The right patio awning covers your whole seating area, sits high enough to walk under, slopes enough to shed rain, and comes in a fabric that suits your house. Get those four things right and you will use your patio far more often, whether the problem has been hot afternoon sun or rain interrupting dinner outside.
Choosing can feel more complicated than expected once you see how many sizes, styles and colors are available. This guide walks through the decisions in order.
Decide How You Will Use the Awning
Start with how you use the space. A patio where you eat and entertain is usually best served by a retractable awning, which you can extend for shade or rain cover and roll back when you want open sky. Interest in this type of awning keeps growing, as we covered in a look at the retractable awnings market.
A fixed awning that stays in place all year is a different purchase. Window awnings and door canopies are on view every day in every season, so the fabric color or pattern needs to work with the rest of the house year round. Depending on where you live, local ordinances or homeowners association rules may also limit your options, so check before you order.
Choose the Right Size for Your Patio Awning
Width and coverage
Figure out how much area you need to shade. You might only want to cover the table and chairs, or you might want the awning to reach several feet past the patio so guests have plenty of shaded room at a large gathering.
The layout of your house and yard will shape the answer. A wall, a shed, a light fixture or a second-story window can limit how wide the awning can be. How much sun your backyard gets also matters. In a yard with afternoon tree shade, extending beyond the patio may not be necessary.
Projection, height and slope
Projection is how far the awning reaches out from the house. It should be large enough to cover the entire seating area, keeping in mind that the shaded patch moves as the sun gets lower in the sky.
The awning should be mounted high enough that people will not bump into it when they stand up. It also needs to slope at an angle that blocks the sun and lets rain run off instead of pooling on the fabric.
Pick a Color and Pattern
Homeowners are often struck by the sheer number of fabrics on offer. If you feel overwhelmed, start with your home’s existing color scheme and narrow the field to shades that complement it. A white house with red shutters, for example, may look just right with a red awning. In other cases a contrasting color is the better choice.
Next, decide between a solid and a pattern such as stripes. A house with a simple style can benefit from a patterned awning, while a solid color often works better on a house with a lot of architectural detail.
The style of the house matters too. On a traditional home, a solid, neutral color is a safe choice. On a more modern design, you have room to experiment with a bolder color or a pattern.
Choose How It Operates
Retractable awnings open with either a hand crank or a motor. A hand crank is simple and has little to go wrong. A motor opens and closes the awning at the press of a button, which many people find they appreciate on a large awning or when the weather changes quickly. Think about who will be operating it and how often.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big should a patio awning be?
Big enough to shade the whole seating area at the time of day you use it most. Measure the furniture layout, not just the patio slab, and allow some extra room for the sun’s changing angle.
Should the awning match the house or contrast with it?
Either can work. Matching the trim or shutters gives a coordinated look, while a contrasting shade makes the awning a feature. Looking at fabric samples against your siding in daylight is the best way to decide.
Is an awning or a patio cover better?
A retractable awning gives you the choice of sun or shade. If you would rather have a permanent roof over the space, a fixed aluminum or fabric patio cover may suit you better.
Get Help Sizing and Designing Your Awning
Aladdin installs custom retractable awnings at Connecticut homes, sized to the space and operated with a hand crank or a motor, with more than 150 weatherproof fabrics to choose from. We can measure your patio and help you settle on a size and style that fit both your needs and the look of your house. Contact us or call (203) 776-9996 to learn more and get an estimate.