Patio Umbrellas, Heaters, Shades | Patio Heat and Shade

We’re about to come into the hottest part of the summer, you know… the part where it feels like you could fry an egg on the floor of your patio. Not only are temperatures rising, but the Sun continues its relentless attack on your family’s skin, eyes and comfort while relaxing in your backyard oasis.

The best way to beat the summer heat is to provide shade in strategic areas of your patio that your family frequents the most. How? You could build a roof or pergola, but that would be spendy and require many of us to acquire a whole new skill set. You could plant some gorgeous shade trees, but who has 15-25 years to wait for those trees to mature to get that blessed relief. Not to worry, our patio experts have exactly the right shade in store for your little ones this summer.

Ideally, you would be able to use the shade on these blistering days but be able to have to sun provide that much-needed Vitamin-D on gorgeous days. Your options are fairly limited… you could use a patio umbrella and move it around to where you need the shade, or you could use what more and more families are relying on to beat the summer heat – the patio awning. A Patio awning gives you shade when you need it, protects your family from surprise summer showers, and easily rolls up to provide golden sunlight when the weather is just right.

We asked our experts to put together their favorite ideas for using retractable awnings in the summer and boy did they come up with some great ones! Let’s take a look…

1. Install a retractable awning for shade only when you need it

Outdoor patio scene with wooden decking, wood dining table and six chairs, wood chaise lounge, wood storage box, grill under grill cover, white exterior walls with Advaning Slim-Gray Series MA1410-108NG manual retractable awning attached

You’ve heard it said a thousand times… keep it simple. When it comes to purchasing items for your home, those with less moving parts are more reliable. Manually cranking the Advaning Slim-Gray Series MA1410-108NG manual retractable awning is super easy, and the unique Easy Pitch™ provides the simplest and most convenient way to adjust the canopy’s pitch angle.

2. Consider a clear awning for an ultramodern aesthetic

View of exterior doorway of brick building, showing an Advaning PA Series PA – SERIES solid polycarbonate premium door awning over a doorway

Sometimes it’s what you can’t see that makes all the difference. The clear polycarbonate construction of the Advaning PA Series PA – SERIES solid polycarbonate premium door awning looks like it will not only provide protection from rain, but the lightweight clear material will block up to 99% of harmful UV rays (UV rays are reflected, while visible light is allowed to pass through). Whether this is modern magic or the very best of science, we love the clean, clear look.

3. No structure near where you need shade? Use a freestanding awning to provide relief

Backyard of modern home, with large plank decking, modern pool, and manicured grass on which stands an Advaning FS Series FS1110-A118H freestanding manual retractable awning

Sometimes shade is needed away from building structures (say over a kiddie pool or sandbox), and the Advaning FS Series FS1110-A118H freestanding manual retractable awning is here to save the day! A single manual crank retracts and extends the awning on both sides of the stand, making it super-simple to create shade where it’s so badly needed.

4. Add a freestanding awning to shade an isolated or freestanding patio

Multiple Dining Tables with Chairs Assembled On the First Floor of an Open Courtyard Hotel

When you’ve got a large, “floating” patio that isn’t attached to another patio or structure, finding a way to shade such a large space can be a hassle. Not if you install (using ground inserts, deck mounts or freestanding offsets) the FIM Manufacturing FT double canopy freestanding awning, allowing you to close the canopy with ease thanks to a simple pulley system.

5. Use multiple freestanding awnings to shade a larger space

Outdoor restaurant patio scene overlooking an ocean inlet with rectangular slate tiled floor, white planters with shrubbery, stone half-wall reflecting pool, beige cloth-covered four-person dining tables all covered by eight naturally colored FIM Manufacturing Flexy FLEXY10X16-M-5404-DMT commercial dual-post awning

Like potato chips, sometimes you can’t use just one freestanding awning to shade a large outdoor space. The FIM Manufacturing Flexy FLEXY10X16-M-5404-DMT commercial dual-post awning is available in multiple sizes which can be linked together, depending on the size of the area.

