||||Porch Awning Guide

I do not own a caravan, but I couldn’t help seeing the huge number of articles on the internet about caravan porch awnings. I realized that these are very popular items that are quite useful to any caravan, motor home, or RV owner. They make great additions to your caravan by adding a bit more outdoor space that protects you from the elements as you come and go from your caravan.

A standard caravan porch awning with side walls

Installing a caravan porch awning is a very simple and quick process. They make great alternatives to larger porch awnings because of this. Your caravan has a built-in rail near its roof that a runner from the porch awning can be attached to. You then slide the runner across over the door to lock the awning into the caravan. You then need to install vertical poles to create a rigid frame.  Lastly, you can install your walls by attaching them to the poles.

These awnings are quite useful for a weekend getaway with your motor home. If you use your caravan as a permanent residence, it may be smarter to purchase a larger awning even though it is much heavier to carry and a larger hassle to install. When shopping for awnings, be sure to find one that will fit your caravan before purchasing. They come in various sizes, and a quick measurement of your caravan is all you need to do to ensure that you purchase the right sized awning. You could also check your owner’s manual or search online to find the measurements of the rail that your awning will attach to.

Once you know the proper sized awning to purchase, it is time to shop around for colors and designs that will best fit your caravan. If you’d rather see your options in person than on the internet, one idea is to look around at your nearest retailer to get an idea of your options, and then search online at our recommended porch awning retailers for a better deal on the style you like best. It is worth it to spend a few extra dollars for a better quality unit if you plan on using it for an extended period of time. Online reviews should be a good way to find out which units are most dependable.

A retractable caravan porch awning, your other option

Caravan porch awnings have the same benefits a regular porch awning does – they will improve your enjoyment of the outdoors by keeping you out of the hot sun or rain. They will also add value to your caravan if you ever decide to sell it. Lastly, they will keep your outdoor furniture in great shape. The time is now to make a great investment by purchasing an awning that fits your caravan.

One place to find valuable information on porch awnings, as well as information on companies that sell them, is the internet.  It will take a lot of time to sift through all of the awning retailers on the web, so hopefully I will be able to save you some quality time by suggesting some highly-touted sellers.

One such company is Awningscenter.com.  This website has sold high-quality awnings for years, and has a wide selection made of many different awning materials to choose from.  They offer a monthly special on certain awnings, so it is wise to spend a little time waiting for their special to hit if you are a thrifty shopper, because it may bring you savings of up to 50%.  They also offer free shipping to the Continental US on selected items over $100.  They have a very simple, easy-to-follow website that is relaxing to the eye.  They also provide a large selection of caravan porch awnings. On top of all that, they even accept Paypal!  Be sure to take a good look at this site when you are browsing for the perfect awning to match your home.

Another good company is Awningtime.com.  Their site is not as easy to follow as the previous website, but this site emphasizes on its high-quality.  They have been serving customers for over 25 years, and have sold a large amount of commercial awnings to restaurants, hotels, and other businesses.  They offer do-it-yourself awnings, but offer to contact a local handyman for you and help guide him through the process of installation at your home.  They also have some informational articles about wind loads, pitch info, and other thins you need to know before deciding which cover is best for you.  For high-quality service from a trusted retailer, this is the place to go.

SunSetter, which most of you may know as a leading porch awning brand, also sells their products through their website, SunSetter.com.  They offer a free DVD loaded with important information for prospective buyers, so that you are informed before you decide to make your purchase.  They also have a dealer locator tool on their website, so that if you would rather buy an awning in person instead of on the internet, they will be happy to help direct you.  This is a trusted brand to buy products from, and they have the largest variety of awnings on the internet.  If you want to buy from a known name, SunSetter is a good brand to choose from for your investment.

If you do not want to shop online for awnings or would prefer a custom porch awning, check the yellow pages or talk to friends who have recently installed them on their porches.  I’m sure you will have no problem finding a trusted seller that is local to you.

If you want a porch awning with a custom look tailored to your tastes, a great idea is to make your own awning.  This may seem like too much work for some people, but with a set game plan and a good work ethic, it is not hard to make a high-quality cover.  The awning will make your porch a much more desired place to relax outdoors, and the benefits will most definitely outweigh the costs of construction.

First, you will need to decide what material you would like your cover to be made of.  As I discussed in an earlier post, your main options are wood, aluminum, canvas, metal, and copper.  This is the most important decision you will have to make in the building process, because the material you use will determine how durable, colorful, or expensive your awning will be.  You will also need to decide if you would like your awning to be retractable – if so, you should stick with a canvas or aluminum cover.

The next step is to either create or find a master plan showing how to make your cover.  Do not start nailing things together if you don’t have an exact idea of the end result you are aiming for.  The internet is a great place to find porch awning plans that are easy to follow.  You could also ask a professional to create a plan for you and assemble your awning if you are not comfortable doing so yourself.  If you are quite handy, you can create your own plan.  That is up to your personal confidence.

