During a hot summer day, patios and decks tend to absorb a lot of heat. Sitting in these open outdoor spaces can definitely get uncomfortable as you sit there sweating and burning in the sun. Many people add awnings to solve this problem, but they can be a bit expensive. If you want to have the luxury of sitting in the shade on a beautiful summer day, there is a cost-effective way of doing this. By building your own awning, you’ll save a ton of money and you’ll be able to enjoy some shade as well! This article will guide you on how to build your own awning.

The first step in building your patio awning is making sure you have the proper materials. You’ll need a measuring tape, electric drill, four grommets, four stakes, four sections of rope, two key rings, two screw hooks, two support poles, a sewing machine with a large needle and a large piece of canvas. These materials are extremely cost efficient as well.

Let’s begin building! Step one will require setting up the canvas. One thing you must do is be sure you purchase enough canvas and always get a bit extra since you’ll need to hem it. Sew the hems around the material so the canvas won’t fray. The canvas will be outdoors and with the rain and other outdoor conditions, you need a durable thread. Use a nylon thread for the sewing as it’s on the durable side of materials. On each corner install one grommet.

Once the grommets are in place, take the tape measure and measure from one grommet to the other. On the side you plan on having the awning branch out from, drill two pilot holes on the wood siding. These holes will make it much easier for you in the next step; screw the hooks into the pilot holes.

Take a single key ring and install each key ring on each grommet. Start on the side that’s going up against the house first. You’ll need to place the first two key rings on the two hooks and at this point, one entire side of your awning should be complete!

You’re awning should be hanging off those two hooks and it will need support from the other side. You currently have support from the house, but the awning needs two poles to support the other side. Pull the canvas out in order to determine where the poles will stand and make sure the canvas has a tight and clean look. Once you’ve determined a place for the poles, either place them into the dirt of use a sturdy flat base stand to support the poles. The poles will then go through the grommets on the canvas awning.

Now it’s time to use the rope. The rope will play a major role as a support system. Take the rope and tie it to the grommets, on the side of the poles. Since you have four ropes, use two ropes on each side of the pole. You’ll want to stake the ropes into the ground for support. One rope should point directly straight out from the pole and the other should point directly to the side at a ninety degree angle for more support. Do this to both poles.

This process should only take a few hours. Once complete, you’ll be able to sit back and enjoy some shade on those hot summer days. This is extremely cost-efficient and a pretty simple project! Good luck!

This writer is a specialist on building custom home awnings. He truly believes that the right awning fabric will play a major role in how long your awning will last. More information can be found at this authors blog, awningfabric. net.