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Street Awnings for Local Councils: A Buying Guide

5 days ago
4 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

A street awning is a fabric canopy stretched between building façades or masts that covers a stretch of street or a shopping area to provide shade and shelter from rain for people walking or shopping underneath. A local council or a traders' association that wants to install one needs to settle several technical points beforehand, because they determine whether the awning covers the street properly, does not obstruct traffic, and lasts for years of use without problems. In this guide we cover what to prepare before requesting a quote, what to require from the fabric in the technical specification, and how to maintain the awning once it is installed.

What a street awning is and how it differs from a shade sail

A street awning is a rectangular fabric panel stretched from façade to façade, or between masts where there are no buildings to anchor to, covering the full width of a pedestrian or shopping street. It differs from a shade sail, which is a triangular or square piece designed to cover a square, terrace or courtyard with more flexible shapes; if your project is more of an open space without nearby façades, it is worth considering a shade sail instead of a street awning.

What to define before requesting a quote

Before contacting a manufacturer, it is worth settling several points, because any later change means redoing measurements and sometimes altering fabric that has already been made.

  • The street sections and the exact widths to be covered, section by section if the street is not uniform.

  • The anchor points available on the façades and their condition, since a weak anchor point needs reinforcing before anything can be installed.

  • The clear height needed for vehicles to pass and for emergency services to gain access.

  • The colour and the degree of openness of the fabric, two decisions that affect both the look of the street and how much light comes through.

  • The season of use, since an awning installed only for the hottest months is not the same as one meant to stay up all year round.

Façade anchor points, the trickiest part

Before signing any quote, it is a good idea to check the condition of the façade points where the awning will be anchored. Many older streets have façade finishes that do not cope well with the tension of a large fabric panel, and in those cases a different anchor system or targeted reinforcement is needed. A council technician can carry out this check in advance, rather than discovering the problem on installation day.

Height and access for vehicles and emergency services

The height of the awning must leave clear passage for vehicles that regularly use the street, including delivery vehicles, and must not reduce the clearance that emergency services need to bring in their vehicles. This is best fixed with the council itself or with municipal mobility technicians before requesting a quote, since it determines the anchoring height and, in some cases, the awning's opening system.

What to require from the fabric in the technical specification

Beyond the width and shape, the technical specification should set out the material's characteristics, since they determine the safety and service life of the awning on the street.

  • European T2 fire certificate (UNE-EN 15619), with the test certificate supplied together with the material; you can read more in T2 fire-rated fabric.

  • UV protection, so the colour does not fade under continuous sun exposure.

  • Whether or not you need the fabric to be waterproof, depending on how it will be used.

  • The fabric weight, which determines its strength and is chosen according to the size of the awning and the type of installation.

What documentation to request from the manufacturer

Before accepting a quote, ask the manufacturer for the T2 fire classification test certificate and the material's technical data sheet, showing weight, UV treatment and how it behaves in water; you can read more on this in T2 fire certificate for tents and fabrics. Keeping this documentation on file with the council makes any future review easier and provides a record of the actual characteristics of the fabric installed.

Seasonal removal, cleaning and storage

If the awning is not going to stay up all year round, it is worth planning from the outset how it will be taken down, cleaned and stored during the season when it is not in use. For more detail on the process, see how to clean and maintain your awning fabric. A few basic recommendations:

  1. Take the awning down before the season of strong winds or heavy rain if it is not meant to stay up all year round.

  2. Clean the fabric with water and a neutral soap before storing it, letting it dry completely to prevent damp stains from forming.

  3. Store the fabric rolled up, without sharp creases, in a dry place away from direct light.

  4. Check the anchor points and fittings every season, before putting the awning back up.

Before requesting a quote

With these points clear (widths, anchor points, height, colour, openness, season and fabric requirements) the buying process is much quicker and avoids changes along the way. You can check the street awnings page to see the range of solutions available, request the free fabric sample book to feel the material before deciding, or get in touch directly to resolve specific technical questions.

Real project: PVC grandstand roofs and 288 tent side walls, made in Málaga for a major motorsport event in Madrid. See the project

 
 
 

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