Building an Awning - How to Build a Wooden Awning

Awnings are the structures that can be constructed by attaching to the wall of the house, windows, doors or as separate structures for the patio or deck. They can be used as outdoor furniture for enjoying and passing leisure time during the sunny or rainy months. Some of the benefits of awnings are increased living space, sun protection and energy efficiency. Awnings can be made up of plastic, polyester fabric, metal and wood.

One of the cost-effective and flexible awnings is a retractile type, which is set according to the weather conditions. They can be adjusted as per the requirements of the user. Another durable awning option is that of wooden type. However, a concerning issue is that wood awnings for patios are quite expensive in comparison to other awning options. An alternative to reduce the construction cost is by building the awning on your own. If you have basic measurement and carpentry skills, you can accomplish building a wooden awning in your patio.

Building Wooden Awnings

If you are planning to build a wooden awning in the patio, you can purchase do-it-yourself kits available in the local home improvement centers. You can opt for the one with lightweight and sturdy wood equipments. Such kits contain all the necessary hardwares, wood materials, instruction booklets and videos for building a wooden awning successfully. Prior to building the structure, you should go through the manufacturer guidelines carefully.

The contents that you will find in the kit include wood posts and beams, wooden sheets for covering beams, corner brackets, knee braces, nuts, screws, washers and bolts. Other tools required for building a wooden awning are circular saw, reciprocating saw, step ladder, drilling machine and safety gears. Once you are ready with all these required tools, you can begin with building a wooden awning.

First of all, decide on the height of the awning and cut the posts into equal lengths (as per the height) with the help of a circular saw. Work the ends of the wood to make them smooth. Following this, make a drill at one end on each of the posts for securing the bolts. Similarly, cut the wood pieces in order to prepare the overhead beams. Make equal length beams according to the dimension of the awning. Drill holes at the ends for fixing the poles.

The next step is to erect the posts at appropriate sites. Make sure that they are secured to the ground properly. Climb on the step ladder and put the seam to post corner brackets on the top of each posts. After the corner brackets are fastened tightly, introduce the wooden beams on the corner brackets. Screw the nuts and bolts in order to fix the beams with the corner brackets. For better security, affix knee braces on top of two adjacent support posts. Finally, lay the wooden covering sheets over the beams and nail them.

After wooden awning has been erected, you are required to follow certain maintenance tips such as scraping, refinishing or treating the wood once in a year to prevent any pest infestations. You can create custom designs to add more aesthetic value to the wooden awning structure that you have constructed. With a wooden awning in your patio, you can create a canopy by growing climbers and other trailing plants.