Awning work

[Mike8560]

I dabbled in a little today and installed new canvas on some old frames at a  boat sales lot thats opening up up here. actually not bad profit in it and it was all square cutting and sewing. actually im thinking of building a nice awning over my new patio when im done with the concreete pavers. you know with some nice stripes and a valance.

so anyone else here do awning? im looking at the awning kits from trivantage
as I dont have a welder right now.

[bobbin]

Yup.  I've worked in the awnings and marine canvas for nearly 18 yrs. now.  Awnings are fun and they're not too difficult if you are willing to pay attention to accurate measuring and learning the basics of framing. 

I've made the awnings on my home, the canopy over my deck (12'x18') and the screen panels that zip on to it.  I install it myself, but having someone help me hoist it over the "ridge pole" is a help.  :)

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL889/1214523/9177286/391332732.jpg
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL889/1214523/9177286/391332734.jpg
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL889/1214523/9177286/391332895.jpg
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL889/1214523/9177286/391332896.jpg
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL889/1214523/9177286/391332736.jpg
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL889/1214523/9177286/391332731.jpg

[Mike8560]

Very nice bobbin. Most awning I see o. Resteraunt decks and such are square tubing but have a round bar ( I know it has a name) that the lacing wraps to. It looks like yours is all round yes? 
Mine will be simpler 17' wide with a 12' projection. Most home here have theese premade aluminum roof panels with a foam core about 4" thick and then posibly a aluminum screen enclosure as I had on my last house but I want a different lok this time and like the stylle of the awnings. And it would be prety simple to unlace the canvas with a storm headed my way a d posibly save the framing with the canvas off. 
Is your frame welded or the clamps and pipe fittings?

[bobbin]

I'm sorry you had to click on everything to see the pictures, but it's the only way I've come remotely close to posting pictures. 

The frame is made from 1 1/2" galvinized steel tubing.  The fittings that allow you to fit the pcs. together are aluminum, the lacing bar is 5/8 steel rod, all the materials are available from TriVantage in the awning section of their catalogue.  It's nothing more than tinker toys for grown ups, but you have to think about wind and a stiffer frame is more likely to withstand heavy winds.  The range of fitting is amazing, something for every conceivable  application.  My frame is a bit of a hybrid because the canopy returns over the house's roof for a bit, it was the look I wanted since the soffit height on the house precluded a simple shed style canopy.  The trusses are welded and they're the pcs. that have the diagonal bracing, they were designed with couplings that allow them to be afixed to the tops of the verticals.  The bottoms of those trusses are 8' from the deck, the ridge pole is nearly 12', so the entire effect is high and very open.  This is nice from a ventilation standpoint as it can sometimes get quite warm under low canopies, esp. if done in a dark color. 

The frame remains in place all year and after 5 yrs. shows no sign of fatigue.  I put the canopy up in late April/early May and usually leave it up through October/early November.  Getting the canopy up over the ridge pole is the toughest part of the operation (it's heavy!) but lacing it in place takes me 1-2 hrs. (tops), mostly because I have to move the step ladder around so much.  I begin by adjusting the canopy on the frame and tie wrapping the corners in place.  I use 6 pcs. of line and begin the lacing at the centre of the gable end, then work my way down the sides and back to the building.  Last of all, I go up on the roof and lace the roof return in place.  Properly laced on it has gone through several extremely severe thunderstorms with heavy, heavy winds and has neither torn or come loose.  A hurricane down your way would be a different story, however.   

[Peppy]

Wowza! Thats some tarp! First I've ever seen the fringe in action. Does it serve a purpose? I've been seriously considering dingle balls for my boat. Is your fringe cotton? And why did you choose to lace it on? I'm guessing if I made that I'd put zipper flaps in or something. Is lacing it stronger?

Nice work! Although I am a sucker for stripes...

[Mike8560]

Most I've seen are laced on pepey and like on a t top or hard top tower you can retighten the canvas when it streaches unlike zipered pockets or snaps.

Well I finnished my patio today then it started pouring out
so I've got to get onto the canopy

[bobbin]

The fringe is acrylic, Peppy.  Cotton would rot too quickly.  Astrup used to carry fringe, but since they were absorbed by TriVantage (who said nothing would change, lol) fringe is no longer available there.  I don't know where else to find it, but I'll bet a big awning supplier in Florida, California, maybe the desert southwest might have it.  It serves no other purpose than being decorative.  And, it's rather out of style to use it these days... I received more than few raised eyebrows when I mentioned that I wanted to use it.  ;)

Lacing is a very secure way to attach an awning to a frame, just as Mike surmised.  Over time the canvas will stretch and if you're using zippers, snaps, or common sense fasteners you will lose the ability to stretch it down.  Exactly like a T top; you don't want the canopy to have too much play or it will bounce around on the frame and the repeated slapping will leave worn areas. 

Old timers used to lace with cotton line, it would shrink after getting wet and tighten the canopy still more.  I use polyester line, in about 6 manageable lengths and instead of using a simple spiral I go around the lacing bar, back through the grommet, behind the lacing strip, back out through the next grommet, around the bar and then back through the grommet, and so on.  That keeps some tension on the line without constant pulling and I can go back and grab the line between the grommets to pull down and remove more slack once the canopy is in place.  You will be amazed how much slack you can remove that way, too.  When the canopy is properly tightened down it has a certain "ring" to it when you snap it with your finger. 

We often use Keder welt along the top edge of shed style canopies, Mike.  It's easy to slide into track mounted on the building, and the Keder is plenty strong enough to pull against for the lacing around the remaining 3 sides. 

[fragged8]

hiya

Those all look nice guys, I just did a retractable awning outside a local pub using polyester laminate. all flat pla which was easy work.

The front edge was wavy like yours Bobbin but i just made the same edge straight to update it a little and also i didnt want to bind the wobbly edge  ;D the customer was pleased.

I don't see a label on yours Mike ? would be a good ad in a boat sales shop.

Rich

[Mike8560]

 labels underneath rich seen out the windows.

[fragged8]

hehe you sly old dog you  :o