Metal Awnings For Commercial Buildings

Installing shade structures on a commercial building is an excellent way to boost style and comfort for occupants. You can have the perfect blend of style and shade for your property by choosing the right shade option. One of the most versatile choices for commercial applications is a metal awning.

Commercial metal awnings are useful in various situations, from outdoor seating arrangements to front entrances. These awnings will help reduce energy consumption, protect people from harsh weather conditions, and provide cover from direct sunlight. However, not all commercial metal awnings are created equal.

This article will cover what a commercial metal awning is, why you should install them, and the things to consider before installing them.

What Are Commercial Metal Awnings For Commercial Buildings?

Commercial metal awnings are a shade option typically installed at the front entrances of businesses. A metal awning extends out from the commercial building with a roof-like structure that protects those under it. There are various design options for commercial metal awnings, helping you enhance your property’s facade.

Metal Awning for commercial buildings generally has strong anchors keeping them stable through even the toughest weather conditions and heavy snow loads. When you need a shade option that lasts for decades with little maintenance, installing a metal awning is an excellent choice. With the help of a professional awning company, you can customize the structure to match your preferences.

You will need to decide what type of commercial metal awning meets your performance needs. For example, a commercial metal awning canopy generally extrudes straight out from the building at a 90-degree angle providing maximum protection. The canopy will have heavy snow loads and use a drain pipe for drainage. A traditional commercial Metal awning extrudes from the building at a sloping angle to shed water or snow on its surrounding surface. It does not use a drain pipe for drainage.

Additionally, there are several material options to choose from when deciding on metal awnings for commercial buildings. One of the best choices for a metal awning is aluminum, which is lightweight, durable, and resistant to corrosion. If you want an aesthetic and functional awning, commercial aluminum awnings are the way to go.

What Are The Common Metal Awning Styles For Commercial Buildings?

If you want to enhance your business with commercial metal awnings, there are several different types of designs you can consider installing. All of the commercial awning styles will improve the functionality and appearance of your property. These are the four most common awning styles for commercial properties.

Storefront Awnings

When you want to make a great first impression on your customers, you should consider installing a metal awning on your storefront. A high-quality metal awning should match the color scheme of your business and be built with premium materials. Your customers will recognize your business and appreciate the added shade with a storefront metal awning.

Outdoor Seating Awnings

Improve the comfort of your outdoor seating arrangements with custom metal awnings. These awnings are commonly installed for restaurants and cafes, allowing customers to enjoy the weather–rain or shine. A premium metal awning will also provide excellent ventilation and maintain a comfortable temperature.

Balcony Awnings

If you have balconies at your commercial property, adding a metal awning improves the comfort of the area. While looking out at the beautiful view, the occupant can receive shade from direct sunlight. These commercial building awnings are also an excellent way to increase the value of a property.

Smoking Shelter Awning

Adding a metal awning to a designated smoking section will add convenience to the space and accommodate guests who smoke. The metal awning can shelter people from the weather and help improve the guest experience. Since smoking sections come in all sizes, a professional awning company can provide the ideal design for the area.

Main Differences Between Metal Awnings and Other Shade Structures

When researching the various shade structures for commercial buildings, you may be curious about their differences. There are several shade structures, with each having a different purpose for the property owner. The three most common shade structures that you can install on a commercial building are:

Awnings

Traditionally a metal awning is sloped and made of aluminum or steel. They are attached just above windows or walkways and block out light, rain, and snow. The problem is they shed water and snow down to the surface below them. This causes drainage issues and requires snow removal.

Sunshades

A commercial sunshade will reduce sun exposure and allow natural light to shine. The design looks like a metal awning, but louvers in the shade’s construction allow sunlight to shine through during the cold months and block out the sun during the warm months. Some sunshades utilize tinted glass to reduce UV exposure, and there are large fabric sunshade options to cover large areas.

Canopies

A canopy is similar to a metal awning, but they differ in projection, slope, snow loads, and drainage. As mentioned previously, metal awnings for commercial buildings provide basic coverage and don’t provide any drainage. A canopy is designed to provide maximum projections that create more shading and protection. They also have a drain pipe similar to a house gutter that runs everything down a drainpipe or to a specific canopy side. This prevents snow and water from draining onto the surface below.

What To Consider When Ordering Awnings For Commercial Buildings

Before installing new metal awnings for a commercial building, there are a few considerations to ensure you pick the right design. If you choose the wrong metal awning, you may not receive the full benefits that come with this shade option. Below are some of the most important things to consider while working with a professional awning company.

What’s The Awning’s Purpose?

When installing metal awnings for a commercial building, the awning location makes a big difference in its design. Awnings installed at the storefront will differ from the metal awning used as an outdoor seating cover. Once you have a concrete idea of the metal awning’s purpose, you can move on to other considerations.

What Material Is Best For Your Needs?

Metal awnings come in a wide range of materials, from galvanized steel to aluminum. While a steel awning is the strongest material, it may not be the best choice for a humid environment and generally has much higher maintenance. Installing aluminum metal awnings for commercial buildings will be a more corrosion-resistant option that fairs better in humid climates and is naturally rust-resistant, so the maintenance is generally much lower. Aluminum is also much lighter, making the installation a quicker and safer process.

What Design Do You Want?

One of the best aspects of modern metal awnings is the architectural freedom you have to make the design personalized. You can adjust the color, size, and features of the metal awning to match your preferences. There are also options to adjust the awning angle, creating a flat or sloped appearance.

What Are The Maintenance and Durability Of Metal Awnings For Commercial Buildings

An often overlooked aspect of installing a metal awning is the maintenance requirements and durability of the metal awning. Here’s where we really advocate for aluminum metal awnings. First, installation is much easier with aluminum because it’s so much lighter. Steel awnings will require a much longer installation time because of the extra weight. Second, aluminum is naturally rust-resistant; this means your awning will look newer longer and require little maintenance. If Steel gets a single scratch, rust can set in and eat away at your awning. Check out our article on Aluminum VS Steel Canopies

Conclusion

Metal awnings for commercial buildings are a popular shade option that enhances the style and functionality of a commercial building. There are several metal awnings for commercial buildings to choose from, so find the style that best fits your needs. If you need the help of a professional awning company, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are A professional awning company that knows the proper steps to provide every detail you need for your commercial building.

For decades, our team at Vestis Systems has provided architectural products like awnings, canopies, and sunshades for architects, general contractors, and business owners. All of our products are simply installed and leave a lasting impression on customers and theirs. We will match your design preferences and work to make your metal awning a defining feature. Contact us today to learn more about our awning services.

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