Awnings aren’t just for decorating a building’s exterior. These useful additions also help create covered outdoor space over patios and pools, keep water off of your windows, and much more. Yet with constant exposure to the harshest weather conditions and daily bombardment from UV rays, all awnings eventually fade. Peeling surfaces, changing colors, and even rust development can make an otherwise attractive awning into a problem. Painting is one good option for restoring the look of an awning. However, you’ll need to use paint that matches the material of the awning to get good results.

Protecting Metal Awnings

Metal awnings are usually coated by the manufacturer to give them color and weather resistance, but eventually, the original coating fades and begins to crack or even peel. Since the coating on metal awnings also protects the underlying metal from corrosion and rust, you definitely need to apply paint at the first signs of these issues.

You don’t need to remove all the original coating when preparing the metal for a new coat of paint. However, you do need to sand away any loose, cracked, or peeling paint to avoid adhesion issues with the new paint. If the awning has a high gloss coating, sanding the entire surface enough to scuff it evenly is necessary to keep the new paint from coming loose. After painting, scrub the metal with a soft-bristled brush and a powdered detergent to clean away grime and any particles left behind by sanding. Oil-based paints should adhere to aluminum and any other metals used for your awnings, but you should apply a coating of metal primer first since the awning has to withstand some intense weathering effects.

Extending the Life of Fabric Awnings

Painting a canvas awning is a little harder, but it can restore the color of the fabric and extend its life by at least another year or two. You’ll need to take the awning down or remove the canvas or vinyl from the mechanism if you have a retractable design. Fragile fabrics can rip while you’re doing this, so aim to paint your fabric awnings before they get too worn to handle. You’ll need an acrylic-based paint and a commercial quality fabric medium additive to keep the paint flexible enough to bend with the fabric. Replacing the fabric is generally much easier than trying to paint it.

When Painting Isn’t Enough

Investing in new awnings is much easier than trying to paint your existing ones. New awnings come with advanced coatings that are much more durable than the ones used even five to 10 years ago. You’ll enjoy a longer lifespan with less maintenance by installing brand-new awnings than by using paint. Once you paint an awning, you’ll need to keep touching it up at the first sign of peeling or cracking to prevent further damage. New awnings will only need occasional cleaning for many years to come.

If the idea of painting your awning is already making you feel tired, let us handle it all here at Mesa Awnings. We can restore your existing awnings or design and install brand new ones to beautify your home or business. Contact us today at (480) 969-4064 to discuss your options.