Once again in the UK the summer has not been the greatest. We have a couple of days of sun but then several days of cloud and rain. This can make things difficult for those who enjoy outdoor living.

Previously we have discussed about the use of Verandas and how they can provide an excellent garden shelter. There is now an alternative to this in the form of Sun & Rain Awnings.

The Sun & Rain Awning is a cross between a Veranda and a standard Patio Awning.  It consists of a cassette that is mounted to the wall and a slimline frame that is supported at the front edge by two posts.

When the Sun And Rain Awning is needed then a simple press of a remote control will extend the blind. High quality, self cleaning, UV protective fabric will extend from the cassette creating a cool and shaded area whilst the sun is out. If it begins to rain then there is no problem as the tensioned material allows the water to safely run off.

For those who need a very shallow pitch on their Awning, one edge of the front can be lowered by up to 30cm to create a run off for the rain water.  This is achieved by pulling on a handle. Inside the posts is a gas assisted piston so when it comes to restoring the original height, all that is required is the press of a button and the end raises back up to its original location.

When not in use, the Sun & Rain Awning is retracted back into the cassette mounted onto the wall. It is then fully protected from the elements and keeps the fabric looking pristine ready for the next operation.

Thanks to the framework that is used, these Awnings are able to extend much further than a standard Patio Awning.  A single unit can be manufactured to a width of 5m and have a projection of up to 6m. Two units can be coupled together creating a width of up to 10m and projection of 6m. A special gutter profile fills the gap between the two fabrics, ensure that there is no sun or rain leakage.

Often the Sun & Rain Awning will be referred to as  All Weather Awnings. You can certainly see why this would be the case however the title can be misleading. Whilst it is perfect for use in sunny weather and also able to cope with quite heavy rainfall, you certainly could not use it in the snow as it would quickly damage the fabric. The Sun & Rain Awning is also able to cope with relatively strong winds however you would not want to leave it out in a gale as it could well lead to damage.

There are many reasons why people would choose to have Awnings installed to their homes. Of course, the primary motive for an Awning would be to provide shade and protection from the sun.  Awnings do a great job of this. They can extend your home at the press of a button giving excellent UV protection as well as a cool retreat when then sun does come out! Awnings will also keep your home cool and furnishings protected from fading with the rays of the sun.

With all this inconsistent weather a lot of people are buying Awnings to use, not only for sun protection, but also for sheltering from the rain. Is this a wise choice?

A good quality Awning will provide shelter from the rain, the fabric, whilst not necessarily being waterproof, will not let water penetrate it unless there is a significant amount of water pooling on the fabric. If you were to let water pool on your fabric to this degree it would break the Awning!

So are awnings designed to work in the rain? The simple answer is no. This is not the design. However, if you ensure that the angle or pitch of the Awning is sufficient, there should be no problem using the Awning in light to moderate rain as long as you ensure that pooling of water does not occur.

The recommended angle for water to effectively run off is a pitch of 14 degrees. To achieve this kind of angle with an Awning with a 3m projection you would need to look at fixing the cassette at a height of 3m at the back, which is rather high. This may not look the most aesthetically pleasing to the eye and it also will reduce the amount of shade.

The more you bring the cassette down the wall, the more vigilant you have to be when using the Awning in the rain. Of course, the Awning will look more aesthetically pleasing and will be much more effective at providing shade.

Ultimately it is down to the customers’ requirements as to what is best. Does anyone really want to sit outdoors when it is absolutely pouring down? If the answer is no, then look to having a lower fixing height on the wall and be vigilant when using the Awning in the rain.

Now is a good time for you to start considering a purchase of a Sun Awning. Usually a custom made Sun Awning will take some weeks to manufacture, depending on the company that you use. The longer you leave it, the less likely you will have it during the busy summer months.

Sun Awnings are a great way to extend your home with the minimum of fuss and hassle. When the Awning is not in use it resides in a compact aluminium casing that can be quite discreet, depending on your frame colour choice. At the press of a button the Awning will extend giving a large area of shade and protection for the rays of the Sun.

