Deck shade options

[Mrwurm]

I have a deck that spans about 32 feet along the back of my house and extends out about 26 feet. (32 x 26) I plan to build some sort of wooden or metal framework to create a roof for shade. We live in Michigan and I plan to remove the covering (not the frame) in the winter so I don't have to engineer it for snow-load. Any ideas as to what to cover the frame with? Tarp, canvas, corrogated sheeting, ??? I don't have any great ideas, do you? It does not need to be water-tite.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

You could make a metal frame and have a canvas or vinyl cover made to order by an auto or boat upholstery shop.

 

[ronjhall]

Jerry
When we were looking for a cover for a porch we looked at this company. Marygrove Their products looked very good. We ended up putting a screened in porch instead. Just to many bugs and mosquitoes in my area to spend any time in the evening without some protection. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Golfgar4]

Hi Jerry! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I've attached a picture of the awning that we had put up last year. It's 17' X 17", but it certainly could be larger. This first picture shows some of the frame work used to hold it. The framework is galvanized pipe, although I don't know what diameter. I can get that for you if it would help. The company that installed it takes it (the awning) down every fall in late November and then re-installs it in late May or so. The framework is permanent. That service is included in the price and stays with the awning, so if we sell the house, the new owners get the service. The fabric is a mid weight canvas that is water proof. If we wanted to, we could add weighted screen sides to it that attach with zippers. The whole shooting match cost $2,100.00 fully installed.

 

[Golfgar4]

Here's another picture showing the awning from the outside.

If you would like some more pictures, let me know what you'd like to see and I'll take some. If you would like more info. about the material, etc., let me know and I'll see if I can get it for you. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Golfgar4]

Oh what the heck. If you're going to try to build this thing yourself, you might want to see how a really good is put together. The following pictures will at least show you how our awning is basically put together. I can tell you one thing for sure. after seeing how this thing has withstood some pretty significant wind storms, I wouldn't even be thinking of building it out of anything BUT galvanized pipes! And all of the corner posts are sunk in concrete! With your planned awning being quite a bit larger, I'd think you'd want to consider that.

This first pic is of the attachment to the house. They lagged right into studs, and then the support poles are screwed into an adapter.

 

[Golfgar4]

This picture shows where the side support posts screw into the framework of the window. I suppose they would've screwed into a stud if there's been no window there.

 

[Golfgar4]

This picture shows the outboard corner connections. You can see a short piece of pipe that is clamped to main support pipe at the top. Around this short pipe is a nylon line that twists the entire length of the support pipe. You'll see a better picture of this in one of the upcoming pictures. That nylon line goes through each grommet and is what holds the awning to the support framework.

 

[Golfgar4]

This picture shows the side supports. All these pipes screw into the adapters that are then clamped onto the main support pipes. You can also see the nylon line in this pic.

 

[Golfgar4]

This picture shows one of the support pipes coming out from the house to the the end support pipe that is parallel to the house. In our span of 17', there are 4 of these support pipes. Notice that it is encased in a "tube" of the canvas material to make it less noticeable. You can also see the nylon line that is wrapped around the smaller pipe that is clamped to the end support pipe. You may have also noticed a row of grommets in the awning. I'm not sure if they're just to let rainwater through, which really doesn't make a lot of sense, or if there is some more sinister reason for them. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Well, that's all of the pictures at this time. I can take more if you want. You didn't say exactly why you're planning on building an awning. For us, we had discussed a screened in porch, a purgola, and various other options. This seemed to be the most cost effective since we were planning on selling the house in the next few years. Our is on the west side of the house, and until we had it installed, we had to have the blinds down on all of the windows just to try to keep the heat down. And we couldn't even think of using the patio in the afternoon! The awning is installed over our sliding glass doors that go into our dining room, and I can truthfully that because of the awning, it has dropped the average temperature in that room by at least 10 degrees, if not more. Plus we use our patio almost every evening now, and we have a lot of lunches out there on the weekends. It's been a great addition. And it certainly was not as costly as a room addition! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Good luck with your project, and let me know if you would like any additional information.