6. Angle your freestanding awning to adjust the shade perfectly for your patio

Outdoor lawn scene with a lush, green lawn with trees in the background, with two navy-colored fabric benches, small side table with drinks upon it, all shaded by a FIM Manufacturing Flexy Zen FLEXY ZEN 10X14-M-5439-GIB commercial dual-post awning

As the sun tracks on its constant trajectory from east to west, the angle of the sun will cause your shaded area to move along with it. The angle of the FIM Manufacturing Flexy Zen FLEXY ZEN 10X14-M-5439-GIB commercial dual-post awning is easily changed by loosening both ends, moving the canopy to your preferred position, and tightening the ends once more… easy peasy.

Patio Awning FAQs

Is a patio awning a good idea?

Absolutely! Here are some top benefits of a using a patio awning:

Lower the surface temperature of your patio or deck – Blocking a large hunk of the UV rays hitting your patio or deck stops your furniture (and everything else) from increasing surface temperature (on an 80°-day, surface temperatures can reach as high as 150°)
Lower the air temperature of your deck or patio – Not only will an awning block harmful UV rays, but an extended awning can lower the air temperature by as much as 20°
Reduce the cooling bills of your home or business – Properly placed awnings will decrease the sun’s ability to heat the inside of your home, decreasing your air conditioning costs by as much as 20%
Protect your stuff from sun damage – Furniture and flooring are notorious for becoming faced from the effects of direct sunlight, while an extended awning will help your things stay brilliant for years to come
Warm your home in winter – Unlike a pergola or roof, in the winter you can retract your awnings and let the sun’s warmth decrease your home heating bills

What is the best material for a patio awning?

Overall, our experts suggest using a vinyl or polyester composite awning canopy for most homes. They’re completely waterproof, can’t catch on fire, require minimal maintenance, come in a wide variety of colors and sizes and can handle just about anything that mother nature tosses at them.

Our next favorite material for a patio awning would be acrylic fabrics due to their being highly durable and excellent at repelling water. From the looks department, acrylic awnings will still look amazing many years down the line and are the most impervious to sun bleaching.

What type of awning is best?

Our experts say that polycarbonate awnings, which easily withstand intense heat and weather, reduce light transmission and block harmful UV rays with the best of ‘em… and because of this they are your best bet.

Which is better, a pergola or awning?

A pergola is a (mostly) permanent structure that typically has a slatted wood roof to help in blocking sunlight. Although you can drape a canvas or other canopy over the pergola to increase the UV blocking power of the structure, most pergolas rely on the semi-shade provided by the wood slats.

An awning (whether freestanding or attached to your home or business), when extended, provides not only UV blocking but also shelter from rain, and can be retracted during those rare, gorgeous days when you just can’t get enough sun. Our vote is that an awning wins, hands down.

Choosing Your Patio Awning

Now that we’ve seen some amazing ways in which patio awnings can be used to create shade, shelter us in a storm, and somehow look fantastic while doing it, it’s time to choose which one would fit your home or business best. The sizes, fabrics and colors available may overwhelm you… but don’t worry, we’ve got your back!

Out patio comfort experts are the absolute best in the business, and are ready to take your call to help you figure out exactly the right awnings to keep your guests cool and comfy all summer long. We’re here for you – just pick up the phone and we promise to treat you like family.

6 Patio Awning Ideas for Creating Shade in Summer

1. Install a retractable awning for shade only when you need it

2. Consider a clear awning for an ultramodern aesthetic

3. No structure near where you need shade? Use a freestanding awning to provide relief

4. Add a freestanding awning to shade an isolated or freestanding patio

5. Use multiple freestanding awnings to shade a larger space

6. Angle your freestanding awning to adjust the shade perfectly for your patio

Patio Awning FAQs

Is a patio awning a good idea?

What is the best material for a patio awning?

What type of awning is best?

Which is better, a pergola or awning?

Choosing Your Patio Awning

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Ideas & Inspiration

Heating

Shading

Cooling

Outdoor Living

Commercial Applications