If you have a patio, you will know what a tremendous difference it can make to your home. Patios are the perfect place to entertain, and can easily become the most used place in your house, but without a decent awning attached, you will be forced to stay indoors and unable to benefit from this space. For this reason some sort of cover is a must, and aluminum patio awnings have quite a few benefits over other materials.

One of the great things about an aluminium patio awning is that it it is very simple to clean and maintain. Compared to a wooden structure, aluminum is a lot less expensive to have installed. In fact, many porch awnings come in kit form and are able to be erected without the need of hiring a builder, with do it yourself instructions and the right tools on hand, you can save a bucket load by assembling your awning on your own.

If you live in an area that suffers from harsh summer heat, it’s well worth your while to spend a little bit extra on your awning and get something with insulation. The most common form of insulation material used in aluminum awnings is polystyrene, which is extremely hard wearing, yet still lightweight, meaning that there is little weight added to your roof. It’s not only the heat that you need to worry about, though. In winter, many people don’t use their patios at all. With the purchase of a patio heater, combined with insulated awnings, you can enjoy your patio all year round. The best kits to get are ones that “snap lock” together, as they result in a much more sturdy finish, without the need for hundreds of screws to hold everything in place. Most kits will not require any fancy tools, you will usually only need a screw driver and drill, hammer, pliers and a hacksaw to get the job done.

As far as finishes are concerned, baked on enamel is one of the best options to keep your patio looking great for many years to come. The enamel is specially formulated to withstand both extreme heat and cold, and comes in a wide range of attractive colors, allowing you to match the color scheme of your home and make the patio a part of the house, rather than something that looks like it has just been tacked on.

Browse Our Selection Of Aluminum Patio Awnings

If you want to benefit from the strength and durability of aluminum but prefer the look of wood, many companies offer a product called “Alumawood”, which is designed to mimic the look of wood, without having the added hassle of constant treating to maintain the look. Wooden patio awnings will tend to crack and warp as it ages. Although this can be prolonged by constant caring and treating of the wood, it will still have a much shorter lifespan than aluminum. With aluminum, you also have no need to worry about the very real threat of termites and other wood eating bugs.

Some people are concerned that an awning will take away from the “outdoors” aspect of their patio, and if this is the case for you, one alternative is to purchase a retractable awning. These can be purchased from any decent awning retailer, and come in both manual and motorised versions. The motorised awnings are obviously a little more expensive, but it means that you can easily cover your patio with the flick of a switch, while tucking it away against the wall when the weather is just too good to cover up.

Another great way of adding versatility to your patio awning is to have shutters that can open and close. These work using the same concept as vertical blinds, so that when closed they create a waterproof covering, but the individual slats of the awning can be tilted open during fine weather to allow sunlight to come in. Once again these can be purchased in both manual and motorised formats, depending on what your budget allows. Many people with larger patios will have two different sections to their adjustable awnings, so that one side can be kept closed while the other is opened. This is especially handy if you have a barbeque on the patio and wish to let the smoke escape through the roof while keeping your diners protected from the sun.