Awnings

Awnings & Blinds for Sydney from Ozsun Shade Systems.

Folding Arm Awnings Folding arm awnings maximise entertaining areas such as patios and decks, and are also ideal for cafés and restaurants.  Folding arm awnings can be operated manually or motorised with optional timers, sensors and remote control.  No intrusive posts are required as the cloth is supported on spring loaded arms.
Conservatory Awnings Conservatory awnings were originally designed in Europe for glass conservatories.  They are normaly motorised with remote control.  Conservatory awnings are also commonly used for shade over pergolas but can also be fitted with posts.
Suntech Retractable Pergola Awnings The Suntech Retractable Pergola Awning provides optimum protection from sun, wind and rain. Designed for hospitality, commercial and quality residential projects. The Suntech Awning is the only retractable awning that has been engineered to withstand wind speeds up to 117km/hr.
System 2000 Pivot arm Awnings System 2000 pivot arm awnings are very adaptable window awnings that can be designed to suit a wide range of needs.  Custom designed and made with many variations and control options – including internal or external tape,  or electric, even wireless remote.
System 3000 Straight Drop Awnings System 3000 straight drop fabric roll-up awnings are very robust external  sunscreen systems.  It is either operated by a crankhandle and gearbox or can be motorised with wireless remote.  The System 3000 awning has no side guides or channels, so it does not interfere with architectural fretwork and post mouldings.
System 6000 Pivot Arm Awnings The System 6000 pivot arm awning is the big brother to the Sydtem 2000.  Instead of being tape operated it is operated by a crankhandle and gearbox or motorised with wireless remote.  While the System 2000 awning is ideal for smaller protection requirements the System 6000 has been designed for larger exposed areas.
System 9000 and Vertiscreen Straight Drop Awnings System 9000 and Vertiscreen straight drop awnings are retractable exterior vertical sunscreen systems from Europe with neat slim-line cassettes.  They are operated by amanual gearbox and crank handle or motorised.  The base rail travels up and down on either stainless stell wire guides or side tracks.
Automatic Awnings Automatic roll-up awnings are an awning ideally suited for windows that get full sun and have easy access.  They are operated by a spring system with side guides and locking arm system with an easy pull down and hook design.
Convertible Awnings Convertible roll-up awnings are a traditional Australian pivot arm awning ideally suited to match with traditional houses such as Federation style.  They are operated by a cord and reel system with pivot arms.
Verandah Blinds and Shop Blinds (Awnings) Verandah and shop blinds are a simple traditional rope and pulley straight drop awning or blind.  The verandah blind has no arms and when fully extended is held down by straps to prevent it from swinging in the wind.
Clear PVC Blinds  Clear PVC Café blinds give you protection from the elements without obstructing your view.  They are operated by a rope and pulley system.  We have installed Café Blinds in many restaurants and cafés, and at home they can transform your outdoor living areas into a truly usable space.

Carbolite Awnings Carbolite awnings use twin walled polycarbonate sheeting to produce a variety of awnings and roof structures.  Carbolite awnings are most suited to applications where rain protection is required without blocking out the natural light.
Canopy Awnings Canopy awnings consist of a fabric covered aluminium frame.  They are custom made in a variety of shapes and sizes.  The most popular being the traditional Dutch and the semi circular Cupola canopy awnings.

• Awnings keep temperatures cooler inside and help reduce your electricity bills by up to 25% if you run air conditioning.
• An awning can provide shade without shutting out the view.
• Awnings protect floor coverings and furniture from fading in sunlight. 
• Awnings are environmentally friendly way to cool your home.
• An awning can give excellent privacy when required.
• An awning can add value to your property.
• Awnings can turn terraces and balconies into airy attractive, extra rooms.
• Awnings provide a sheltered place for children and pets to play, sheilded from direct sun.

Energy Performance

Retractable awnings and exterior blinds reduce thermal heat gain and increase the energy performance of a building.  Ozsun's awnings and external blinds can reduce solar gain by up to 80% by keeping the sun’s rays off the glass.  This is far superior to using thermal pane glass, window tints or internal blinds.

Heat Island Effect

Uncovered hardscape including pavers, concrete and tiles exposed to the sun can create a heat island effect in outdoor areas.   By installing an Ozsun awning over a patio or courtyard area, the reflected heat is reduced significantly in that area.

