What is an Awning

A pergola awning is similar to an awning, featuring a fabric shade above, but instead of retractable arms, pergola awnings feature fixed legs and the fabric travels down beams which form part of the structure. Their fixed nature tends to make them more of a specific garden design and a more visible focal point in your outdoor space. Sometimes also known as fixed awnings, they're a popular choice in larger garden designs and also used to create a shaded walkway.

It's not just you that an awning protects - the fabric used in our awning are UV resistant, which will help prevent sun damage to your furnishings. While actively offering shade to people and things directly underneath it, it's also having a benefit beyond the shaded area beneath. The shade of your awning keeps the adjoining interior room cool, and helps reduce glare inside too. Most awnings also provide a little privacy to your outdoors area, allowing you to fully relax and enjoy your extra living space. 

Pergola awnings work in a similar way with fabric extending out to create shade but they have a fixed framework of legs and overhead beams, made from aluminium. Our pergola awnings are also motorised as standard, and are controlled by a remote control.

Our luxury awnings are crafted using high quality fabric, treated to prevent fading. Any sunny day is ideal awning weather, as it will provide shade from the sun's rays not only for you but for your furniture and soft furnishings. Built-in vibration sensors can retract your awning if there is any indication of wind, but as with any outdoor feature you should always use common sense and keep an eye on the weather. Awnings need to be manually retracted if it rains and extended fully to allow them to dry when the rain has stopped.

Pergola awnings offer the same sun protection, and also need to be retracted if it rains, then extended to help them dry. Because pergola awnings offer the benefit of legs they're more stable, so they don't require vibration sensors and will only need retracting in high winds, although you can opt for a wind sensor upgrade which will do this automatically, again with the same common sense approach.

For ultimate enjoyment of your awning or pergola awning long into the evening, we offer optional integrated heating and lighting, allowing you control at the touch of a button – no more interrupted al fresco dining as the evening cools down. You can also choose sun sensors for awnings, which activate your awning as soon as sunshine is detected, meaning you have a shaded spot ready and waiting for you when you're ready.

Our professional installers undertake a survey prior to installation, to ensure the awning placement will provide shade at an optimum level for as much of the day as possible, allowing for the sun's movement. The type and placement of retractable awnings depends on a variety of different factors and our free in-home consultation service is the best way to discuss all the different options. Pergola awnings have additional considerations due to their fixed framework but our design consultants will be able to answer all your questions and help you decide if a pergola awning can work in the space, or even suggest a different placing to make the most of the pergola awning.

Retractable awnings are relatively low maintenance but there are a few factors to keep in mind. Most awnings and pergola awnings will need very little hands-on care and we use low maintenance fabrics for ease too and a soft bristle brush should take care of most issues. A simple wipe-down of the awning cassette and brackets will help extend the life of your awning.

Pergola awnings are equally easy to maintain; aluminium awnings will not rust in the outdoors, so when it comes to a fixed awning, aluminium is the ideal choice for metal awnings.