Choosing a high quality Awning will not only guarantee that your Awning remains trouble free for many years, using high quality fabrics also give the best UV protection.

As everyone is aware, the rays of the sun can be extremely damaging to our skin. If you enjoy outdoor living then sun protection is a must. High quality Awning fabrics will keep you cool and protected allowing to you remain comfortably outdoors for as long as you desire.

The sun can also damage carpets and furnishings. On a nice sunny day you do not always want to have to close the curtains or shut the blind. However, by not doing so your room can get hot, you suffer the glare of the sun and your carpets and furnishings get damaged. With the use of a Sun Awning you can protect your furniture as well as remaining cool and all this without blocking the light or your view!

Many Awnings come with a choice of either electric or manual operation. The electric Awnings are now by far the most popular choice as they can be operated with no effort using a remote control. It is also possible to utilise a sun and wind sensor to automatically extend and retract your Awning even when you are not at home. This will keep your home cool and furnishings protected even whilst you are out!

Full Cassette Awnings

A fully cassetted Patio Awning is generally the most expensive Awning type that you can buy. A full cassette Patio Awning means that when the Awning is not in use, the fabric and arms and mechanisms all retract back into a sealed unit. When closed you are not able to see any of these parts. The benefit of choosing a full cassette Patio Awning is twofold. One reason is that the Awning will be protected from the elements far better than any other Awning type so it will look brand new each time you come to operate it. The second reason is that  full cassette Patio Awnings generally will look far more stylish on your property and generally will impress anyone looking at it far more!

These Patio Awnings need to be designed really well to ensure that the components of the awning sit snugly together without causing any complications. Combined with the fact that there is much more aluminium required to make a full cassette Awning you will obviously expect that the cost will be greater than some of the more basic models.

Semi Cassette Awning

The semi cassetted Patio Awning brings a happy medium to those who are looking for a quality product that will be protected from the elements but do not want to spend the amount that a full cassette Awning would set them back.

As the name suggests,  semi cassette Awnings have a partial cassette that covers the top section of the Awning. This generally means that looking form the underside of the Awning, you will see the arms and a small amount of fabric.

The semi cassette generally does a really good job of keeping the Awning looking great when not in use. There really are some lovely semi cassetted Patio Awnings on the market and it may well be worth a look even if you are expecting the best of the best.

As less aluminium of metalwork is used in building the Awning frame you will expect to pay less than a full cassette Awning.

The Standard Awning

The standard Awning is similar to the semi cassette Awning. It has a cover on the top and the arms and fabric will be visible from the underside of the Awning. As this is not a cassetted Awning, rather than the components locking and sealing together when closed, it is common for there to be gabs around the edges of the front bar meaning that you can still see parts of the fabric from the front.

Everything is still pretty protected though it is quote easy for wind and rain to get into the Awning and depending on your location this could mean that the front of the fabric will need cleaning more often than having a semi or full cassette model.

Generally the standard awning will be significantly cheaper than the previous types mentioned as the design is simple and less components are used to achieve the end result. It is the perfect Patio Awning solution for those who just need shade and cover and are not so worried about style.

Open Awnings

These are similar to the standard Awnings except they do not have a cover at all. If you are installing the awning under a soffit or similar then this is certainly the most cost effective model types.  The obvious negative about this awning type is it has zero fabric and mechanism protection. If it is installed outdoors with no cover then it will get dirty and, whilst serving a practical purpose, may end up not looking that attractive.

The problem comes about when you do not have a flat wall to install your Sun Awning to. Fortunately there are several solutions that will allow you to install in these situations.

Bungalows are particularly awkward to install Sun Awnings to due to the lack of solid wall space. You should never install a Sun Awning on the top courses of bricks as the force will just pull the bricks away and end up causing damage to your property. Also there is the risk that the Sun Awning could collapse when this happens.

