An awning has one purpose - to protect buildings and people from the ever unpredictable weather. In Australia, we consistently swing from sunshine to rain showers in an instant, awnings are a must for many homes and businesses to provide comfort to those who live or work there.
These days, we are spoilt for choice in awning fabrics, with styles, shapes and designs aplenty. But what type of awning fabric works best for what purpose? Do some work harder than others when it comes to protection? Here, we look at awning material types and trends in more detail.
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Why Choose a Fabric Awning?
Awnings have been used for centuries, dating to ancient Egyptian times. Back then, the choice of awning materials was limited, with woven mats the only way to create cover from the harsh sun.
Nowadays, all kinds of materials are available to protect against the elements. Yet, despite the sheer number of protective coverings gifting us more choices than ever, the fabric awning still reigns supreme. And here’s why.
Great ROI
Good quality fabrics have a ten-year lifespan when kept maintained. That’s a lot of years to enjoy your awning fabric before you’ll need to think about a replacement – saving you money over time.
Flexible protection
Fabric is a flexible material easy to move on demand – great for awnings that need to shift in time with the weather. When it’s finally time to make changes to your building exterior, it’s much easier to replace the awning fabric than to uproot a permanent structure like a metal or fibreglass awning or a wooden pergola. And less costly at the outset, too!
Stunning designs
Think all awning fabrics come with stripes? Think again! There are lots more designs to choose from nowadays, not to mention colours and textures available. So, you won’t have a problem finding a design to complement its surroundings with a little more WOW than a woven mat!
Easy to maintain
Taking care of an awning is simple. Some awning fabrics will need more attention than others, depending on the material, application and amount of use, but most clean easily with light detergent and water.
Learn more about fabric awnings
Why your awning fabric matters
An awning is all about protection. Whatever the fabric, your awning is an investment and one you want to get right.
While awnings are designed to protect people against the elements, this doesn’t only mean protecting what’s directly above your head. Window awnings are an incredibly effective way to control the sun at different times of the day, helping keep a building cool, particularly during the hottest months of the year. Depending on the awning fabric, they can also protect against the rain – which, as most of us know all too well when it comes down in Australia, it really comes down!
There are a few key things to keep in mind when selecting an awning fabric:
Durability
The climate in Australia is among the hottest on the planet. Protecting people’s health is critical, whether keeping a room temperature cool or providing shade from direct sunlight. Awning fabric must be highly durable to perform at its best in harsh conditions and continue acting as a barrier between the sunlight and the body over the long term.
Functionality
As well as protecting bodies from the elements, awning fabric needs to be functional. Depending on its use – shade for an outdoor area or covering windows – your awning is likely used repeatedly, day in and day out. Therefore, it’s recommended to select an awning material that is practical as well as durable.
Aesthetics
Every home or business wants to achieve a particular look, and it’s no different when it comes to your awning. Thankfully, there are many designs and colours nowadays to please any design brief, so you can be sure of finding an awning that ticks the aesthetics box and is durable and functional.
Best awning material types
Long gone are the days of using woven mats like the ancient Egyptians. Yet, they did teach us a trick or two about awning fabric production, with weave still an effective method to create a durable and practical material for use in weather protection.
Here are the main players when it comes to the best types of awning fabrics – including the most popular with our customers here at Ricky Richards!
Acrylic
This woven awning fabric is high quality, light and breathable, and extremely durable, making it a preferred choice for many customers. While acrylic may cost more than other fabrics, it lasts for a long time - some brands boast a lifespan of up to ten years.
Leading manufacturer Citel(R) created Docril, a trusted choice for acrylic awning fabric - Teflon coated and UV treated - ensuring maximum protection against the sun. This range is water resistant as standard, while their Nautica range provides a fully waterproof option ideal for marine applications.
Learn more about acrylic awing fabric
Canvas
There are several reasons a canvas awning fabric is a popular choice. Made from a cotton and poly blend, a canvas weave provides a heavy-duty option that will withstand the elements for up to ten years. Most canvas awning materials come with an acrylic layer to ensure optimum sun and rain protection.
The Barrington range is an exceptional option for awnings and outdoor blinds, reducing solar heat gain by 95% while also being resistant to mildew and stains.
Learn more about canvas awning fabric
Mesh
What’s better than mesh awning fabrics for a fully breathable solution with optimum airflow? As well as protecting against solar heat gain of up to 99%, mesh ranges from clear to block-out, so you can choose to expand or enclose the space.
Leading mesh manufacturer Phifer provides Outlook, an antimicrobial, fire retardant and UV treated option, that is available in various colours including Colorbond(R) inspired to suit the setting. Mesh awning fabric is ideal for pivot arm awnings, lock arm awnings and sliding shade systems.
Learn more about mesh awning fabric
Still trying to decide which awning fabric you need for your project?
Ricky Richards is a leading awning fabric supplier servicing Sydney, its surrounds, and customers across Australia.
Our unique Fabric Explorer search function drills down by application, awning material, colour and more. Take a look for yourself – or, if you’d like a chat with one of our friendly team, we’ll help you find the right awning fabric to suit the application.
Call our sun control and protection experts today for help with your awning fabric selection. (02) 9735 3333