ᐅ Terrace Shading – Roof Covering, Awning, and More

Hello everyone,

This year we want to progress further with our garden planning, and the topic of shading has come up.

Since we also have a small child, shading has become important to us.

We have a newly built house and are now entering our third summer – we’re getting tired of using two €50 (about $55) umbrellas as our only shading solution.

We have a terrace that is 4 meters (13 feet) deep and 8 meters (26 feet) wide, facing south. The sun shines directly on the terrace all day long.

So far, we haven’t looked much into the pros and cons of different shading options, but we definitely want to tackle this “project” this summer.

--> We don’t need to sit outside in the rain, so a fixed, permanent roof is NOT necessary.
--> We have/want weatherproof furniture that can stay outside uncovered even in light rain, so again, a permanent roof isn’t required here.
--> It’s quite windy where we live, so some kind of side protection would be nice, but that might be too expensive for us right now.
--> We want a future-proof, long-term solution, but ideally also a cost-effective option.

At the hardware store, you often see “cheap” patio roofs – so the question is: are these any good?

What do you think about an awning? We’re not opposed to that, as our main focus is on shading.

Regarding sun sails: we haven’t looked into these yet, but we increasingly see them in our new housing area. Are they weatherproof? Can you leave them up all year? The disadvantage seems to be that they’re permanently stretched, so you can’t let the sun in sometimes, right?

In the end, I’d just appreciate some input and maybe some of your personal experiences. Surely some of you have already tackled this project and can share your thoughts.

Thanks!

For sun sails, you could ask @Nida35a, who has a movable version.

In sailing, sails can usually be reefed, so theoretically something like that should be possible. However, practically, I have so far failed to come up with a version that works for everyday use for me.

Prager91 schrieb:

We want a future-proof, long-term solution, but also as cost-effective as possible.

We have an electric retractable sunshade, which works great but isn’t cheap (about 5m (16 feet) wide and 4.5m (15 feet) deep, €8,000).
There are also fixed sunshades, which are more affordable,
but storm-proof versions tend to be costly as well.
Try visiting an awning or shading specialist with a photo of your house; they can show you different systems.

Nida35a schrieb:

We have an electric sunshade sail, which works great but isn’t cheap (about 5m (16 feet) wide and 4.5m (15 feet) deep, €8,000).
There are also fixed sunshade sails that are more affordable,
but storm resistance is also expensive.
Visit an awning specialist store with a photo of your house; they can show you different systems.

Thanks for your input. May I ask what exactly the advantage of this sunshade sail is compared to a standard awning? Awnings of that size usually cost about half the price, don’t they?

The awning swings dangerously in the wind and puts stress on the mounting.
The sun sail is storm-resistant up to wind force 6-7 and we like it better, especially for shading the patio door.

Nida35a schrieb:

The awning swings worryingly in the wind and puts leverage on the mounting points.
The sun sail is storm-resistant up to wind force 6-7 and we prefer it, especially for shading the patio door.

I also have some concerns regarding the wind, especially with the size of the awnings. If something like that is sold, shouldn’t it hold up reliably?

In stormy conditions or similar, the awning is retracted anyway.

Regarding appearance and shading: in the end, doesn’t an awning look pretty much the same? Except that it doesn’t have two posts as a counterpart? The shading effect should be the same, right?