Awning Material

Traditional And Modern Awning Materials And Shade Cloth

Awning material and shade cloth was, at some point in time, mostly canvas. Canvas is a simple plain-weave cloth that's prized for its heavy-duty resistance to wear-and-tear. It's made from either linen or humble cotton (linen is the stuff made from flax plants and found also in those very wrinkly clothes.)

Canvas is used in canvas awning material, but is also found incorporated in the sails of ships, backpacks, and tents. Note that these are all items requiring strong tear-resistance cloth. Given the history of canvas, one might think that contemporary patio shade cloth, garden shade cloth and awnings are all made of canvas. But things have changed quite a bit. Modern awning materials address some shortcomings of canvas. Some representatives are vinyl, dacron, polyester or acrylic.

Canvas has a large number of things going for it, among them its robustness and also low cost. Canvas outdoor shades will tend to be cheaper than other materials pound for pound. But there are a number of problems associated with this cotton-derived fabric. The biggest problem is that when canvas gets damp it becomes a home to mold and fungus that's quite hard to remove. You can treat it with a sealing agent, but that rarely stops microorganismal growth. Related to the microorganism problem is that canvas gets dirty easily. Soil and dust accumulates in the tiny gaps of the fabric, which is probably one contributor to the mold and mildew. Finally, canvas tends to fade under the sun light over long periods of exposure.

Synthetic fabrics were incorporated into outdoor shades to battle some of the deficiencies in canvas. They are better at warding off microorganism growth, and also don't become as soiled as easily. In the sun they won't fade as quickly either. After they are cleaned, they don't need to be dried completely like canvas to prevent mold. But synthetics come at some practical costs. The cheaper synthetics like vinyl are not woven and therefore feel a bit artificial. The texture is improved in woven synthetics like acrylics and other blended fabrics (which may contain cotton). These blended fabrics are sometimes multi-layered in a complex way. Polyester might sit on top of another polyester or acrylic layer.

Good Stitching

Keep in mind that when buying any of these materials one should look for good stitching to hold all the awning material sheets together. Look for a triple row of stitching, best with synthetic string. Some fabrics may not have stitching though - for certain acrylics, a stitchless construction can be achieved with high temperatures treatment that joins pieces together. The high temperature treatment is optimal if the joining surface is large to ensure sufficient contact and long lifespan.

Preventing Microbial Growth

Good quality patio shade cloth these days is pretreated to prevent fungal and mildew proliferation. There are two reasons for this: one, most synthetics such as polyester, acrylic and nylon are not innately conducive to mold growth; two, a chemical sealant has been applied to reduce further favorable conditions for mold spores to develop. The Sunbrella line of outdoor shade fabrics are well-known to be excellent at staining fungus free. Of course, if enough soil or leaves collect on the shade, the mold can still grow on these accumulated material. Therefore, it's imperative to keep the fabric free of foreign particulates.

Cleaning Agents For Awning Material

There is a corresponding cleaning agent for every garden shade cloth and patio shade cloth specified by the manufacturer. A few cleaners can do multiple fabrics but it's best to match the cleansing agent for long term use. For heavy-duty jobs, usually one can rent or purchase a sprayer. The liquid cleanser used in the sprayer must be diluted to the right strength. After spraying, wait a few hours to let the awning or patio shade air out. Then use a brush to get rid of extra accumulated material like soil, dust, dirt and leaves. Finally, spray the shade structure with water to rinse off. A good coat of sealant at the end can be wiped or sprayed on for some extra protection.

Recommendations

A great choice for awning material are the Sunbrella awnings, a company that manufactures outdoor shades. They are made in various hues and styles, and have won wild awards for great caliber. Sunbrella awnings fabrics are also stain and color-fast.