So what do you use if you are in this situation? Well, Sun Awning experts will use what is known as spreader plates. These are plates that attach to the Sun Awning at the top and then come down the wall, usually by between 50 to 75cm. Usually there are three fixing points spanning down the wall. This means that even though the Sun Awning is situated around the top courses of bricks, the fixings are much lower down. These have the strength of brickwork above meaning they will not pull away.

Another problem that often will affect bungalows is that even with spreader plates, the Sun Awning is just too low and unless it has hardly any pitch on it and extends completely flat, then you will restrict your view and potentially hit your head on the front plate when it is in use. Having a Sun Awning coming out flat is not a good thing as even with the slightest shower, rain water will pool on the fabric, very quickly causing extreme stresses on the Sun Awning possibly leading to damage.

The solution here is to use an S shaped bracket. Similar to the spreader plates these come down the wall around 75cm and have three to four fixing points. At the top the brackets steps out and upwards. This allows you to clear soffits and usually the Sun Awning sits just above the gutter line.

Any house that has the upper walls tile hung will also benefit from a smaller version of the S bracket. It simply doesn’t step out quite so far. As each bracket is usually custom made, they can apply to many situations.

Another common problem that crops up time and time again when installing a Sun Awning is that there is a pipe, maybe a drainpipe or soil pipe right there in the middle of the wall that you wanted to install your Sun Awning to. Pipe brackets are the solution here.

Pipe brackets are usually quite compact brackets. They usually consist of a plate that attaches to the wall of the house, an extension, usually box section, extends out horizontally to the desired distance to clear the obstruction. A second plate connects to this box section that allows you to fit the Sun Awning.

In some instances brickwork may be of such a poor standard that it will not take a Sun Awning.  It may be a timber framed building, or even a static caravan where you wish to utlise the Sun Awning. If this is the case then the only alternative is to make the Awning freestanding. This is easily achieved using support posts.

Support posts are generally made out of 8cm box section. They are sunk in the ground close to the building. As with all the brackets mentioned above, they are powder coated to blend in. The Sun Awning then mounts directly to the posts meaning that the fixings are totally independent to the building itself. Usually a hole is dug around 60cm deep and fast drying cement is used.

Taking all of the above methods into account there is rarely a time that a Sun Awning can not be fitted to a property. Some people are just not aware that these options exist. Sure, they may add a little extra expense, but the benefits of using a Sun Awning far outweigh this minor negative.

Awnings for homes brings to you something special. It is almost like having another room on your house that is fully retractable when not in use. At the press of a button your sun awning will extend offering you shade from the sun as well as providing shelter when there is light rain. On top of this your home remains cool and your furnishings protected.

UV rays from the sun damage furniture and cause skin damage so it is very important to be protected if you intend to sit outdoors or you have a window that tends to get a lot of sun. With the use of sun and wind automation your awning can come extend and retract even whilst you are not at home. This ensures that you get home to a cool room and your furnishings are protected.

Many people are put off of the idea of getting a Sun Awning for their home because they believe there is not the possibility of achieving successful installation. Sun Awnings are were first designed for across Europe. Many of these buildings have no obstructions such as drain pipes and chimneys in the middle of the wall you would intend to fit to. Bungalows or houses with low soffits are also very uncommon. Here in the UK almost all walls have some kind of obstruction that would prevent a Sun Awning being installed in the ideal location.

Sun Awning specialists can overcome these obstacles with ease. Using specially designed brackets made out of steel and powder coated to remain aesthetically pleasing and resistant to rust, an awning can be mounted in almost any location.  Here are some of the main types of brackets you will find.

Pipe Brackets

Pipe brackets are specially designed to bring the awning away from the wall to miss obstacles mounted on the wall. Often gutter downpipes, soil pipes or even plants such as ivy will stop the awning being able to be installed flat on the wall. Using two or more pipe brackets you are able to bring the awning past the obstructions. Bear in mind that this will leave a gap behind the awning. This is usually no problem unless you are looking for rain shelter. The easiest method to overcome this is to fit some PVC soffit board to the back of the awning, filling the gap.

