like to categorize them here at Patio Covers Place is to say that a canopy is going to be something that is a more temporary type of structure. You’ve seen these called garden canopies or sometimes pop-up canopies. They go by various terms, but the end product is the same. These are often a vinyl awning type of material, which has its benefits and drawbacks. There are more durable and more esthetically pleasing models, but they all function essentially the same. These are quite easy to assemble and set-up, hence their other name ‘pop-up’ or ‘easy-up’ canopies.

Now, when we begin talking about the more ‘built-in’ or designated patio awnings, then we are talking about items that are made to withstand the elements and last outdoors for many seasons. Most of these will be described by the name that is commonly used for them. For example, the term roll up awnings is perfect to describe that particular style. These are the ones that can retract or ‘roll up’ back into their protective case when not in use. This term is also sometimes used for the ones that roll up from the patio floor to your ceiling. These awnings can be manually retracted and opened or can be electrically powered. Motorized awnings have the benefit of being able to be operated by a switch, remote or light (sun) activated. Like this one, the retractable patio awning got its name from its function. These can often be describing the same awning, so make sure to look at pictures and check the specifications.

Because there are so many styles from which to choose, you may find that there simply are not any easy answers in terms of ‘best awning’ or ‘cheap awnings’. You will really get what you pay for in most cases. The quality of the materials – the awning and the mechanisms – will largely determine the price you will pay. Of course, the size of your awning matters as well. You can also expect to pay more for the motorized awnings. Consider the investment you make in quality awnings for home an investment in your outdoor patio entertainment. Enjoy.

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What To Look For In Outdoor Patio Covers

Mike — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 06:36:19 +0000

You think that just because you have HGTV on your television network and have a little skill that you can build outdoor patio covers? Well, you might be right! There are a few considerations to take into account and that’s what we’ll cover here today. But, before we get into that, determine where you’ll get the most benefit from the shade provided by your structure. Many times, people will build a patio not taking into account the various angles of the sun in the summer and winter. If you build a patio cover too tall, it may miss its mark in providing the proper shade for you when you need it most.

Patio covering materials can include fabrics, metal and wood to awnings and canopies. Before you get to that point, figure out how your structure is going to look and where it will be in relation to your home. Taking another step back – if you are going to be building this patio, you’ll need to check not only with your home owners association (if you have one) but, quite possibly, your city for proper codes and permits to pull. If it’s a simple patio structure that you are after, it will likely need no permits, just HOA approval in most cases.

Types of Metal Patio Covers

Corrugated metal roofs can create great patio covers.

Aluminum patio covers are probably the most common type of metal cover. This is because of their light weight and ease of assembly. All they would require to install are simple tools that most do-it-your-selfers have at home – a drill, hammer, jig saw, caulking gun, metal snips (possibly) and some standard tools that would be required like a ladder, tape measure, etc. Sometimes, in areas where a more rustic feel is desired, steel sheeting can be used. This ages to have a nice rusty patina to it. Like an old barn or some similar look. These roofs can still be seen on structures many decades old, so you know they hold up.

Other Patio Cover Ideas

Wooden patio covers can take many different styles. Sometimes, the patio is simply covered like one would with an extension on a home being used as a sunroom. The walls are either open between the posts, mesh netting could be framed between the posts to allow air to flow but bugs out or even retractable awnings could be used to provide shade. Patios are versatile structures. It could be covered with a post and beam type layout and be called a pergola or even a gazebo with enough attention to the roof detail in the structure. Typically, pergolas have flatter patio roofs, whereas a gazebo has a more angled appearance and can even have an actual wooden roof. Again, pergola and gazebo covers could have patio awnings that serve to provide more shade when necessary. Finally, we realize that some people feel that they lack the skill to design and install an aluminum or canvas patio cover that is custom made to the patio space that needs to be covered. For those who are not inclined to install a fixed patio covering, there is always the option of buying one of the many Retractable Motorized Awnings that are available on the market. However, even retractable awnings that can be opened and rolled up either with an awning motor or with a hand crank will require installation. If you are not handy enough to make your own canvas or aluminum patio cover, then you would probably be better off, if you paid someone to install your retractable motorized awning for you, as well.