Be sure to take measurements of the area your awning will cover before you go to the hardware store to buy materials.  Without high quality fitting materials, the awning will most likely not function properly and could be much less durable than you expected it to be.  A key item to be careful about buying are posts to support your cover.  Delicate posts could easily collapse under your cover, so be sure to buy durable posts over stylish, small posts for extra security.  Just because they hold the cover up in the sun does not mean they will do so when it is pouring rain.

It is not hard to create your own porch awning, but it requires precision and work in advance to result in a high-quality end product.  Remember that you are making an investment that is not worth screwing up.  If you are making your own plan, be sure to be incredibly precise and detail-oriented, measuring everything that needs to be.  This will make your awning look quite professional when it is complete.

There are many different types of porch awnings that can be installed onto your home.  Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to properly research all of your options before going out to the hardware store and buying materials.

The most simple type of awning is made of canvas.  These are the least expensive of all your options.  Canvas is also the lightest of your options, meaning it does not need a heavy-duty support system to keep it in place.  Canvas can be cut to fit your porch dimensions perfectly.  Canvas is also what most retractable awnings are made of, so if you are focusing on buying a retractable styled awning, canvas is your best bet because it folds up quickly and is easy to work with.  You can use any pattern you would like for your awning, meaning you can make it to match your house, or make a design using your favorite colors.  The main downside to canvas is that it is the least durable of all awnings.  Extended exposure to bad weather could lead it to deteriorate quickly.  For a cheap, easy awning, canvas is your best option.

If you would prefer a more durable porch awning, aluminum is a good material to use.  Aluminum is the cheapest of all durable materials, so it is still budget friendly for those who are worried about money.  Aluminum can be painted many different colors, allowing you to paint it the color of your home or whatever other color you would prefer.  Aluminum will last for years and looks classy with your home, so definitely consider it as an option for your home.  Aluminum is also a common material for caravan porch awnings to be made of.

This is a great example of an aluminum porch awning

Other durable awnings can be made from copper, metal, or wood.  Copper and metal awnings aren’t as common as wood awnings, but they will last a lifetime and are stronger than aluminum and wood.  Metal can be cleaned with a power washer, making it easy to keep your awning clean and shiny.  Wood awnings allow for a lot of customization to occur.  You can create a fully covered awning, or one that allows some light to shine through from above.  Wood can easily be painted the color of your home and blend in perfectly to it that visitors would think that the awning was built when the home originally was.  Wood, however, is less durable than metal, aluminum, and copper, and can eventually rot from overexposure to rain.

This is a motorized canvas porch awning

If you are unsure as to what material would best complement your home or woudl like to make a custom porch awning, seek out the advice of a professional contractor or builder, who would be able to help you and possibly create a customized design for your home.  There are so many options to consider that you want to make sure you get it just right before making the investment to improve your home.

Homeowners often spend too much time and effort focusing on improving rooms inside their home while disregarding the outside around it.  Little do they know that small improvements can be made to porches to make them more functional, inviting, and beautiful.  Installing a porch awning costs a fraction of what other outdoor home improvements cost, including installing a swimming pool or patio.

A porch awning provides great protection against bad weather by providing a roof over your porch.  It truly feels good to relax on your porch while it is pouring rain all around you on a warm summer night.  An awning can also help you save money on heating and cooling for your home.  You will have the choice of many different awning materials, so you can tailor your project to your likes and budget.  Lastly, it makes your home more attractive to yourself and passers by, improving its value when you sell it in the future.  Your porch will become the most desired outdoor gathering space on your property even when it is raining outside.

Some people may be worried that a porch awning would detract from the outdoorsy feeling that your porch should be providing you.  As long as the sun is not directly above you, your porch should still receive sunlight during the day.  The advantage to this is that the awning helps to shield you from harmful UV rays.  Some awnings aren’t made to fully shade your porch, so you could consider one like that if you still want to receive as much sunlight as possible when relaxing on your porch.

Awnings can be either permanent or retractable, depending on what you decide to install on your porch.  For those people who are not interested in always having a shield over their heads, a retractable awning is a great option because you can choose to use it only when you deem it necessary.  More sophisticated retractable awnings are motorized, so that the process of opening and closing becomes even more simple and user-friendly.  Know that if you are interested in a custom porch awning, it will most likely not be of the retractable variety, as they are generally sold as kits.

With all of the options available in the porch awning market today, it seems foolish to not invest in one.  You will be able to spend much more time outside without having to worry about the weather.  If you do not want a cover always over your head, you can always get a retractable model that will be in use whenever you want it to be.  Your home or caravan will become more functional as well as more valuable, and your happiness will probably boost as a result.

Hello everyone, and welcome to Porch Awning Guide!  Whether you are looking for creative awning guides, tips on how to build awings, or other general porch advice and tips, you have come to the right place.  Feel free to leave comments and feedback – it is much appreciated!