All You Need To Know About Garden Awnings

A garden awning is a great way to provide shelter to any patio area at the rear of your home. What we love about garden or patio awnings is the fact that they will shelter the area from sun or rain when you want it, but can be withdrawn when you don’t need them! Not only does this help to keep them the garden awning protected and safe through the winter months, but it means that you can enjoy the sun when you want it and the shade when you don’t!

There is lots to consider when you are trying to purchase a garden awning, such as the materials that they are made from, the size and most importantly the mechanisms that help them to work! Our expert buyer’s guide will hopefully help to make the buying process easier.

Best Pick – Kookaburra Waterproof Garden Sun Shade

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In A Hurry?

If you are sick of being burned to a crisp when relaxing in your garden, or your al fresco dining plans being cancelled because of the rain then look no further…here is all the most important information that you need to know before you purchase a garden awning. 

Garden Awning Size 

The size of your garden awning is largely going to depend on the size of your house, the size of your garden and the space that you are wanting to cover. 

The first size that you need to consider is the width (usually spanning along all or part of the back of the house). They come in a wide range of sizes from as small as a metre, to as large as around 6 metres (bigger models can be found but these usually have to be custom made so are going to cost more). The average size is around 3 metres but we found many companies offering a range of sizes to suit everyone. Make sure to leave a little space at either side of the awning so that they are not flush with neighbours properties, but also consider the position of the sun around the garden and whether your garden awning is going to provide full protection all throughout the day. 

The next thing you need to consider is the length (how far your garden awning will project into the garden). If your awning is going to cover a patio then you are probably going to want it to be able to cover all of this, but this really comes down to personal preference. There is quite a range in this from around a metre up to 5 metres. You will also find some models that are able to work at varying lengths depending on what you are doing – but we will look at this more further in the garden. 

Material 

There are various different material types that are used for garden awnings as well depending on what budget you have available and how much you are planning on using your awning. 

• Polyester – This is going to be one of the cheaper materials that you will find for your garden awning so it is a good option if you are not planning on using it regularly. It is nice and light so easy to fold away when not in use, however it isn’t the most durable so can start to discolour and wear over time unless you take good care of them. 
• Acrylic – Acrylic is a more expensive but also longer lasting option due to it being UV-resistant and weather resistant. If you know that you are going to be using your garden awning regularly then this could be the best option for you as it is going to look new for much longer. 
• Micro-perforated fabric – This is the material to go for if you are wanting the best garden awning. UV-resistant, tear-resistant, rot resistant – what more could you want? It is also a nice and breathable material so it isn’t going to become overly warm underneath the awning during those summer months. If you are wanting an awning that can be left open for a considerable amount of the year then this is the way to go! 

TOP TIP: All of these materials are going to be waterproof to an extent (enough for you to be able to wipe them down to clean) but look out for ones that offer additional waterproof layers if you are planning on using your awning during those frustrating British showers! 

Cassette 

The cassette of your garden awning is the part that protects the actual garden awning and you will have to choose from a full-cassette or a half-cassette. 

A full-cassette awning is going to be designed to cover not just the material of the awning but also the arms underneath which is going to offer great protection for your whole awning. This can mean that your awning will last longer as the working mechanisms of the arms won’t be exposed to wind and rain over those winter months. Not only that, but arguably they do also look better as all the parts of the awning are tucked away when not in use. Electric garden awnings are almost always going to come in full-cassette models. 

A half-cassette awning is where the fabric is protected by the cover but the arms are on show underneath. These are almost always cheaper than full-cassette models and are usually less bulky but they are going to offer a lot less protection to the awning which can affect function over time. 

Electric or Manual 

The next option you have is whether you go for an electric awning or a manual awning. A large part of your choice in this is going to come down to budget, as manual awnings are going to be considerably cheaper than electric models, but there are other factors to consider as well. 

• Manual awnings – Manual awnings are going to be the cheapest option for you to purchase and also need the least amount of maintenance and upkeep. However, you are going to have to be prepared to put in a lot more effort for the opening and closing of your garden awning. This is fine if you are only opting for a relatively small garden awning, but larger awnings are going to be quite heavy to maneuver so this is going to require quite a bit of manpower from you. 
• Electric awnings – Electric awnings are admittedly going to be more expensive but they are really going to reduce the amount of effort that you need to put into opening and closing your awning. Simply press a button and your awning will open or shut as far as you are wanting it to – it’s as easy as that! Just remember though that they are going to need regular maintenance and oil to keep them working properly, plus tend to have bulkier casings. 

