Awning vs. Canopy: Which Is Which?

December 10, 2021

At Dorchester Awning Company, we have over a century of experience. In that time, we’ve expanded our product offerings to include awnings, canopies, tents, and other shade products. If you’re looking at awnings vs. canopies, you might be wondering: which is which?

While some customers use the terms interchangeably, awnings and canopies are actually two different products. Awnings are permanent or retractable shades that are attached to the building and prevent light from entering a home or business. Canopies are usually freestanding, temporary options that can be disassembled and put away that block the sun over outdoor seating areas.

Awnings

Awnings can improve the appearance of your home, as well as many other practical features. Homes with awnings can see average energy savings of 43% in a typical year or 23% in a hotter than average year. In addition to providing protection from the elements outside, awnings can protect interior drapes, furnishings, and wood flooring from undue fading.

There are a wide variety of eye-appealing colors, patterns, and fabric selections with today’s awning fabrics. These fabrics are durable enough to withstand weather elements yet retain their flexibility and good looks. Whether you’re looking for motorized retractable awnings, fixed frame permanent window and door models, or custom awning projects, Dorchester Awning Company has an awning solution for you.

Canopies

Canopies are prized for their ability to cover large spaces. These coverings can be used to extend your living space over pools and patios, grilling, or lounging areas. Pergolas and other outdoor architectural structures can sometimes lack the ability to block the sun or weather elements.

We can help! We have a variety of design approaches that we can take to address this issue, whether it’s covering an existing pergola or creating a new stand-alone structure. We can create a frame structure for any shape, size, or style imaginable.

Custom Solutions

Dorchester Awning Company is proud to offer custom awning design as an extension of our normal design process. We specialize in creating customized structures to meet all of your coverage needs, whether an awning or a canopy.

We have experience in designing, fabricating, and installing a wide range of structures. Our professional staff works with engineers, architects, projects managers, and business owners to develop the design details to ensure a structurally sound, useful, and elegant solution to your coverage needs.

Our commitment to 100% customer satisfaction doesn’t end when the project is complete – we stand behind our products and our work and provide continued support. We’re also full service, so we can handle design, permit processing, fabrication, recovering, seasonal take-down, storage, repairs, and install/re-install. We want our customers to be customers for life.

Choose Dorchester Awning Company for all of your covering needs.

Now that you’ve learned about awnings vs. canopies, contact us today to find out how you can schedule your free design consultation with Dorchester Awning.