A nice outdoor barbecue or event is mandatory to attend during the summer months. Hot dogs, hamburgers and all the trimmings, a nice cold beverage and a gathering of a group of family and friends is the ultimate in relaxing days. Sooner or later, however, the sun will begin to become overwhelmingly hot and the weather will begin to wear down on you both physically and mentally. The summer months also have a tendency to bring about a lot of rain which in turn force you to retreat back into your home. An awning is the perfect solution to escape the elements and still be able to enjoy the pleasantries that nature has to offer. Listed below in detail is how to properly build an awning.
Items for Awning Project:
• Measuring Tools (Preferably both a sewing specific measuring tape and a double sided industrial tape measure.
• Sewing products ( Thread, needle and sewing machine if possible)
• 2 Large Screw In Hooks ( Must verify if these can be screwed into brick, vinyl, etc. depending on your type of house)
• Drill with Bits
• Grommets
• Key rings (These are used for attaching the awning to the house)
• Rope
• Stakes
Steps:
- Take measurements for the location of the awning. These measurements need to take into account the area, how far the awning will come out from the house and weight.
- Once the measurements have taken place, the material needs to be purchased from a local fabric store or hardware store. The key here is to purchase a material that can stand up to the inclement weather and provide an ample amount of shade. After the final decision is made, make sure that you purchase an extra amount to accommodate for extra hemming if needed.
- The edges of the awning would need to be hemmed. Preference would be to use a sewing machine for time convenience but hand sewing can definitely be done as well to create a straight stitch.
- Install grommets to each corner of the cloth or plastic area depending on the material.
- Drill pilots accordingly into your home based upon the measurements you had taken earlier. Pilots are used to prevent damage to your house at the location of the awning. Screw hooks would then be inserted securely into each hole drilled.
- Place key rings through the grommets that are closest to the house and then place the key rings accordingly on to the screw hooks installed earlier.
- Install poles in the ground or on a flat surface with a base accordingly based upon how far you want the awning to reach from your home. The poles need to be sturdy to hold the weight of the awning.
- Once poles are in place, secure the open end of the awning by attaching the grommets connected to each corner onto the poles.
- Once grommets are secured, secure the remaining part of the awning tightly using ropes and stakes fastened to the ground.