Gutter Brackets

Gutter brackets, often called S brackets because of their shape, are designed to bring the awning out then up. These are the ideal solutions for bungalows or where there are low soffits. Mounting an awning too low will reduce the view and potentially make it dangerous as people could hit their head on it. using gutter brackets you are able to bring the awning out from under the soffit and in line with, or slightly above the gutter line.

Spreader Plates

If you have a single storey extension or very few bricks above where the desired location for the awning then you may well need spreader plates. If you install an awning on the top few courses of bricks, especially when there is little weight above the awning you can often find the brickwork could pull away or crack leaving you with all sorts of issues down the line. Spreader plates are usually 500mm to 1m in length and they allow you install your awning in the desired location but bring the fixings further down the wall where they will be much stronger.

Posts

Sometimes your building will not have the strength to hold and awning full stop. This might be because the walls are made of weak brick or perhaps it is for a static home or even wooden summer house. Either way, your building will not hold the weight of an awning no matter what. Using 80 x80mm posts you can install them into the ground, usually 600mm deep or so and mount the awning to these posts. This makes a totally independent free standing structure so no weight or strain is put on your building at all. The posts can mount very close tot he building and be powder coated to blend in. You would hardly even notice that it was a free standing structure.

To summarise, there are very few situations where a sun awning for your home cannot be installed.  Of course you should seek the advice from an awning expert but you should be able to achieve the shade, shelter and protection for wherever you feel it would most benefit your property.

This often is a more than satisfactory solution for most people, however there are a lot of people that would like to save some money by surveying and installing a Sun Awning themselves. With the age of the internet it is easy to check out various model and styles and make a decision without the need of a sales representative.

The current Sun Awnings market in the UK is pretty divided at the moment. On one hand you have the home improvement companies who offer exceptionally high quality Sun Awning products but only as a whole package, and the other side is where you can only buy dirt cheap, low quality Sun Awnings that are designed on price and not quality.

Fortunately there are now companies emerging that cater for those who want to give self fitting  a Sun Awning a go yet do not want to be forced into buying substandard  inferior Awning products.

When you decide to buy a Sun Awning you will be presented with many different options from Awning style, frame colour fabric type, fabric colour as well as of course size.  Some companies will stock many different sizes with many different colour variations but unless they have a substantial Sun Awning warehouse this will still be extremely limiting simply due to the number of choices that are available to you.

Other companies offer a bespoke Sun Awning service where they will manufacture a high quality Sun Awning based on your requirements. This is by far the most ideal solution as you can tailor your Awning to blend perfectly with your property as well as provide the exact area of shelter that is required.

Try http://www.sun-awnings-direct.co.uk for a bespoke, supply only Sun Awning service

It is uncommon to have such heat so early in the year but hopefully this is a sign that a good summer is at last on its way to us!

Sitting in the sun makes you realise its immense power and how important it should be to keep yourself and your children out of the sun for any length period of time. With the sun so high in the sky at this time of year it is often the case that dun damage can be caused right up to 8 in the evening! Something that doesn’t really happen towards the end of July to August when we usually see the hottest weather.

As you know, I am a strong believer in the use of Patio Awnings. Patio Awnings are a great way to instantly provide an area of shade that can used to sit under or allow children to play under. More important than shade is the fact that quality Patio Awnings will offer a high level of UV protection, cutting out the majority of the harmful rays of the sun.

Patio Awnings are really an ideal solution as, at the press of a button the Awning will extend. When it is no longer required, the retractable sun awning will close back into a neat and tidy cassette which you would hardly notice is there.

