Retractable Patio Awnings: A Complete Guide

The fabric is wound around a steel or aluminium roller tube. Two or more lateral arms, each with a strong spring or gas strut in the elbow, push the front bar outwards as the fabric unrolls and keep it taut once it is open. The whole assembly hangs from a square support bar fixed to the wall with heavy brackets.

You open and close it either with a hand crank that hooks into a gearbox, or with a tubular motor hidden inside the roller tube. The pitch – the angle the fabric falls at – can be adjusted on most models, usually between about 5 and 35 degrees.

Awnings work best on a wall with at least 2.5m of clear height above the patio, where the sun reaches the seating area for much of the day – usually a south, south-west or west-facing wall. They are ideal if you want shade in summer but do not want a permanent roof that blocks light into the kitchen or living room for the rest of the year.

They are not designed to stay open in strong wind or heavy rain. If you want somewhere to sit outside in all weathers, a louvred pergola or a glass veranda will serve you better, though at a much higher price. Our guide to awnings versus pergolas covers the alternatives.

Budget awnings sold online often use thin arms with weak springs, polyester fabric that fades in a season or two and no cover over the roller. They can be a reasonable choice for an occasional bit of shade, but they sag, flap and wear quickly.

A quality awning from a specialist installer will usually have powder-coated aluminium arms with belt or chain-reinforced elbows, solution-dyed acrylic fabric, stainless steel fixings and a written guarantee on the frame and motor. Ask each installer to name the manufacturer and model so you can compare like with like.