A folding arm awning is a fabric awning that extends out from a wall on spring loaded folding arms, with no posts underneath it. Shade over the deck when you want it, and clear floor space when it is rolled away.
How the arms and the roller work
The fabric winds onto a roller tube mounted along the wall. Two arms, each hinged in the middle with a spring or a gas strut inside, push out and carry the front bar away from the wall as the fabric unwinds.
The tension comes from those arms pushing outwards the whole time. That is what holds the fabric flat instead of flapping, and it is why the arms have to be sized to the awning rather than the other way around.
There is normally a slight fall built in from the wall down to the front bar so water runs off the front instead of pooling in the middle. A folding arm awning sheds a light shower. It is not a roof and it was never meant to be one.
Projection, drop and the numbers to get right
Projection is how far the awning comes out from the wall. Drop is how far the front bar can be lowered, and on most folding arm awnings that is limited, because the arms have to stay in tension to do their job.
Projection is normally kept shorter than the width. The arms need room to fold back along the wall, so a narrow opening cannot carry a deep awning no matter how much shade you want out there.
Work out where the sun actually sits at the time of day you use the space. A north facing deck at midday needs less projection than a west facing one at five in the afternoon, when the sun is coming in low and flat under everything.
What it fixes into
Fixing is where these awnings are won or lost. An extended awning under load is trying to pull the brackets off the wall, and the leverage of the arms multiplies whatever the wind is doing.
Solid brick and brick veneer are usually straightforward with the right masonry anchors landed in brick rather than mortar joints. Over a door or a window you may be fixing to a timber lintel, which has to be found and hit properly rather than guessed at.
Cladding, render over foam and fascia boards all need something solid behind them. On some jobs the brackets get extended back to the rafters or a structural beam, and that is worked out on site with a cover off, not from a photo.
Crank or motor
Awnings can be manual or motorised, and here the choice is real. A crank handle is simple and has very little to go wrong, and it also means walking outside and winding every single time.
A motorised awning runs off a remote or a wall switch, and it gets used far more often because it is one press from inside. On a wide awning, where the roller and the fabric are heavy, the motor is the sensible answer anyway.
Sensors are the part worth asking about. A sun sensor extends the awning when the sun comes around to that side, and a wind sensor retracts it when the wind picks up, whether or not you are home.
Wind is what kills awnings
Wind does more damage to awnings than sun or rain ever will. Nothing is holding a folding arm awning down from underneath, so a gust gets under the fabric and lifts the whole frame.
Roll it in if you are heading out or the weather looks like turning. A wind sensor does that for you, and on an exposed deck or anywhere near the water it is worth having.
If you want shade that stays out in weather, a fixed roof or an outdoor blind against the wall suits that better than pushing a folding arm awning past what it is built for. The awning range covers both approaches, and outdoor roller shutters handle a window that needs shade and cover at the same time.
Fabric and colour
Most folding arm awnings use solution dyed acrylic canvas. It blocks the sun, sheds water and holds its colour through Sydney UV, which matters on a north or west wall.
Colour changes the light under the awning more than people expect. A dark canvas cuts glare and keeps the space feeling cooler, and a light one bounces more daylight into the room behind the door.
Sizing an awning properly means standing on the deck and looking at where the sun comes from. Book a free measure and quote and we will work out the projection, the fixing and whether a motor is worth it for your setup.
Common questions
Can a folding arm awning be left out in the rain?
A light shower is fine, because the awning is pitched to run water off the front bar. Heavy rain will pool on the fabric and put load through the arms, so roll it in. Never leave one out in strong wind.
How far can a folding arm awning extend?
Projection is limited by the width, because the arms have to fold back along the wall. A wider awning can project further, and a narrow opening cannot carry a deep awning regardless of how much shade you want.
Do I need a motor on a folding arm awning?
Not always, but it makes a difference to how often you use it. A crank is fine on a small awning. On a wide one, or where you want a wind sensor to retract it automatically, a motor is the practical choice.