TOP TIP: If you opt for an electric model then it’s worth checking whether it does come with a manual option – this is important for in case the electrics fail for whatever reason as you will need to be able to get your awning safely away! 

Installation

You also need to think about how you are going to need to think about installing your garden awning which is arguably the most difficult part of the process – but once it is up you can guarantee it will be worth all the time and effort that you have put in! This aspect is vitally important as more often than not yori awning is going to be fitted into the wall of your home! Here is some guidance on installing your garden awnings…

• Fixtures and fittings – Make sure that your gardening awning is going to come with good quality fittings that are going to last and avoid doing damage to the wall that they are going into. You will also need to check whether these are going to be compatible with the brick/material that the wall is made from – this will be outlined by the manufacturer. 
• Weight – Make sure to check the overall weight of your awning (which is largely dependent on the size that you opt for) to ensure that the wall is going to be able to hold this extra weight. 
• Position – Be careful that your awning isn’t going to impact on any windows, doorways, guttering or side access to your property. Although having an awning that covers your windows (safely) can be quite a good idea to keep inside your home cool during those summer months. 

Best Budget – HEYOMART Sun Shade Sail

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Additional Awning Advantages 

Now that you know the main things you need to think about before you purchase your garden awning, keep reading for some additional factors that we found important when looking to buy! 

• Awning valance – a valance is the extra bit of material that drapes down over the front of your awning. They will offer you additional protection from the sun, particularly whilst it is lower in the sky.
• Remote controlled awning – Some of the best electric garden awnings actually come with remote controls. This means that you don’t even need to move from your sun lounger to be able to control your awning! 
• Wind and sun sensors – These only tend to be found in the high- end garden awnings but if you are serious about buying the best product then it is well worth looking out for. These awnings can adjust themselves depending on the weather conditions – so you don’t need to worry about whether it is too windy to have your awning out. 
• Lighting – One feature that can really help your awning to stand out is lighting, especially if you are hoping to dine or relax under your awning in the evenings. If the idea of this takes your fancy then look out for awnings that come with lighting fitted into the underneath. Lighting isn’t always easy to add afterwards without impacting on the mechanisms of the awning so is always  better if it comes as part of the awning when you purchase it. 
• Garden awning cover – Most good quality garden awnings are going to come with some level of cover (which we went into more detail on above). However, you can actually purchase fabric covers FOR the garden awning cover. This might sound a little odd – but the plastic cover that protects the awning and the arms is going to be open to the elements all the time so can start to look tired over time. Purchasing a cheap, replaceable cover for this will keep it looking new and is a much more viable option! 
• Colour – The colour of your garden awning really comes down to personal preference but there are some other factors to consider too. You may want to go for a neutral white/cream colour as this is going to repel the sun as much as possible and blend in with your garden, however this can become marked easily. There are also brighter awnings if you are wanting to add a little colour to your garden and will be more generous in hiding the marks. Just make sure that these come UV-protected so that they don’t discolour in the sunlight as easily. 

Still trying to decide whether a garden awning is actually right for you? Why not check out our pop up gazebos and garden pergolas in case either of these are going to be a better option for you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I clean my garden awning?

Cleaning your garden awning is relatively simple – you just need to make sure to be careful if you are using a ladder! Firstly use a brush to sweep off any dirt or leaves. Then use a hose of a bucket of water to wet your awning. Using a mild soap you can then carefully scrub the surface of the awning to remove any marks or stains. Once the soap has had time to soak in simply wash it down with clean water and then leave your awning open to dry out. 

What guarantee should I get with a garden awning?

You will usually find that different parts of your garden awning come with different warranties but this does depend on the manufacturer. This usually ranges from around 2 years up to 5 years but we did find some with longer. It is common to find that the warranty for the motor (in electric models) is longer than the warranty for the material of the awning.

Can garden awnings be repaired?

Yes! Most garden awnings can be repaired and many actually come with a kit which will allow you to do this. It is important to note however that normally this area will then be weaker so may not last as long and will probably not be as waterproof.