Awnings are a great choice for Philadelphia businesses with sidewalk seating to maximize their seating space. More and more businesses are beginning to realize the aesthetic and logistic benefits of having an outdoor seating space. There are a plethora of different awning options for your business to choose from. However, you need to understand what each type of awning offers, what your needs are, and how much space you eventually want to cover with your awning. All of these factors will play a part in determining the best awning option for you.
This blog is going to take a more detailed look at the awning options presented to restaurants and cafes in Philadelphia. Every awning is great in its own way, and there are examples of each one we’re about to discuss all over the city. We don’t personally endorse anyone awning solution over another, but we want to educate potential customers about all of the different facets of awnings so that they can choose the perfect awning for their restaurant.
Patio Awnings
A patio awning is directly mounted to your building. From the wall mount, the awning extends out to cover your seating area. What a patio awning is great for in Philadelphia is sidewalk seating. So many restaurants and cafes have outdoor seating on the sidewalk, after all, it is a great way to maximize space. Patio awnings are perfect for outdoor seating right around your building or small patio areas. This type of awning is also great for buildings that curve and do business on a corner. You want to extend your awning to cover all of your sidewalk seating on either side of your building, and the easiest way to do that is with a patio awning.
Freestanding Awnings
The difference between a patio awning and a freestanding awning is right there in the name. The freestanding awning is not mounted to your building. Rather this awning stands on its own on a separate structure. Freestanding awnings are very popular solutions for large, square spaces. This type of awning is popular with outdoor bars, beer gardens, pool decks, etc. What makes this type of awning so perfect for wide-open spaces is its versatility and spaciousness. In Philadelphia, you won’t want to put a freestanding awning in front of your business for sidewalk diners. This is a better option for restaurants and cafes with patios, courtyards, or outdoor bars.
Retractable Awnings
The retractable awnings are more expensive than freestanding or patio awnings, but they provide a lot more flexibility too. These awnings use a motor to roll up or extend your awning. If you are really trying to maximize your outdoor space, the retractable awning gives you the most options. When the weather in Philadelphia is at its peak you can retract your awning and let your patrons enjoy every bit of the city, and when the weather is less than ideal or scorching hot your awning can be deployed to provide shade and comfort. The one issue retractable awnings face is their durability. The weather in Philadelphia gets bad as we all know. Retractable awnings are not designed to withstand heavy rain or snowfall. If they are left open, they can sustain damage in these conditions so you need to be sure to retract it during those times.
Fabric Awnings
Fabric awnings tend to be the most popular type of material for restaurants and cafes. The reasons are because it is far more customizable, it provides a classic aesthetic look and feel, and it gives you another space to advertise, which is not always easy to come by in Philadelphia. The fabric awnings do require more maintenance since they get dirtier and fade quicker from exposure to the elements, but maintenance is easy and doesn’t cost a lot of money or time.
Aluminum Awnings
These awnings are fantastic because they require almost no maintenance and they are extremely durable, but the drawback is that they are not nearly as customizable as fabric awnings. The brutal Philadelphia winter will not take a heavy toll on an aluminum awning. These awnings were made for horrible weather, and in Philadelphia, you never know when that will be. You may want to choose durability over customization. An aluminum awning will still look amazing, but you will have a lot fewer options when it comes to things like color. You have to determine for yourself whether aluminum or fabric is right for you.
Additional Awning Options
Awnings are flexible, and smart restaurant owners utilize them all year long. Don’t miss out on your outdoor seating during the winter. You can add walls and heaters to your awning to make an enclosed outdoor space for your customers during the winter. In Philadelphia space is already at a premium. Take advantage of all your space no matter what the weather is like. Plus, if you like the way your enclosed space looks, the walls can be left up during the summer months too. We can take out windows, remove certain sections of the wall, and install fans in your enclosed space to make the area more temperate in the hot months of summer too.
Quality Awnings of Philadelphia
When it comes to awnings there are tons of different options. When you’re looking for a great Philadelphia awning look no further than Quality Awnings and Canopies. We have years of experience helping businesses get great awnings, installing awnings, and performing routine maintenance to keep our customer’s awnings looking sharp year-round. Please contact us to learn more about our awning services and see a portfolio of our work. You’ve probably seen our awnings all over the city! If you want a great awning, trust the professionals at Quality Awnings and Canopies.