What you need to know before buying an awning for your house

2 November 2015
 Categories: , Blog

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An awning is an excellent addition to your patio or garden. It creates a space outdoors where you can be protected from the sun as well as the wind, and it helps with protecting your house from the sun. If you're thinking about buying an awning for your house for the first time, there are a few things you should consider to make sure you make the right decision for you and your house.

Choose the right fabric

The first thing you need to choose is the fabric. There are two main materials used to make awnings: polyester and acrylic. Polyester is more stable and holds its shape more easily. This makes is appropriate for larger awnings. Acrylic is not as firm as polyester, but it has the advantage that it has better properties for holding colour. If you have a small type of awning, while also using it a lot, you should choose acrylic. Acrylic is appropriate for awnings that are used frequently, because it will hold colour despite spending more time in the sun and rain.

Choosing the colour

You also need to choose what colour you want for your awning. There are no limitations on what colours to use, but it might be worth considering what kind of neighbourhood you live in. If you're planning on putting the awning close to a busy street, or under trees, you should go with darker colours and possibly a pattern. Soot, bird droppings, and pollen are not as easily detected on a dark, patterned surface as it would be on a lighter fabric. When thinking about what colour you want for the fabric, you can also consider what type of material you want to use for the framework. Aluminium is probably the material most widely used for this purpose, as it is both light and durable, but if you would rather have a construction made out of steel or wood, this is also possible.

Performing maintenance

Make sure you are aware of how to properly care for your awning. You will have to clean it every once in a while. Washing it thoroughly once a year will lengthen the awning's life considerably. By cleaning it, you will be getting rid of dirt and grime that can chafe it and cause it to tear. Brush off the loose dirt, and use lukewarm water with a sponge and a mild detergent to get rid of dried in dirt. Make sure you let it dry properly before packing it up, so that it won't get mouldy.