An awning is a canopy made of canvas or other material to shelter people or things from inclement weather conditions, rain or shine. Awnings were very popular in the 20's. You'll see pictures of many homes from that time that had awnings covering each window and over a porch. This was before the era of air conditioning when keeping a house cool was difficult. One way to do this was to put awnings up over windows to keep the strong sunlight out.

Today's homeowners are seeking awnings in order to enjoy life outside. New and more durable synthetic fabrics have made the use of awnings more popular and they are far from only protective devices now. Today's awnings offer beauty and decoration to a home. They are available in a wide variety of colors and styles. Awnings offer shade to an outside dining area and keep the rain off when you're entering a home.

One very popular type of awning is the retractable awning. These modern devices are motorized and can be extended with the push of a finger over any sized patio area to offer shade and protection. When these awnings are closed they retract into an attractive hood that is out of the way.

Then, there's the original use of awnings to shade individual windows in a home, or to shade a porch area. These shades can help to cool the temperature inside your home which in turn saves on the air conditioning costs. It gives added privacy to your home, and with a limitless array of colors and fabrics can add beauty to your home.

A very popular awning material is now the Sunbrella material. The Sunbrella fabric color is during the manufacture of the fabric "locked in" and the color becomes an integral part of the fiber. Sunbrella fabrics are guaranteed for five years. They will not stretch or fade and are mildew resistant. Sunsure is another textile used in making awnings. It is mildew, rot, and UV resistant. Most awnings are generally easy to care for . They need to be kept clean with a rinse of water and mild soap, such as Ivory Flakes.