Awnings Online

Useful Information

Awnings - Umbrellas - Terrace Covers - Verandas

Some headline information on our products and what to maybe be aware of when looking for an outdoor weather protection product.

• Always be Aware of Wind and Rain and Winter

  So many adverts show products being used in the perfect blue skies and sunshine but this is Great Britain and we have some serious rain, serious wind, and in the colder months a lot of damp and darkness. Make sure any large product you are considering is suitable to remain outside and is not a product simply imported from a Southern European or hot country for a quick sale. We mention many times how the best awnings, verandas and umbrellas are always the ones which have been developed in Northern European countries where the climate is very similar to our own here in the UK.

• Fabric Choices will Make a Huge Difference

  With any of the fabric shading solutions, like awnings, retractable pergolas or parasols, the fabric choice can make a huge difference to the ambience and light levels underneath the system when in use. Obvious examples are a black fabric blocking out all the light and a white fabric letting most of the light through, but diffusing the glare and strength of the sunlight at the same time. If you are South facing and don’t like the sunlight then go for a darker fabric, but if you love the sunlight and are wanting a lot of light, then go for a lighter fabric choice. The UV protection level is often given as a percentage rating to indicate how much protection is given by any particular fabric.
  The quality of the fabrics are also very important and for all our products using fabrics the quality and technology used for manufacturing and general protection in use is of the highest quality. The fabrics are designed for outside use and to deal with the aggressive UK climate.huge difference to the ambience and light levels underneath the system when in use. Obvious examples are a black fabric blocking out all the light and a white fabric letting most of the light through, but diffusing the glare and strength of the sunlight at the same time. If you are South facing and don’t like the sunlight then go for a darker fabric, but if you love the sunlight and are wanting a lot of light, then go for a lighter fabric choice. The UV protection level is often given as a percentage rating to indicate how much protection is given by any particular fabric. How the fabrics are sewn or glued together to make the larger sizes is also very important to deal with the constant pressures from wind.

• Always Go Large!

  We find many people tend to start out saying they think they want a 3m x 2.5m awning as an example, but end up with a 4m x 3m and are glad they went larger every time. No one to our knowledge has ever complained about an awning or parasol or any other product being too large but a few have wished they ordered larger.
  We have products capable of very larger sizes indeed and whilst the challenges for installation might get trickier the end results are so often worth the efforts. Obviously many customers have restrictions on site and the size is determined but when you have a large house wall or patio, then think big every time, because we often see people's sizes increase through discussion.. In commercial applications of course the size is very important, because it dictates the amount of customers who can sit or stand underneath the systems installed.

• Get the Brackets Right

  Anything wall mounted or fixed to the ground needs proper brackets and fixings. A large awning might have several brackets and be holding a weight into the hundreds of kilos, so it is very important to know you not only have the right brackets, but they are going to end up on a structure or part of a structure which is capable of taking the weight and fixings used.
  Proper fixings are very important indeed and we recommend the use of chemical fixings whenever possible, wall or ground fixed. Each product will have details of the bracket sizes, number of fixings and position when it is fixed. You can also obtain technical details for the forces which will be applied to the brackets when in use, but you will have to work out whether the structure is capable of taking the forces or not. Extra brackets can always be ordered for most products, as well as what are called ‘spreader brackets’ which are designed to spread the forces and loads on a wall, either up, down or sideways, but usually down.. Some really modern homes for example. use super lightweight building blocks, which have great thermal values and are very easy for builders to work with, but they are not capable of taking any fxings or vertical forces. In these more extreme cases you would need to consider a goal post frame, or even a stand alone structure.