Retractable Awning Types

Confused by the many different awnings you see when searching online? How do you know which one is right for you? How do you know what size is right and which model is best?
You will see a lot of retractable awnings (or folding arm) in our online shop and again, many different models to choose from at very different price ranges. What we do guarantee though is that we are selling the very best retractable awnings, which are manufactured entirely in Europe and for a good reason. 

They have been developed, tested and manufactured in Northern European climates, very similar to our own here and not just awnings from super sunny climates, which are only really suitable for the calmest and sunniest of days. You can relax knowing that any of our awnings are the most suitable in all ways for sun shading, but also capable of dealing with the damp, cold and freezing temperatures we endure in the UK too. The fabrics are of the highest quality and the part of any awning which takes the brunt of the outside action when in use.

The supporting arms are also super relevant for performance and most of our awnings use drop forged knuckle joints, which ensure the very best strength when the arms are in use, holding firm in the constant drumming of the gentlest of breezes. Cheaper awnings will fail here very quickly and the cheap fabrics will also deteriorate very fast in our British climate.

If you are going to fit an awning of a reasonable size or very large then invest in something which will perform and last many years to come with replaceable components when required in the future. All our awnings can have replacement covers, if you ever want to change your colours or you somehow damage the fabric in the future.

When we talk about a retractable awning in context, we are talking about a generally quite large fabric cover, which is retracted in and out from a roll, either housed in a covered cassette, semi covered or open. The fabric extends outwards via 2 or more jointed aluminium arms, depending on the size, and these arms are under tension, so when the fabric is driven out, the arms try to pull back in and then hold the fabric taut. The whole system is self supporting, so it is a convenient way of putting a relatively small, long cassette onto a wall or structure which then opens out to provide sun shade and in some cases some rain protection. When not required the whole thing just retracts back in for another day…

The best awnings simply use the best and strongest components, as you might imagine there are some big forces in play when, for example, a 6m wide and 3.5m extended fabric awning is in use, that is about the size of a medium sized sail on a sailing yacht. A lot of power when the wind gets under it!!

A retractable awning has now become one of the most popular forms of sun shade protection and the best manufacturers have made far more options available such as LED lighting, full length front valances, smart control options and infra red heating.

The designs available are numerous from larger and very bold cassette acting as a canopy in their own right to compact cassette to house everything in the smallest package possible.
For so many homes around the UK an awning makes perfect sense in a world affected now by climate change. We hear of customers who can’t even use their gardens in the summer when they are South facing and have minimal breeze for cooling because of built up fences and other properties around them.

Benefits of a Quality Retractable Awning

• Sun and UV Protection: Perfect for shielding children and those sensitive to sunburn, especially during summer.
• Defined Outdoor Space: Create a comfortable, inviting area for year-round use with furniture and décor.
• Health Benefits: Encourages more time outdoors, enjoying fresh air and natural light.
• Rain Protection: Properly installed awnings can provide rain cover under the right conditions.
• Retractable Convenience: Fully retracts into a compact cassette when not in use for easy, safe storage.
• Furniture Protection: Shields outdoor furniture from harmful UV rays, extending its lifespan.
• Unobstructed Views: Unlike blinds, awnings provide shade without blocking the view from inside your home.
• Stylish Aesthetics: Elevates your home’s look with modern designs and optional built-in LED lighting for evening use.

A high-quality awning is more than weather protection—it’s an investment in comfort, style, and long-term benefits for your home and lifestyle.

Any awning will be presented as one of the above options and the benefits and performance of each are maybe not always clear? Most customers will believe they want a full cassette awning and anything else is a compromise, but this isn’t the case in terms of performance.