If your patio gets the sun for the majority of the day you can quickly find that your house heats up to uncomfortable levels. There are solutions to this problem such as the use of exterior sun screens, or the new zip screens. However, often just extending your Patio Awning will keep your room cool as well allow you to look outside without being blinded by the sun!

There are many varieties of Patio Awnings out the market at the moment. Some are really cheap but do not expect these cheap models to last long and be very careful as lower quality fabrics may offer shade but sometimes do not offer very good UV resistance so the chances of getting burnt are still likely!

As the weather is now meant to get cooler for the coming days we should all keep our fingers crossed that this mini heat wave is a sign that summer is going to be good this year!

Now we are getting to the end of the worst of the weather, when the sun is shining you can once again begin to feel it’s warmth and it immediately makes you look towards the summer in the hope that this year, we will get a good one. Cold winters should equal warm summers. Also the laws of probability should state that due to the number of poor summers we have experienced we should be on for a hot one at last!

Patio Awnings are an ideal extension to your home and, whilst they are intended as a summer product, you will find uses for them all year round. The obvious use is for sun protection which is coming to the forefront of more people’s minds with the known damage the rays of the sun can cause. This is why it is important to ensure that you purchase a quality Patio Awning fabric for your product that offers UV protection.

The Patio Awning market is flooded now with substandard products that are imported and sold as cheap as possible. Unfortunately this results in substandard materials being used including fabric that does not protect as well against the UV rays of the sun and also is prone to rot and corrosion.

Buying a quality Patio Awning will ensure that the product remains in good working order and looking as good as new for many years. Whilst the initial investment may be larger, you will save yourself and big headache for the future as well as actually adding value to your home.

If you are considering buying a Patio Awning then you need to look for a frame manufactured from aluminium which is strong and durable and rust free. As previously discussed you need to ensure that your fabric has UV protection and will not be likely to rot. If you intend to use your Patio Awning in light showers you need to ensure that it has the necessary water proofing protection.

There are many variations of Patio Awnings to choose from. Fully cassetted Patio Awnings are both aesthetically the most pleasing whilst giving your Awning the most protection from the weather conditions. Semi cassetted awnings are often slightly cheaper but still give good protection from the weather.

Before buying your Patio Awning or committing any money for a deposit ensure you seek advice from an expert and then look forward to enjoying many years under your Patio Awning.

There is still a chance for some sun still this year and those who were planning to invest in a Sun Awning product may find that this poor summer has really worked too their advantage when considering a purchase of a Sun Awning.

There are obvious reasons why suppliers and manufacturers of Sun Awnings have now lowered their pricing. Of course, at this time of year, people will often think to leave the purchase of the Sun Awning until the following year. This can be a mistake as investing now, you can often save over 50% of the cost that you would pay in peak seasons. On top of this, the fact that the weather has been so poor this year, Sun Awning companies have a lot of excess stock – bought in on the promise of the good summer weather that the whole country so deserved.

Look out for the promotions of the Sun Awning specialists and you will see some fantastic savings as well as some great offers on how quickly your Sun Awning can be installed. I have seen companies manufacturing a bespoke Sun Awning product and promising installation within a two week period. This is great for many reasons, certainly one is the fact that there is still a glimmer of hope that the summer is not over yet and we will still have some nice sunny periods throughout September and October – perfect for making use of the Sun Awning before next year.

Another huge benefit of the Sun Awning is the fact that it can be used in light rain which allows you to continue being outside even when these light showers come and go.

With the Sun Awning market being flooded by low grade, poor quality Sun Awning products, it is now even more important to ensure that the Sun Awning product you choose is high quality. Usually the only way to achieve this is to use one of the top named home improvements companies to buy your Sun Awning from. They will offer you a professional service from sales right through to fitting. Another option for those who are very price conscious and perhaps practically minded there are now options to buy these high quality Sun Awnings direct to be delivered to your door on a supply only basis. You can simply install the Sun Awning yourself and save a large amount of money by missing out the sales reps, surveyors and fitting teams.

Fingers crossed that summer continues!