FAQ's

1. What does it look like on the wall?

Retractable arm awnings fold away to approximately 260 x 260mm , and all you will see is part of the front rail and the valance of fabric at the front. If you choose to have a pelmet this will be seen above the awning and provide protection for the fabric, meaning it will last longer.
Click here for more information on pelmets.

2. How long do the awnings last?

The hardware and most fabrics have a 5 year warranty and we expect them to last a lot longer than that. Topline awnings and Cassettes have a 7 year warranty.

3. How much wind will they withstand?

We only recommend awnings and drop curtains to be out in moderate winds. Fixed frame awnings are manufactured and installed to withstand strong winds.
Click here to view the Trendline and Topline wind ratings.

4. What colours is the hardware available in?

The Trendline retractable awning is available in warm white and silver grey/natural anodised. The Topline and Hilines are available in warm white, silver grey/natural anodised and satin black. For the grey awnings - the imported components are powder coated, and the aluminium front rail and back bar are extruded in New Zealand and finished with a natural anodised treatment.
For the Rubix and Cocoon Cassettes, as they are manufactured in Australia, they are available in all 120 Australian Dulux Duralloy colours.

5. What colours is the fabric available in?

There are many colours available in plains, tweeds and stripes. New colours ranges are introduced regularly, so you should be able to find a colour to match your home. Remember, while darker colours hide the dirt better they block more light, and while light colours let in the most light, they get dirty very quickly.

6. Can I view the fabric online?

Yes. Please view our page on choosing the best fabric type for your awning.

Fabric for RETRACTABLE ARM AWNINGS

For the Planasol acrylic canvas range:

http://www.contender.co.nz/Contender/Acrylic-Canvas/Planosol/Planosol.php

For the Docril acrylic canvas range:

http://citel.es/categoria-producto/toldo/docril/

For the Dickson Orchestra acrylic canvas range click here to download the 2019 brochure

For the Sunbrella acrylic canvas range: www.sunbrella.com/showroom

PLEASE BE AWARE: not all fabrics may be available in New Zealand.

7. Are the fabrics waterproof?

Please view our page on choosing the best fabric type for your awning.
Acrylic canvas fabric is water resistant, and will withstand a large amount of water before it starts to drip through. PVC fabric is welded together rather than sewn and this makes it waterproof. PVC is not recommended for lateral arm awnings as it is very heavy and will start to smell if rolled up damp. We also have a range of polyester fabric (Weathermax 80) which is acrylic coated which when welded forms a waterproof skin for a lateral arm awning.

8. How do you clean the awning and fabric?

Acrylic canvas fabric can be cleaned using mild detergents and water. We recommend regular cleaning, approximately 6 monthly, of both the fabric and the hardware. Drop curtains should be cleaned using water and a mild detergent and soft brush every 3-4 months. More frequently in areas with high salt spray. We can provide Vuplex cleaner which is specifically designed for cleaning drop curtains and plexiglass.

9. What are the limitations of use?

RETRACTABLE ARM AWNINGS LIMITATIONS OF USE

Retractable Arm awnings are designed for shade protection in moderate wind conditions only. Although generally waterproof, they are not designed for weather protection, and must be retracted in windy conditions, or if the awning collects water. Larger awnings should be motor operated, and controlled by a wind sensor. There are too many variables to accurately predict the safe wind speed setting for a particular installation,

Wind sensor setting: is set at the mid point, and can be adjusted if it is believed the awning can handle slightly more wind or down if the wind is too strong.

Arm angle setting: Must be sufficient to shed water. If it does not, the fabric will become permanently stretched and must be replaced. If water does collect, please retract the awning immediately so that we can adjust the angle.

The watershed angle can be checked with a hose, also check our angle measurement diagram. We recommend a fall of 15 degrees.

OUTDOOR BLIND LIMITATIONS OF USE

Outdoor blinds are not wind rated and should not be left down in strong winds.

Clear PVC will expand and contract with changes to the ambient temperature. This will effect how it sits within the coloured PVC border framework, and if the curtain is overstretched it will remember and the coloured border will be wavy and stretched when the clear contracts again. Treat gently.