A full cassette awning can be a great product of course ,with the neatest visual appearance and everything nicely stored away when closed. What isn't obvious with most full cassette awnings is the fact the arms fix back to a single point through the cassette housing and this can be a problem if you have restrictions on your house wall for fixing points. A lot of full cassette awnings are called ‘end fif’ awnings and this means you have 2 brackets and they are pretty much situated at either end of the awning regardless of the width. This can suit many applications just fine but what if there is a poor fixing point on one side? You can’t relocate the fixing brackets, but you can use spreader plates to create additional fixing positions.

With a lot of semi cassette and open cassette awning models you have the option of moving the fixing brackets around to suit the site conditions, This is possible because the awning arms in these types of awnings mainly fit to a torque bar (‘carry bar’) which is the full length of the awning and spread the forces from the arms out across this bar. This enables the key fixing bracket positions to be flexible and in most cases also makes the awning more stable with the arms spreading the load more evenly through this torque bar.

A lot of the time for our commercial clients where the aesthetics on the closed awning are not always such a concern and maybe there is an overhang for protection too, they use semi or open cassette awnings to save some costs. However, whilst saving costs, in many cases you have a more stable awning cover anyway. We have several semi cassette awnings where the arm design and mechanics simply won’t fit neatly into a full cassette but the awning is a better prospect overall because of the benefits as above. The Markilux 1600 is a good example of this.
It is a semi cassette awning which is known for its stability but also can go up to the largest of sizes if required with almost limitless option for the fixing bracket points.

So in summary for aesthetics, the full cassette awning will usually score highest on this but for performance this isn’t always the case. For domestic awnings 85% of customers will have a full cassette awning and around 15% may have issue with fixing on site so look at other options.
Commercial customers will be a very different split and far more semi cassette awnings are used with minimal use of an open cassette without any cover at all, simply because the exposed fabric will deteriorate faster over time in out British weather.

When searching for awnings, you might come across the term "luxury" awnings, but what does that really mean? While some companies use the term "luxury" simply to refer to high-quality, well-made awnings, it’s important to understand the key differences that truly set them apart from budget options.

Budget awnings may do the job, they can be manually operated or come with an electric motor drive, and they may provide basic protection from the elements. However, they are often lighter in weight, with thinner and sometimes hollow folding arms, as well as thinner fabric. This means that while budget awnings might appear to serve the purpose, they are much less durable and stable, especially when faced with wind or harsh weather. The material used in these awnings simply doesn't have the long-lasting quality that luxury, high quality, german made options offer, and the result is often a product that will deteriorate much faster, leaving you needing to replace it sooner.

At Awnings Online, we’ve seen countless examples from customers who’ve had to replace their budget awnings often after they’ve fallen apart in light winds or after the fabric has lost its shape and vibrancy. When you invest in a luxury awning, like those we offer from Markilux and Weinor, you're choosing reliability, durability, and long-term performance. This range of awnings are designed with the highest quality materials, ensuring they stand the test of time, remain stable in all weather conditions, and look great year after year.

When you purchase an awning from our luxury range, you’re guaranteed at least a 5-year warranty, something you won’t find with lower-quality, mass-produced options that are simply designed to fill a market gap. We stand by the exceptional quality of our products, and an awning from Markilux or Weinor is a long-term investment that will pay for itself with its durability and longevity.

If you're looking for an awning that will provide lasting value, stability, and performance, our range of awnings are the perfect choice. For more details on why this range is worth the investment, visit our Luxury Awnings page.

As we can show you in our shop and you will see in many brochures, a ‘self supporting’ retractable fabric awning can go up to around 14m wide and many models will extend to 4m in projection. So, these are large sizes for sure. If you want a retractable fabric solution and your initial requirement is to deal with rainfall, or you want more than 4m projection, then forget a retractable awning and look to the retractable pergola systems. These systems have a supporting framework and can generally go to around a 6m projection but more importantly they have a higher wind rating and the fabric is supported on all 4 sides and can deal with rainfall as part of the design, albeit with a caveat still on the pitch of the canopy cover.

If your site is windy and you want rain protection mainly, then do not look at self supporting retractable awnings any longer…