Is a fixed awning practical, or do a sun sail or cantilever umbrellas make more sense? Of course, an awning works well for blocking the midday sun around the summer solstice, but if you’re sitting on the terrace in the afternoon, evening, or after work, the sun is already shining at a very different angle. Assuming a 4m (13 feet) awning—which I believe is usually the maximum—and a mounting height above the patio door of about 2.60 meters (8.5 feet), you get the following approximate values:
June 21, 12:30 pm => Shadow length 1.41 meters (4.6 feet), so 2.59 meters (8.5 feet) of the terrace shaded
June 21, 4:30 pm => 1.15 meters (3.8 feet) of the terrace remains in the sun
June 21, 5:30 pm => From this point on, the awning is completely ineffective
August 21, 12:30 pm => 1.83 meters (6 feet) of the terrace remains in the sun
August 21, 4:33 pm => From this point on, the awning is completely ineffective
September 1, 1:00 pm => Even at the solar noon, less than 1.60 meters (5.2 feet) of shading remains
Based on these considerations, a sun sail significantly larger than 4 meters (13 feet) might be more practical, which could have a deep corner on the west side. Alternatively, cantilever umbrellas might be a better option since they can be adjusted flexibly.
What are your thoughts?
June 21, 12:30 pm => Shadow length 1.41 meters (4.6 feet), so 2.59 meters (8.5 feet) of the terrace shaded
June 21, 4:30 pm => 1.15 meters (3.8 feet) of the terrace remains in the sun
June 21, 5:30 pm => From this point on, the awning is completely ineffective
August 21, 12:30 pm => 1.83 meters (6 feet) of the terrace remains in the sun
August 21, 4:33 pm => From this point on, the awning is completely ineffective
September 1, 1:00 pm => Even at the solar noon, less than 1.60 meters (5.2 feet) of shading remains
Based on these considerations, a sun sail significantly larger than 4 meters (13 feet) might be more practical, which could have a deep corner on the west side. Alternatively, cantilever umbrellas might be a better option since they can be adjusted flexibly.
What are your thoughts?
Curly schrieb:
How about an awning with a valance at the front? That way you get much more shade under the awning. You would then need a valance on 2 or 3 sides; otherwise, the sun just shines in from the sides.
A awning extends not horizontally but slightly angled downward. Therefore, the calculations are not accurate.
For the rest, there is the valance.
Besides, the purpose of the awning is to provide shade underneath, not beside it. So I don’t understand the calculation of the shadow cast.
For the rest, there is the valance.
Besides, the purpose of the awning is to provide shade underneath, not beside it. So I don’t understand the calculation of the shadow cast.
The calculation is quite simple, and there are online tools available for this. In a very basic example, if the awning ends at a height of 2 meters (6.5 feet) and the sun shines at a 45-degree angle, the shadow length will also be 2 meters (6.5 feet). For more precise calculations with regard to the time of day, etc., online tools can be used.
The valance can extend the shading a few centimeters (inches) further down, but only if it is oriented towards the sun. If the awning is on the south side and the valance also faces south while the evening sun comes from the southwest, west-southwest, or west, then the valance will not provide any additional shade.
An awning provides exact shade only directly underneath it if the sun were directly overhead, which is not the case even at noon on June 21. However, as you move later into July, August, September, or earlier into May, the sun is lower in the sky and the awning’s shadow will fall further away from the area directly beneath it.
See my examples above—where it says the awning provides no shading, the shadow cast by the awning is already completely outside the area underneath the awning, meaning it shades, for example, the inside of the living room instead.
The valance can extend the shading a few centimeters (inches) further down, but only if it is oriented towards the sun. If the awning is on the south side and the valance also faces south while the evening sun comes from the southwest, west-southwest, or west, then the valance will not provide any additional shade.
An awning provides exact shade only directly underneath it if the sun were directly overhead, which is not the case even at noon on June 21. However, as you move later into July, August, September, or earlier into May, the sun is lower in the sky and the awning’s shadow will fall further away from the area directly beneath it.
See my examples above—where it says the awning provides no shading, the shadow cast by the awning is already completely outside the area underneath the awning, meaning it shades, for example, the inside of the living room instead.
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