Once again in the UK the summer has not been the greatest. We have a couple of days of sun but then several days of cloud and rain. This can make things difficult for those who enjoy outdoor living.

Previously we have discussed about the use of Verandas and how they can provide an excellent garden shelter. There is now an alternative to this in the form of Sun & Rain Awnings.

The Sun & Rain Awning is a cross between a Veranda and a standard Patio Awning.  It consists of a cassette that is mounted to the wall and a slimline frame that is supported at the front edge by two posts.

When the Sun And Rain Awning is needed then a simple press of a remote control will extend the blind. High quality, self cleaning, UV protective fabric will extend from the cassette creating a cool and shaded area whilst the sun is out. If it begins to rain then there is no problem as the tensioned material allows the water to safely run off.

For those who need a very shallow pitch on their Awning, one edge of the front can be lowered by up to 30cm to create a run off for the rain water.  This is achieved by pulling on a handle. Inside the posts is a gas assisted piston so when it comes to restoring the original height, all that is required is the press of a button and the end raises back up to its original location.

When not in use, the Sun & Rain Awning is retracted back into the cassette mounted onto the wall. It is then fully protected from the elements and keeps the fabric looking pristine ready for the next operation.

Thanks to the framework that is used, these Awnings are able to extend much further than a standard Patio Awning.  A single unit can be manufactured to a width of 5m and have a projection of up to 6m. Two units can be coupled together creating a width of up to 10m and projection of 6m. A special gutter profile fills the gap between the two fabrics, ensure that there is no sun or rain leakage.

Often the Sun & Rain Awning will be referred to as  All Weather Awnings. You can certainly see why this would be the case however the title can be misleading. Whilst it is perfect for use in sunny weather and also able to cope with quite heavy rainfall, you certainly could not use it in the snow as it would quickly damage the fabric. The Sun & Rain Awning is also able to cope with relatively strong winds however you would not want to leave it out in a gale as it could well lead to damage.