When you add an awning of any type over your existing deck, you can easily connect your indoor and outdoor spaces while creating more living space outside. Nice weather in Denver accommodates outdoor dining al fresco and backyard barbeques.
Different Types of Awnings for Your Deck
From May to October, the average high temperatures in Denver are close to 70 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. This warm and welcome weather makes families and friends want to get outside for some fun and games while having a shady area to sit. Awnings are available in many different styles and colors with some dynamic features to boot. If you are considering an awning for your deck, read on to find out about all the different types and options you have.
Why Get Awnings for Your Deck?
Awnings can provide you with many benefits to your home. Awnings give you a shady area on your deck to escape the UV rays of the sunlight in the warmer months. An awning can also shield you from rain showers or snow that may pop up quickly while you are entertaining outside. Deck covers of any type also expand your actual living space while they add beauty, curb appeal and value to your home. When you add an awning to your deck, it will most likely be shading a door and several windows. This helps to keep your home cooler in the summer months so you will need little air conditioning to make your home more energy-efficient. Awnings also protect your outdoor furnishings and your indoor textiles from the sun’s UV rays, which can cause fading and shortening the life span of all your textiles.
Different Types of Awnings for Your Deck
You can choose from several different types of awnings for your deck cover. Awnings are available in several different styles and with different materials as well. You can choose adjustable styles or fixed styles that are custom-made exactly to the size your want and in the colors your desire. The three main categories of awnings include retractable, fixes/stationary and portable.
Retractable Awnings
Retractable awnings are often called the best of both worlds and they have many advantages over a fixed structure. You can open a retractable awning for protection from sun, heat, rain, or snow and enjoy your deck. If you want to soak up some rays on a warm day, you can close a retractable awning and do that too. You are in complete control of your sun and shade with a retractable awning. You have two different manners to operate a retractable awning: manual and motorization. The manual method takes only a minute or so to open and close your awning by using a hand crank that operates very easily and smoothly. The motorized version allows you to touch a button on remote control, a wall control, or press a button on a smartphone app, depending on the type of motor you choose. Custom retractable awnings can be made in any size you wish from 10 feet up to 40 feet wide with a projection of 8, 10, and 12 feet for a great size selection to fit all of your needs. When your retractable awning is closed, the fabric rolls up neatly into a protected cassette. Since you only need to open it when you are using it and otherwise it’s protected, it will last much longer than a fabric awning that is fixed in place. The sun and weather elements will fade fabric awnings over time, make the fabric thinner and then you will start to see rips or holes in them, however, retractable awnings last much longer since they are protected when not in use.
You can also choose from premium brands of retractable awnings, which are made to last for a much longer time, use the best fabrics and framework and include extra features as well. Some of the extra features may be a longer warranty and built-in dimmable LED lights for nighttime use. The LED lights are built into the arms of the awning and you can adjust them by remote control. An easy pitch adjustment allows you to adjust the angle of your retractable awning for better protection from the sun and elements. Integrated cassette housings will protect your fabric awning when it is closed. You may be able to choose from a selection of frame colors too to match your home’s color or style as well as a selection of hundreds of fabrics. Premium retractable awnings also let you choose a straight valance on the front of the awning or a beautiful scalloped sea wave design. Multi-use front bars allow you to attach other extras to it easily, such as fans, lighting, or speakers to bring personality to your newly found outdoor spaces.
Retractable Freestanding Awnings
Retractable freestanding awnings give you the option of still having a premium product that is long-lasting when you can’t have an awning attached to your home over your patio due to obstructions of some sort. Freestanding awnings have a super-strong frame with a baked-on powder paint finish that will not rust or corrode and sturdy legs that will be stable on any flat surface. No matter what your deck is made of, a retractable freestanding model of the awning will work out great for you. This type of shading product has lateral arms that hold the fabric taut to give you many years of reliable operation. You can leave it outdoors year-round and retract it when it isn’t in use. There is even a protective cover that attaches over the fabric roll to protect it throughout the winter or off-season of use. You can choose a manual model that opens and closes in about 60 seconds or a motorized option to work with remote control. The most common sizes are 12 ft x 10 ft and 16 ft x 10 ft for a huge area of temperatures that are about 20 degrees cooler than in the sun.
Fixed/Stationary Awnings
Fixed or stationary awnings have support legs at the front of the awning to support the frame. The fabrics and frame are about the same as a retractable awning. One of the most vulnerable elements of an awning is the fabric. When it is fixed or stationary it is in the elements that can cause daily damages of tears in heavy winds and stretches as water pools. The fabric rubs against the awning ribs to fray and fade, become brittle and tear. The frame can also become damaged in high winds and twist so that it doesn’t’ support the fabric as it should and it becomes a safety hazard.
Portable Awnings
There are two main types of portable awnings that can be removed when not in use and stored, then easily put back on the patio when you need a shady and cool place to hang out. Portable awnings do not need to mount to your house.
Patio umbrellas come in several different styles, sizes, and colors. They may have the pole in the center of a table with a patio umbrella hole in it or they may be offset to the side of an area. Umbrellas can be round or square and they will open and close manually. If a patio umbrella is not closed during rain and wind, it can become damaged quite easily on the fabric and on the frame.
Shade sails or canopies are available in many sizes, shapes, and colors as well. They are mounted to attachment points or anchors that are placed on your deck with at least one side higher than the others to shed water. After being in the elements for quite some time, the fabric will degrade and begin to fade and tear if you don’t take them down and store them when they are not in use.
How Much Do Awnings Cost?
Awning prices vary greatly because there are many variables involved in them. The size is definitely a factor as they come in many different widths and projections from the home over your deck. As a very general comparison, the prices reported by Home Advisor are as follows:
Canvas-Fixed $300-$700
Metal-Fixed $250-$800
Manual Retractable $500-$1,500
Motorized Retractable $2,000-$3,500
Portable $100-$400
A reputable professional can install your deck awning of choice in a very short time and it’s recommended to use a pro so that your deck awning is properly installed. The retractable deck awning is definitely your best choice in all situations whether it attaches to your home or it is freestanding. Retractable awnings have a much longer life than fixed or stationary awnings so you can enjoy your outdoor spaces for years to come.