Heat Flow

Windows are the weak link, thermally speaking, in most buildings.  Windows today are much better than old single pane windows, but they still represent a compromise.  We accept their mediocre performance because we want daylight, views and ventilation.  Windows and glazing systems allow unwanted heat flow in several ways.  They can have cracks or gaps that allow air flow.  they allow heat transfer via conduction across the glass and frames and they allow heat gain by visible light and UV radiation.  The UV radiation is converted to infrared radiation inside the building which is trapped by the glass and heats the building - a classic greenhouse effect.  Ozsun awnings and external blinds stop the sun from hitting the glass - the best way to stop solar gain through windows.  They then retract away when not in use.

Exterior fabric awnings can reduce entry of solar energy by up to 80%.  By comparison, solar film or interior blinds typically offer 40% protection - source CSIRO Division of Building Research.

Guide to Shopping for Awnings

Terms:

A folding arm retractable awning is an awning which can be rolled up and closed.  Unlike fixed awnings and canopies, a retractable awning has no support posts.  A retractable awning has a simple design:

o Frame - the skeleton of the awning; the frame of a basic folding arm awning is comprised of the mounting bar or square bar, arms, and roller tube.  

o Mounting bar (square bar) - the base of the folding arm awning, which is mounted to the wall with brackets.  When the awning is retracted, the awning fabric rolls around the roller tube attached to the mounting bar.

o Cassette - a powder coated aluminium outer casing that conceals and protects the awning when retracted.  A semi-cassette conceals the awning fabric but not the arms.  A full cassette conceals both the arms and the awning fabric when retracted.

o Powder coating - a method of applying a protective and decorative colour coating to the aluminium components of the awning, including the cassette.  It is baked on in an oven to create a finish that is tougher than conventional paint.

o Arms - the part of the frame which folds closed at the elbow, when the awning is retracted (rolls in) and opens when the awning is extended (rolls out). 

o Shoulder - the hinge joint on the arm of a folding arm awning, where arm is attached to the mounting bar. 

o Elbow - the hinge joint half way along the arm of a folding arm awning, that allows the arm to fold back upon itself when the awning is retracted.

o Front bar - the extrusion at the very front of the awning frame.

o Hood - a cover which fits over the retractable awning frame and fabric; when the awning is fully retracted, the hood protects the exposed fabric, frame, and motor from the elements. 

o Valance - an optional strip of fabric, usually around 15 to 20cm high, which hangs from the front bar of the retractable awning. 

o Rib - the cross bars of the frame which support the awning fabric. Not every awning style has ribs, since ribs are often used to create a shape of a canopy awning frame; for example, folding arm retractable awnings don't have any ribs.

There are many styles of retractable awnings:

o Folding arm awning - the most common, retractable awning style, consists of two or more arms, the front bar, mounting bar and the fabric. This is the most popular style for homes and commercial buildings; this is also the most scalable style, extending (projecting) as far as 4 metres without external supports. 

o Pivot arm awning (also known as drop arm awning) - is a simple roll up awning and is offten used to create shade and privacy for windows.  It has arms that move outward and down from the roller tube as they pivot from their hinge brackets.  This feature allows the awning to be adjusted for the sun angle at different times of  the day while still maintaining a view.  Pivot arm awnings are mainly used as window awnings, extending only as far as around 1.5 metres.  The fabric in many cases is translucent, so that it is used for anti-glare, yet allows light into the room.   The awning can be electrically operated with a tubular motor fitted into the roller tube or manually operated by means of gears and crank or a rope and pulley system.

o Vertical screen - a kind of retractable awning or blind which is mounted vertically so it extends downward. This style of awning has no arms since it simply "drops" down. This is mainly used to screen patios, gazebos, and other outdoor areas from glare, heat, rain, UV rays, direct sun and rain.

Accessories available for retractable awnings which make them easier to operate include:

Veining   Subsequent to handling during sewing, fabrication and assembly, acrylic fabrics treated with resins containing fluoride may show “veining” visible against the sunlight caused by an optical effect (differences in the refractions of light).

White Lines   Subsequent to handling during sewing, fabrication and assembly, acrylic fabrics treated with resins containing fluoride may show small white traces that appear on the fabric due to the stiffness that is caused by the fluoride treatment. These lines are particularly visible in light fabrics as they are held up against the light.

Folds     As the fabric rolls up along the roll-tube on the awning the seams will roll up with more accumulated material than the areas surrounding it. This difference in thickness may cause the fabric to wrinkle slightly around the seams. This may affect one seam but not the seam next to it.

Installation

Understanding a few terms about the positioning and installation of the awning can help determine the appropriate size and installation location for your awning:

Clear PVC Blinds - Rose Hill

Discus Awnings - Palm Beach

Stratos 3 Awning - Paddington

Stratos 3 Awning - Paddington

Toga Folding Arm Awning - Mosman