Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts
Posted - Jul 03 2011 : 11:18:13 AM
Does anyone have experience sewing with outdoor fabrics? I want to create an awning for my south-facing deck - pre-made awnings are outrageously expensive and they only get moderate reviews regarding durability. There are so many different brands of outdoor fabrics - and they're quite expensive too - I need some advice before I spend any money. We've gone back and forth about what to do - our deck is unbearable this time of year - we got an estimate for a sunroom and we just don't know if its worth it because we might only be in this home another 5 years. Decisions, decisions... Any words of wisdom?
Have you considered a sailcloth? It can be triangular (use 2 overlapping for differing levels of shade) or rectangular - hemmed completely around the edges with grommets in the corners. You attach to the house and then sink cedar 4x4s into the ground and attach to those. I have a friend who has done this and it looks quite attractive, she has a large deck with a pergola covering half and the other half has a triangular sailcloth (attached on 2 corners to the pergola and the third to a post on the outside of the deck. To clean, I believe she sprays the sailcloth with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water and then rinses off after a bit. http://shop.shadesailoutlet.com/ I just googled it and they don't seem very expensive at all.
If there is a Tent and Awning Co. near you they can be a great resource. Most will sell canvas/sailcloth/awning material by the yard. They may be worth the cost to hem and add grommets for you. I'd ask for cost on all options. We found our local Co to be reasonably priced and there was no shipping charge since we went to get it. This was probably 5 years ago... We had plastic roll downs made for the screened porch to keep blowing rain out and some heat in for the fall to extend the season. Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company." Author: Henry David Thoreau
Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts
Posted - Jul 04 2011 : 08:55:52 AM
Thanks Nicole and Connie - I appreciate your suggestions. Nicole, I looked at the sailcloth website and those are great prices! I will definitely look into that more closely.
Outdoor Fabrics
Posted - Jul 03 2011 : 11:18:13 AM