CLICK HERE for the Ziptrak care and maintenance guide

EASY SHADE AWNING LIMITATIONS OF USE

Easy Shade awnings are a shade only product and should not be left out in all weather. They are designed to provide shade while you are there and should be rolled away when not in use.

10. Do they need a permit?

Retractable arm awnings, fixed canopies and drop curtains in domestic areas and below 20m2 do not require a permit, unless they are within 1.5m of the boundary line. The building code specifies a permit is required for an awning 20m2 and over, and awnings that are above level 1 of a building (unless replacing an existing). Following the Christchurch earthquake the Building Code changed to require any awning over a public area requires a permit, no matter the size.
Shade sails over 50m2 require a permit.

11. How long before I receive my order?

Our standard turnaround times are 4-6 weeks from the receipt of your deposit to the completion of your installation in most cases. If special brackets or galvanising and powder coating is required there may be a slightly longer time scale.
Tension canopy awning standard turnaround is 6-8 weeks from receipt of deposit.
During October through to December due to the high level of work requests, this usually increases to 6-12 weeks. We cannot guarantee installation prior to Christmas for any orders placed after 14th October. We produce our awnings in a chronological order, so the sooner you place your order the sooner you will receive your awning.
Rubix and Cocoon Cassettes are produced in Australia and delivery is generally 10-14 weeks, and up to 18 weeks around December/January.

12. Do drop curtains come with zips?

Yes, if you would like zips on your drop curtains forming a complete room with a door, we can provide this for you. Curtains with zipped can only be hand rolled.
We have five different styles of drop curtains – Spring loaded (Cool/Ziptrak style), Channelled, crank operated, hand rolled and zipped. These are on display in our showroom at 6 Morrin Rd, Panmure.

13. How is the awning attached?

Our installers work to the NZ building standards for attaching to wood, concrete and plaster houses. We can give specific attachment details on request.

14. How far out can the awning go?

We hold stock for lateral arm awnings extending out from 1.5metres to 4 metres, and we can arrange for supply of 4.5m arms on request. To achieve the manufacturers recommended 15 degree fall, there are minimum mounting heights for each arm length, to give 2m clearance at the front of the awning:
MINIMUM Recommended Mounting Heights
Arm Extension Total Height
1.5m 2350mm
2.0m 2450mm
2.5m 2600mm
3.0m 2900mm
3.5m 3250mm
4.0m 3600mm

15. How long can the awning be?

We can and have produced awnings up to 20m long.

16. Do you do shade sails?

Walter, our shade sail specialist has been designing and installing shade sails for more than 15 years. We design and manufacture the sails in our factory in Panmure.

17. Are the awnings waterproof?

Our fixed awnings, flat panels and Tension Canopies are made from waterproof fabric and the seams are welded to ensure a waterproof finish. The frame is silicone sealed to the wall. We cannot guarantee a 100% waterproof area under the frame, but we do try.

Drop curtains are dependant on the style and type of fabric used. A crank operated curtain has a gap at the top. Hand rolled curtains are not sealed on three sides and zipped curtains can leak through the zips. Drop curtains are not waterproof.

Retractable arm awnings can be made using Weathermax acrylic coated polyester fabric which is sealed on the seams and can be made as waterproof as possible. Retractable arm awnings are designed as a shade product, and the arms are set at 15 degree to allow for light rain run off.

We cannot guarantee a 100% waterproof area under the awning, but we do try.

18. What shapes do the fixed frames come in?

We can produced fixed frames in three main shapes. The most popular is the wedge which is triangular in shape. The next most popular is the vertical hoop, where the curve comes from the top down to the bottom. We also do the Spanish hoop, where the curve goes from side to side. As we design and manufacture all our awnings in our factory in Panmure we are flexible and will custom make your awning to fit your needs and your home.

19. What do they cost?

As everything we produce is custom made we need measurements to be able to provide an accurate price for the product you are looking for. Please feel free to contact us for a no obligation free measure and quote.

20. How can I pay?

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Eftpos, cash, cheque, Q Card, GEM Visa and internet banking. We can complete credit card transactions over the phone, so please call us to get your job underway asap.

21. What does the warranty cover?

All awnings are fully guaranteed against faulty materials or workmanship, please click HERE to read more.
Our Outdoor Blinds warranty does NOT cover storm damage, so please treat your blinds with care.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.