Patio Shades

Wow, you would think buying a patio shade would be easy, right? But there are so many components and choices, so I’m here to simplify and help give understanding of all your options. There are many facets to a Patio Shade. Options are good because you may have a problem area that needs a solution and hopefully the expertise in this article will help you.

First of all, I’d like to say I don’t just sell any Exterior Shade to make a sale, when I know they are prone to repairs. I’d rather stick with the company that my installer tells me has the least repairs and remakes. They may be a little more cost in the beginning but a lot better quality in the end with little or no headaches. And you want these to last for many years. I have other products that I’ll offer choices from different vendors but it’s because I know all of them are quality products at good prices. Exterior Shades are different because they’re exposed to the elements, so they need higher quality fabrics and mechanics.

So let’s get started and I’ll try to talk in terms that the average non-window treatment consultant can understand. We have a wonderful brochure that has all these options in picture form and if you’re visual like me, this is a great help.

First of all, our fabrics are welded on the edges. As you can imagine there would be fraying from years of wind movement without this extra and that’s exactly what you can expect from the big store purchases. We have see-through opacities from 1%-10%. I’ll hold up samples to show you the different views. It’s great because you don’t have to feel closed in when the shades are down and you can still see your beautiful Hill Country views! We have dark, medium and light colored fabrics and we even have custom color options. Our most popular screen fabric color is Mocha (a medium bronze-y color).

Second, our hardware is made from stainless steel, including the cables which have a poly covering. You have a choice of no cables with a bungee to hold down the shade. This doesn’t work when you want to have more stability in windy places or if you desire to stop the shade at different openings. Then there is the most popular choice of cable guides, which guide the fabric as it goes up and down. If you don’t mind a crank control, for the same price as a cable, you can choose metal side tracks. This option doesn’t completely close in from having light gaps, but is will have less light and wind gap than a cable guide. Then finally we have Zip tracks that close in the fabric completely and will keep bugs and varmints out. I’ve listed the options in the order of pricing.

Third are the control options. As I listed above, there is the bungee system. Our most popular, the cable guides with either a Continuous Loop Cord, a Crank, or Motorized option. The Zip track has only a motorized option. Our motorization allows for plug outlets or hard wire with either a J-box or a 4 wire Disconnect. I have print-outs for your electrician and all the amp info when it comes time to make that decision and I’m happy to make a call to answer all questions and send them the wiring instructions.

All of our Patio Shades come with a Headbox except the less expensive Bungee option. The Headbox keeps out dust and rust and is actually 4-sided with a slit opening for the shade underneath. I discourage people from buying the Bungee option for this reason and also for the aesthetics. It just looks better to have a covering than an open roll at top.

While at a client’s home recently, we did a rain test on the fabric. She had a screened in porch and needed protection from the blowing rain. So we went to her kitchen sink, turned on the sprayer and gave it a test. I was amazed at how it dribbled down water on the opposite side we were spraying directly into. There was very little spray coming through and really there won’t be that same force from rains as there was from a faucet spray. So whether your desire is to keep out rain, bugs, varmints or heat and cold, you can accomplish this with Patio Shades. Also you can ward off the glare and save your patio furnishings from fading. You will spend more time outdoors like you first envisioned when building or buying your home and if you have a Nosy Nellie for a neighbor, you can just make them wonder.