Fabric awnings are a great choice for anyone who wants to enjoy their outdoor space, including restaurants with outdoor seating areas or offices who want to allow employees to take their breaks outside. While you can choose an aluminium awning, shade sails or other options for creating a shady space, note a few advantages offered by fabric awnings for your home or business.
Increased flexibility
Aluminium awnings give you little to no flexibility as to their location. Some can be closed over the windows when not in use, but most are simply a "one size fits all" design that you cannot move or adjust. With a fabric awning, you can often extend or retract it various distances to allow for maximum shade and protection from the rain or to enjoy direct sunlight on milder days.
While shade sails may sometimes be adjusted, note that this can be difficult, as you may need to pull and wrap a thick cord to force the sail into position. You may also not want customers or employees to have access to those cords that control the sails to prevent potential damage they might cause and to ensure that everyone outside is comfortable. With a fabric awning, you may choose a remote control for the extension arm; this makes it easy to control and adjust the awning and to keep that control under lock and key when necessary.
Design choices
You may have more design choices for fabric awnings than for aluminium awnings; aluminium can be painted in a variety of colors, but it can be more difficult to add flecks for shine or a particular logo or other symbol to an aluminium awning. Changing an aluminium awning when you want a new design can also be expensive, whereas changing the design of a fabric awning can be much simpler and more affordable; typically you wouldn't need to change the hardware or arm of the awning, but simply order a new fabric piece.
Quiet and noise insulation
Even if you get aluminium awnings that fold over a window, they can be noisy in a rainstorm. They also may not offer much noise insulation inside, which is something to consider if your home or business is located near a busy road or waterway. Fabric is much quieter during rainstorms, making it more comfortable if you should choose to keep it open when it rains. It can also insulate your space from outside noise, making it more comfortable for your family or for diners at a restaurant.