Two tips for those who are going to install awnings over their patios

If you think your patio area could benefit from the presence of an awning and you are going to fit this new feature yourself, here are a couple of tips that you should take note of when you are preparing to install this item.

Make sure the awning fabric is pulled taut

When you mount the awning onto the support poles and the wall that faces your home's patio, you should make sure that the fabric is pulled taut. If, instead of doing this, you attach it too loosely, the awning might sag in the middle.

Aside from the fact that this mistake will mean that the awning won't look as good as it could, this dip in the centre of it may cause problems after it has been in place for a while. For example, if it rains a lot in your area, rainwater could collect on this part of the awning and then sit there for a long period of time (if the sun does not dry it up fast enough). The weight of the water could gradually stretch the fabric, which could cause even more unsightly sagging.

Furthermore, being saturated for days on end might cause the fabric to deteriorate and result in it become permeable (as most awnings are water-resistant, which means they are designed to tolerate brief periods of contact with water but are not supposed to be fully saturated for extended periods), in which case, the awning would no longer prevent rain from dripping down onto the patio below it. By ensuring that the fabric is as taut as possible when you install it, you can prevent the awning from succumbing to these issues.

Do not use the awning's support poles for anything other than their intended purpose

Because the support poles that come with most awnings are quite sturdy, homeowners sometimes try to attach other garden accessories to these parts after installing them. However tempting this might be, you should not do this. If for example, you decide to attach a hammock to your new awning's support poles so that you can create an extra seat in your garden area, you will probably encounter a number of problems.

For instance, if the poles are made from timber, the hammock rope that is tied around them will dig into the wood each time someone sits in the hammock and these ropes are put under strain. This could eventually whittle away these sections of the poles to the point where they become too thin to support the awning's weight. This, in turn, might cause the awning to collapse. 

For more information, speak with someone who provides awnings.