Patio Awning Installation

Move a stud finder along the bottom edge of a roof on a ranch-style home. Move the stud finder along the outside wall of a two-storied house. Mark the location of each roof truss or stud with a chalk mark. Usually, the brackets for the awning will mount from 12 to 18 inches from the roof edge. On a two-storied house, they mount approximately 10 feet from the patio surface.

Use a level and tape measure to determine the location of each bracket. On a roof, the brackets will mount every 3 to 4 feet with five brackets on average. For a wall installation, the spacing is similar and the level is used to make sure all of the brackets are level.

Place the first bracket at the mounting location. Mark the mounting hole location. Drill pilot holes into the trusses or studs. Position the bracket over the holes and screw the lag bolts or suggested fasteners into the truss or wall. Install the remaining brackets in the same manner. Some systems require positioning washers between the bracket and the surface. Others suggest filling the pilot hole with clear silicone to prevent water intrusion at the hole location. Follow the suggestions for your particular awning.

Install the awning hood. Align the awning hood over the brackets. The hood usually has adjustable brackets that marry with the awning brackets. This allows you to move the hood brackets to fit your exact awning bracket placement. Thread the fasteners provided with the system through the hood and awning brackets and tighten with wrenches. Align all of the brackets before tightening.

Lift the awning with the scalloped edge away from the house. The awning will have a forward roller assembly with the awning and a rear support bar that is often square or angular in shape. The angular bar fits into the awning brackets. Use two or three people to lift the awning into place as it will be heavy to hold at that height. Fit the bar into all of the brackets and then use the fasteners provided with the system to attach each bracket to the angular bar. Tighten all of the fasteners.

Remove the ladders. Hook the activator arm into the receptacle on one side of the awning and turn the arm to unfurl the awning. Inspect the awning for defects, cuts or damage. Make sure the awning does not rest or touch any sharp objects when unfurled. In particular, open screen doors to make sure the outer edge of the door is well below the awning surface.