Awning Fabrics

A key consideration when choosing external window awnings is the fabric. Here’s the Brax guide to the awning fabrics available.

Choosing Awning Fabrics

At Brax, we source our fabrics from reputable suppliers from within Australia. Our fabrics are a mix of imported and Australian made.

Hunter Douglas Everview External Screen fabric is available in 22 fashionable colours. This 2 x2 weave 100% PVC coated polyester fabric provides strength and stabilty, with a 10% openness providing excellent visibility whilst eliminating heat and glare.

Manufactured in the USA, Everview External Screen fabric meets the certification required by Greenguard® for low chemical emissions.

Everview is protected by Microban® antimicrobial protection – which inhibits the growth of bacteria, mould and mildew and is covered by a 5 year warranty.

Vistaweave Plus from Radins - 2 x 2 weave 100% PVC coated polyester, manufactured in the USA, with a 5% openness factor and an even construction in warp and weft. Vistaweave Plus also has Greenguard® certification and a 10 year limited warranty against UV degradation.
The benefit of using the 2×2 weave mesh fabrics, means that the fabric is strong in both directions, enabling us to ‘railroad’ fabric at times to manufacture larger awnings without the need for joins. If we do need to join the fabric, this is welded using a high frequency fabric welder, so you don’t notice the joins much at all and they are very strong.

Hunter Douglas Canvas is Australian manufactured with a 5 year guarantee. Extremely durable, this quality canvas range has a compsition of 52% polyester, 48% cotton with a paint coats finish available in 39 colours – striped and plain. Also including Duraguard® fabric protection, making it resistant to dirt and stains.

Canvas fabric is only available as 2.2m wide, so larger awnings do require joins, which are sewn or stitched using a twin needle machine – ensuring they too are very strong.

Awning Fabrics: Canvas vs Mesh?

One of the things we get asked about a lot is our awning fabrics, with the main one being - is canvas better than mesh?

Both fabrics have their features and benefits, so it often comes down to what you are wanting to achieve. Yes, canvas may keep your home slightly cooler (1-2 degrees) on consistently hot days, however the mesh fabrics are designed to breathe, so that the hot air doesn’t remain trapped between your awning and the glass. On hot days you need to put your canvas awnings up at night, to allow the built up heat to escape properly.

Because mesh doesn’t darken your room inside as much as canvas will, we find that people do tend to use them more – leaving them down through the summer months, providing maximum protection – although we do recommend you put your awnings up in windy and stormy conditions to avoid potential damage.

The other benefit of mesh is that you can still see out – so you don’t loose your view, but you gain daytime privacy along with sun and uv protection.

Canvas is Australian made, where our mesh fabrics are imported – however as we mentioned before we only use quality fabrics from reputable suppliers that are fully guaranteed.

We invite you to visit our showroom to see our extensive range.