Awnings have now become an indispensable accessory for enjoying the outdoors all year round in complete relaxation. On the market today it is possible to find many different models: shapes, sizes, colors, structures, fabrics, materials, etc … Different types to satisfy multiple needs. Because living the external environment is no longer just a mere matter of practicality, it is not enough to “cast shade” to be able to say that you have fully solved the problem of protection from the sun’s rays. Today something more is needed, something that makes the difference between simply “shading” and “living the outdoors in style” at home. Innovative solutions that know how to combine the useful and the functional, with the beautiful and aesthetically valuable. An example is the catalog of www.btgroup.it, a wide range of products and solutions for any outdoor environment: from canopies to arm awnings , from umbrellas to sophisticated sails (beautiful poolside). High quality materials, refined design and, above all, cutting-edge technology at the service of modern home needs .

Arm awnings: versatile, comfortable and easy to install

Among the many models available on the current market, arm awnings are certainly practical, versatile and very comfortable solutions. They are models chosen for their functionality, but also because they are easy to install, maintain and because they fully solve the problem of shading. 

They are a particular and widespread type of awning chosen to solve many situations: from the gardens of the villas in the countryside, to the internal porches of the houses by the sea, from the exposed and sunny terraces, to the luxury penthouses. These are particularly popular models, thanks to their supporting structure , usually made of aluminum, because it is light and resistant. The main structure is then connected to the ” extendable arms which, if necessary, allow the covering fabric to be rolled up and unrolled .

As for the roof itself, it is usually preferable to choose a material such as PVC , or acrylic fiber . It is a very resistant material, especially to bad weather (wind and rain), which today is worked to perfectly withstand the passage of time, the continuous exposure to sunlight and the continuous movement due to constant use.

Dumpster: what it is and how it works

In some models (almost all now) of arm awnings there is an additional “optional” for greater usability of the awning. This is the box , an additional protection for the cover fabric .

The box , also called caisson , is a sort of covering shell , designed to protect the awning fabric when it is rewound. It is usually made of painted aluminum , and is particularly suitable when the arm awnings are positioned on external facades always exposed to the sun and bad weather. There is also a semi-boxed version of the caisson that covers only the upper part of the awning.

The box can be installed both on the wall and on the ceiling and takes on different shapes and sizes depending on the outdoor awning it has to accommodate (round, oval, square, rectangular, etc…). The color varies according to taste and needs, even if the most requested color is always white, or natural aluminum color, because it is discreet and very elegant.

Dumpster: why it is so important

Even if the box seems to be a secondary accessory, in reality it plays a very important role for the correct tightness of an awning. In fact, the fabric of the tents is constantly exposed to dust, smog and bad weather, it gets dirty easily and also risks being seriously damaged. In some cases the stains, mold, smog, organic residues, tree resin, etc … They become almost indelible, ending up completely ruining the aesthetics of the arm awnings.

The protection offered by a box is total and complete. The tent fabric is rolled up perfectly inside the protective shell so that the fabric is no longer exposed to the air. Consequently, the presence of the box reduces the need to wash and maintain the arm awnings and eliminates the need to replace the cloth because it is damaged. And all this thanks simply to the steel tube, placed inside the rigid structure of the box, in plastic or aluminum, which protects the fabric from bad weather and exposure to atmospheric and corrosive agents.

Furthermore, the bins are also used to house the movement mechanics that are used to move the extendable arms of the awnings. In this way the aesthetics are further safeguarded and the facades gain even more.

Awnings: mechanical handling

The handling mechanics make this particular type of awning one of the largest and most popular outdoor solutions. In fact, the covering fabric can be moved manually or automatically (for maximum comfort and convenience).

Manually operated arm awnings are those in which the operating mechanism is operated by an external operator who acts directly on the crank lever , reachable via a simple pedal crank . With the crank arm you can usually adjust the angle, height and amount of shade required.

On the other hand, motorized folding arm awnings are those that work thanks to the help of a small, but powerful, electric motor. The whole system is connected to the control of the structure by means of a remote control , which sends the impulse to activate the movement. Undoubtedly the most practical and comfortable solution, especially when the size of the arm awning is considerable.

The installation

Arm awnings are the outdoor awnings par excellence. Widespread and highly appreciated, they are versatile and are able to solve different situations. This is also due to the fact that they are very easy to install. In fact, they can be fixed to the wall or to the ceiling.

Fixing can be:

  • with separate plates;
  • square bar, also double;

The attachment to separate plates does not allow adjustment of the curtain width . On the contrary, the square bar allows fine-tuning and setting of the curtain width as well. If the area where the arm awning is to be installed is exposed to strong and constant wind, it is recommended to choose an outdoor awning in the highest wind resistance class . It can also be useful to install a small anemometer , or rather a wind detector and meter, which automatically closes the awning when the gusts exceed a certain speed.