The traditional home awning is composed of a metal frame onto which a shade fabric is stretched for shading purposes. The metal frame may be fixed or retractable in some way. The position of the frame is either over a window or door, and occasionally can cover a front porch or patio. Fancier awnings at home may be remote controlled or automatically retractable in the event of rain.

Despite the conveniences offered, many homeowners are reluctant to install traditional awnings due to the costs. The structure itself is quite expensive, and the installation even more so given the complexity and size of the product. A very modest home awning can cost thousands of dollars. Worse still, the shade fabric will require regular cleaning as it’s a repository for microorganisms and dirt. This is complicated by the inaccessibility of the top of the fabric.

Another problem is the dilemma faced by a homeowner when he or she needs to entertain children or guests somewhere further from the immediate vicinity of a wall, for example at the barbeque grill, near the pool, or in the middle of the lawn. The fixed outdoor shades can’t be moved around in any way.

Such problems are solved with the help of the simple yet highly effective freestanding awning. It’s also composed of a frame that holds the outdoor shade fabric, but instead of being stationary, it rests on a set of wheels which allows it to be pushed around. When it’s not needed, the shade frame may be pivoted and folded so it can be stored in the least amount of space.

As far as outdoor shades are concerned, the freestanding awning is much easier to clean because the frame that holds the shade fabric can be easily pivoted so the top surface swings down. This makes it easier for spraying with detergent and washing down with water. Depending on the type of fabric, a special cleanser may be required. However, these will be no different from the cleansers used for traditional attached awnings.

These unattached types of outdoor shades are much cheaper for two reasons. One reason is that it’s installation requires no special expertise, such as drilling into the frame of a house or wiring up the retractable mechanism. Another reason is that the construction is much simpler so the costs of production are lower. Best yet, because it’s not attached to a fixed structure, the unattached awning can be moved around as desired to where it’s needed most.

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