Cheap Canvas Awning Replacement for house

March 15, 2017 2:24 PM

I have a pair of fairly ratty canvas awnings (on aluminum or steel frames) on my house. They're maybe 2 feet by 2 feet by 1 foot, so not that big. The canvas is shot and I'm hoping to get new ones. I just got a quote and it was almost $1000 for the two, just replacing the canvas. I have some other quotes coming, but is there a cheap alternative here? Could I just find a local craftsperson/sewing expert?
posted by Slinga to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

They sell outdoor fabric at most big-box hardware stores. Depending on what shape it is you don't necessarily need sewing, maybe just some grommets to hold it in place. But for sure if you know the dimensions and a rough pattern, sewing is sewing.
posted by GuyZero at 2:37 PM on March 15, 2017

You can also find 2nd hand awnings on Ebay and Craigslist.
posted by DarlingBri at 4:20 PM on March 15, 2017

And you have the old ones for a careful disassembly to pattern from.
posted by Freedomboy at 6:11 PM on March 15, 2017

Unless you want to replace them frequently, you do want high quality sun-and-weather-resistant fabric. Plus it should look good. Ask about the materials used and their cost, and how long they will last; nevertheless this is only a few square yards at most (w/sleeves; it may be doubled), so how much can that be? $100-200 each seems more likely, but it's been years since I worked in a related field. Any reasonable supplier should be willing to handle the question "how come so much?" or "can you explain the pricing to me?" or "can you recommend a less expensive way to do this?"
posted by lathrop at 8:23 PM on March 15, 2017

For an idea of fabric costs: this place sells marine grade awning fabric aka super durable. If you got the 60" wide fabric, 2-3 yards should be sufficient, and it's $24.95-$28.95 a yard. That doesn't help you find a person to make the thing, but it does give you an idea of the costs for the material, and then I assume you'd need a few hours of labor from someone to do the job.
posted by foxfirefey at 2:25 AM on March 16, 2017 [1 favorite]

Search for Aleko Window Awning on Amazon. Cheap replacement, lasts at least two years, based on my experience. They've got the frame and everything and they're significantly less than $1000.
posted by DaveP at 4:48 AM on March 16, 2017

Yes, Sunbrella, that's what we provided for this purpose.
posted by lathrop at 7:40 PM on March 16, 2017

That quote seems high for the size you want.

I'd consider getting a quote from Costco's vendor. Keep in mind,
"Custom product(s) manufactured to our member’s personal and unique specifications cannot be returned or refunded, except for warranty repair/replacement due to failure to meet specifications."

I'd personally feel more confident dealing with a vendor that's been pre-vetted by Costco; especially knowing that I could have Costco go to bat for me if something went awry down the line.
posted by LuckySeven~ at 7:07 AM on March 17, 2017