Patio Awnings for Small Patios & Balconies

Many awnings allow only for a full projection of about two to three meters. If you have a small space, like a small garden or patio, and you want to fully extend your awning, you won’t be able to because the awning will take up that space once it is fully extended. If your space is no more than 4 meters deep, an awning that projects 1.5 to 2 meters would work better because part of your space would still be shaded and you would need to adjust your position to follow the shade.

Awnings mounted to balcony railings present their own set of problems. Many newer apartment buildings have railings that are not made to withstand the load of an awning bracket, and the instruction manuals to awning systems usually say so if you actually read past the first few pages which most people do not do until it’s too late. Freestanding or clamp-on awnings alleviate the problem of not being able to mount an awning to the railing, but they can be more unstable in windy conditions. A gust that a wall-mounted awning would not notice can cause a freestanding awning to topple over. If you are renting your apartment, check your lease before you purchase and mount an awning to the balcony wall. Flagging these kinds of things is common when a tenant moves out and landlords are not shy about doing so.

Color is important for smaller spaces. A small patio covered in dark-colored awnings creates a box-like effect, especially when surrounded by dark-colored fence panels or brick. Sand or light gray colors on awnings bounce more light back, so a small patio would appear more inviting.

For larger patios, an awning with a manual crank arm is a good, more affordable option. However, for a small balcony awning, the patrons would be close enough to reach and turn the arm anyways, so an electric awning would be more convenient. A remote control is included with the awning, but is rarely used, so the additional £150 adds no value to the purchase.

Pricing-wise, a basic clamp on balcony awning costs around £80, and a decent wall-mounted arm for a small patio costs around £400+. Cheaper models show their defects and flaws faster, and for a smaller awning, there’s nowhere to hide a faulty or wonky bracket like you could on a larger awning.