There are many benefits in having awnings on your home or office windows. Most people don’t realize that they can actually save money with the addition of awnings on their windows. If you’re windows are facing south, you can reduce solar heat gain up to 65% and up to 77% on west facing windows. Awning fabric is made so they do not keep heat and moisture in the materials, which will end up cutting costs of your air conditioning bills up to 25%! A quality awning fabric can also protect any furnishings (like furniture) from color damage as well provide you with more outdoor living space on those hot summer days. There are many different awning fabric types to choose from, as well as different brands. This guide will help you understand the different options available.
The first type of awning fabric is acrylic coated polyester. The top brand for this option is Main Street™ Plus. Acrylic coated polyester makes a great option for awnings. There will not be any leaks and the materials won’t stretch. There’s nothing worse than sitting under an awning or canopy and dealing with a leak. There aren’t too many brands that manufacture this type of awning fabric (or at least as well as Main Street™)
Solution dyed woven acrylic is often found at marinas on boats. This type of awning fabric is usually weather proof and the colors of the fabric will last for a very long time. This material is also used for marine cushions and boat covers. The recommended brands that specialize in this type of fabric are Sunbrella®, Awning-weight Outdura® and Dickinson Awning. All of them offer great warranties with the purchase of their awning fabric.
Vinyl laminated polyester is recommended for humid areas and they do well against mildew and UV rays. This awning fabric can also be used as a pool and hot tub cover or even for outdoor umbrellas. Patio 500 Vinyl is the leading manufacturer for vinyl laminated polyester.
Solution-dyed acrylic coated polyester is usually made with bright colors and is a laminated fabric. In addition to awning fabric, this material is used for boats, cockpits, t-tops and more. Outdura Trio® is the only company to manufacture a marine fabric that is waterproof as well as breathable.
Polyester awning fabric is best suited for heat-filtering awnings, lawn and patio furniture as well as safety vests and more. This material is easy to care for and cleaning it is a simple process. This option is on the lighter side of protection. Ferrari Precontraint®, Phiferetex and weblon all specialize in polyester awning fabric.
A quite popular option is PVC coated woven polyester. This type of awning fabric is specially designed to resist mildew and soiling. It’s also extremely durable. This is popular due to its strong shade factor is offers. If you’re looking for sun-protection, this is a great option. Sunsure and Textilene offer several great options for this type of awning fabric.
The last option is vinyl coated polyester, which is often produced in the mesh form. Since it’s made in the mesh form, it’s extremely breathable and lightweight. This can be found used on truck covers, gym dividers, banners and even tent sidewalls. Vinyl coated Mesh offers a great option here.
As you can see there are many different options when shopping for awning fabric. Hopefully this guide has helped you understand the different options out there. Before making any purchases, I always recommend collecting several different samples! Always look for a solid warranty program as well. Good luck!