Patios are usually created to be in full sun. Not necessarily the scorching afternoon summer sun, but enough warming rays to relax and take in some much needed vitamin D.

A place for friends to gather, children to play, cooking outdoors, and a number of other family activities, your patio can become one of the main centers of your home.

However, too much sun on the patio can be uncomfortable and even unusable. The addition of an awning in your patio design will allow you to enjoy the sun’s warmth without becoming burned by the sun and also provide protection against passing showers. Patio awnings, canopies or shades are a very useful addition to your outdoor comfort.

An awning can be either retracting or a fixed permanent type. Fixed awnings, as their name suggests, stay in a stationary position all the time. Permanently attached to a frame of steel or aluminium, It is usually some type of shade cloth. Retractable awnings can be stored quickly, and are available in either electric or crank operated models. In areas, yards, properties, and landscaping where awnings must be taken down for winter and put back up again in spring, retractable awnings which can be stored in their own compartments are quite convenient.

A shade sail can be used as an alternative to installing a full awning. If you can’t find a shade sail to fit your needs, you can combine several smaller ones together or you can have them custom made. A simple tension system anchored to poles, walls, or some other dwelling is usually used to install shade sails. Where awnings are most often permanent, sails are portable and can taken to a new home and reinstalled if you happen to move.

Shade structures were once all made from canvas. Today however, there are lots of different colorful fabric types that are used for making shade cloth. Beyond being garden decor, the cloth is very strong and uv resistant which makes sun, wind, or storm damage a lot less likely. How tight the cloth is weaved determines the level of filtering. It also has a big impact on cost.

Shade sails and patio awnings keep sun lovers safe from too much sun while enjoying their patios. While they’re available in almost any existing color scheme, sails and awnings can also help reduce glare.