Door Awnings

Matching the Style to the Purpose with Door Awnings

Door awnings are usually installed for one of three main functions:

• Interior UV and glare control
• Rain protection
• Exterior shading

Most people don't need door awnings that accomplish all three things; they have a balance of needs. For example, commercial properties may care a lot about interior UV, interior heat, and rain protection because they want to protect merchandise and have a comfortable entry for customers. Restaurants, homeowners with porches or pools, and outdoor seating areas may benefit more from external sun shade and not interior UV or rain protection.

Basically, door awnings can accomplish different things depending on how you intend to use the space. Two different frame styles are used for door awnings, and each style has its strengths depending on the performance that you need.

Door Awnings Canopies

Canopies are small, archly rounded awnings. These awnings have excellent water resistance and runoff because of their shape. With a shorter projection, this shape makes for good door awnings where space is limited (such as storefronts in commercial areas or homes with small stoops).

Door awnings canopies provide excellent rain and interior shade protection, but their smaller size makes them less effective at providing exterior sun protection. Also, canopies are manual, not motorized, so they're slightly more cumbersome to use.

Canopies are ideal for door awnings that need:

• Small installation space
• Interior UV and shade protection
• Rain protection

Lateral Arm Door Awnings

Lateral arm awnings are the traditional flat, smooth awnings that extend on two support bars. This style of awning is a reliable jack-of-all-trades – it's adequate for light rain protection, it's very effective for interior UV and shade, and it's excellent at exterior shading. It's larger footprint makes a lateral arm style awkward for door awnings in tight spaces, but that size and simple lines are its strengths of outdoor sun protection.

Lateral arm styles are ideal for door awnings that need:

• Excellent exterior sun protection
• Effective interior UV, shade, and heat control
• Motorization and accessories like sensors and remote controls
• Minimal rain protection
• Plenty of installation space