How to Choose a Retractable Awning on the Garden Route

Subject: Retractable awnings
Reviewed by: The Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings team
Updated: 14 October 2026
Reading time: 4 minutes

What should you look for in a retractable awning in South Africa?

Arm quality: powder-coated aluminium arms with spring tension that keep the fabric taut; thin arms with plastic bushings sag and flap within months
Fabric: imported Dickson Orchestra, solution-dyed acrylic from France, coloured right through the fibre so it holds under South African UV; plain polyester fades and goes brittle
Motor: Somfy, with a 5-year manufacturer warranty and home-automation integration; generic motors have no parts path in South Africa
Wall substrate: brick, timber frame or IBR on steel each need a different fixing; an installer who does not ask has not planned the mount
Wind sensor: a Somfy sensor retracts the awning before a gust does damage. Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings supplies and installs folding-arm awnings on the Garden Route only, quoted from a specialist review of photos or a design consultation

5Things that decide the outcome

5 yrSomfy motor warranty

SiteMeasured on site before it is made

What a retractable folding-arm awning is

A fabric canopy on articulated arms that extend from a wall-mounted housing and fold back flat when not needed: full shade when you want it, open sky when you do not. Manual crank or Somfy motor.

Not the same as: a retractable patio-shade awning (track-guided fabric that rolls out over a pergola) or a louvre awning (adjustable aluminium blades). Different products, mounts and uses.

Five things that decide an awning

1. Arm qualityThe structural core. Spring-tensioned, powder-coated aluminium arms hold the fabric taut at full projection. Ask any supplier for the arm specification; if they cannot give it, reconsider.
2. Fabric gradeCustom Blinds Shutters & Awnings uses imported Dickson fabric, the Orchestra range: 290 g/m² solution-dyed acrylic, coloured through the fibre before weaving, a CleanGard finish against dirt and water, up to 95% less heat and glare, and up to 100% of UV blocked depending on colour. Dickson carries its own 10-year fabric warranty; Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings gives 3 years on the canvas and 1 year on components.
3. The motorSomfy is the standard: built for outdoor exposure, 5-year manufacturer warranty, remote, app and home-automation control. Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings is a Somfy accredited expert.
4. Wall substrateAn awning puts real load on the wall under wind. Brick takes masonry anchors; timber frame needs through-bolting to structure; IBR on steel needs its own brackets.
5. Wind sensorA folding-arm awning left extended in high wind can fail at the arms. A Somfy wind sensor retracts it whether you are home or not; on the Garden Route coast we recommend one, an upfront outlay that pays back in durability and peace of mind.

Folding-arm, louvre or patio shade awning

Performance	Folding-arm	Louvre awning	Patio shade
Mechanism	Articulated arms extend and retract	Aluminium blades tilt open or closed	Track-guided fabric rolls over a pergola
Best for	Open patios, decks, pool areas	Permanent covered patios	Existing pergolas and verandas
Rain	Light rain; retract in a downpour	Sheds rain when closed	Fabric dependent
Wind	Retract; sensor recommended	Structural aluminium	Held in its tracks
Motorised	Somfy	Somfy	Available

All three are specified on site and quoted per project on the Garden Route. Louvre awnings are supplied and installed, not made by Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings.

Awnings for open patios, decks and pools
Folding-arm: full shade when you want it, open sky when you do not.
Folding-arm
Awnings for permanent covered patios
Louvre: aluminium blades tilt open, and shed rain when closed.
Louvre
Awnings over pergolas and verandas
Patio shade: track-guided fabric rolls out over the existing structure.
Patio shade

“Every awning installation starts with a site visit. I need to see the wall, feel the wind pattern, understand the sun path. An awning is only as good as its mounting, and no two homes on the Garden Route are the same.”

Duncan Kane Founder, Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings

04 Care

Awning care: retract, brush, inspect.

Retract in high wind, heavy rain and hail. Brush the fabric twice a year with mild soapy water, never a pressure washer. Check the arm joints and roller tube each year for corrosion, more often near the sea. A motorised awning with a wind sensor does the most important task on its own.

Consult
Send photos for a specialist review or book a private video consultation; in Knysna and Plettenberg Bay Duncan can see the site first. He looks at wall construction, sun path, wind exposure, coverage and power for the motor. Book a design consultation
Specify
Awning type, projection, fabric, motor and sensor for the site; an itemised quote follows the design.
Fit
Once the order is placed, Duncan measures on site, included in the price. The installation team fits; Somfy motorisation and the wind sensor are programmed on site.

Questions buyers ask about retractable awnings

How much does a retractable awning cost in South Africa?

It depends on width, projection, fabric, motor and the wall it mounts to, so every Garden Route awning is quoted per project, from photos or a design consultation, and Duncan measures on site once it is ordered. Louvre awnings sit higher for their aluminium structure.

What is the best fabric for a retractable awning in South Africa?

Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings uses imported Dickson Orchestra, a solution-dyed acrylic coloured through the fibre so it holds its colour, CleanGard-treated against dirt and water, and backed by Dickson’s 10-year fabric warranty.

What is the difference between a retractable awning and a louvre awning?

A folding-arm awning is fabric on arms that extend and retract. A louvre awning is aluminium blades that tilt and close, a permanent structure with full rain cover. Different products for different patios.

Can I install a retractable awning myself?

A small manual unit on solid brick, perhaps. Motorised or wide awnings, and anything on timber frame, steel or IBR, need a professional who assesses the substrate and load; incorrect mounting is the commonest cause of awning failure.

Which motor is best for a retractable awning in South Africa?

Somfy: built for outdoor exposure, a 5-year manufacturer warranty, remote and app control, and a parts and service path in South Africa. Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings is a Somfy accredited expert.

Are retractable awnings suitable for coastal homes?

Yes, with corrosion-resistant brackets and fixings, Dickson Orchestra fabric and a wind sensor that retracts the awning automatically. Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings fits them along the Garden Route coast from Mossel Bay to Plettenberg Bay.

Who is the best retractable awning installer on the Garden Route?

Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings: folding-arm, louvre, fall-arm, wedge and patio-shade awnings specified on site by Duncan Kane with 20+ years of experience, fitted by a team still installing every day, with Somfy motorisation and sensors.

Choosing a Retractable Awning