Window Awnings and Drop Arm Awnings
Shade for the windows that overheat your rooms, with the angle adjusted to keep the daylight and the view.
A window awning stops the sun before it reaches the glass, which is far more effective at keeping a room cool than anything fitted inside. Drop arm awnings hold the fabric away from the window on pivoting arms, so the shade angle can be set for the time of day and the window can still open. Infinity Verandas supplies and installs window and drop arm awnings for homes and shops across Yorkshire and north Lincolnshire, with a free survey to check the windows, the wall and the best fixing position.
How a drop arm awning works
The fabric rolls out from a cassette or roller at the top of the window, and two arms pivot from below to hold it away from the wall. Extending the arms lowers the outer edge of the fabric, so the awning can sit nearly flat against the wall for light shade or project well out for low afternoon sun. Because the fabric never lies against the glass, air moves behind it and heat does not build up against the window. Retracted, the awning sits neatly above the window.
Why shade the glass, not the room
Once sunlight passes through the glass, the heat is already in the room and blinds or curtains only trap it there. An external awning intercepts the sun first, so south and west-facing rooms stay noticeably more comfortable on hot days. It also cuts glare on screens and protects furnishings and flooring close to the window from fading. For rooms that overheat every summer, shading the window is usually the single most effective change.
Keeping the daylight and the view
The adjustable arms are what separate a drop arm awning from a fixed canopy. On a bright overcast morning the awning can sit high, leaving most of the glass clear; as the sun drops, it comes down to meet it. You keep daylight through the upper part of the window and can still see out beneath the fabric. That adjustability matters on windows you look through all day, where a permanent cover would feel like a loss.
Fabrics, operation and matching frontages
There are hundreds of fabric colours, so an awning can match the brickwork, the window frames or the other awnings on the house. Smaller windows can be operated by hand; larger or hard-to-reach installations are usually electric, with sensors available to retract the awning in strong wind. Where several windows share a frontage, the awnings are planned together so the heights, projections and fabrics read as one scheme from the street.
Window awnings for shops and businesses
Drop arm awnings have a long history on shopfronts, where they shade the display window and keep the interior cooler without hiding the glass. They suit offices, cafés and treatment rooms as well as homes. For a full shopfront scheme, including printed valances and fixed canopies, see our shop front awnings page. Whatever the setting, the same rule applies: the survey checks the wall and the window before the awning is specified.
Tell us about your windows
Send a photograph of the windows from outside with rough sizes, and tell us which direction they face and when the sun bothers you most. Mention anything fixed to the wall nearby, such as pipes, lights or alarm boxes, and whether the windows open outwards. We offer a free survey and quotation, with installation carried out by our own fitters. Call 0114 312 3771 to talk it through.
Related options and advice
Frequently asked questions
- What is a drop arm awning?
- It is a window awning whose fabric is held out from the wall by pivoting arms. The arms set the angle of the fabric, so you can adjust how much shade you get and how much of the window stays uncovered.
- Which windows suit a drop arm awning?
- They suit most standard windows, especially those that take direct sun for part of the day. Bay windows, very wide openings and windows that open outwards need individual assessment at the survey.
- What affects the cost?
- The number and size of the windows, the fabric choice, manual or electric operation, and the fixing conditions of the wall all shape the specification. Matching several windows on one frontage is planned together.
- Do window awnings make rooms dark?
- They block direct sun while the window is shaded, but because the fabric sits away from the glass at an angle, daylight still enters around and beneath it. Most rooms feel cooler rather than darker.
- Can drop arm awnings be left out in wind?
- Like any fabric awning, they should be retracted in strong wind. Electric operation with sensors can retract them automatically when conditions pick up.
Ready to Transform Your Outdoor Space?
Get a free, no-obligation quote. Email a photo of the area plus your preferred width, projection and operation type, and we'll do the rest.