Awnings

Awnings It may or may not surprise you to learn that awnings were first used by the ancient Egyptian and Syrian civilizations. They are basically described as woven mats that shaded parts of market s as well as homes. The awnings were used mostly for the same kind of purposes people use them today – to decorate and keep out of the sun.

Modern awnings, as Americans know them, have been around for a little while. They actually became more common during the first half of the 19th century. At this time they consisted of timber or cast iron posts set along the sidewalk edge and linked by a front cross bar. In an effort to lend more support to bigger installations, angled rafters actually linked the front cross bar to the facade of the building.

The top part of the canvas was connected to this part of the building with either nails, with grommets and hooks, or even by lacing the canvas to what was a head rod that was usually bolted to the front of the facade.

The other end of the canvas was draped over, or laced to, a front bar with the edge often hanging down to form a valance. On ornate examples, the metal posts could be found to be adorned with filigree. The tops were decorated with things like spear ends, balls or other embellishments.

On overcast days or when there was not a threat of rain or snow falling, the covering could often be rolled up against the front of the building to which it was connected. During the winter months, most often the awning had to be removed in order to maintain proper maintenance. This called for the removal and storage of the coverings.

If you have the chance to view photographs from the mid-1800s, you can often see the bare framework, suggesting that the covering was extended only when necessary. Canvas duck was the most popular kind of covering that was used. This was popular because it had already been used for a long time for sails and tents so people already knew of its versatility. Even though canvas usually had a fairly short lifespan, its low cost made up for it.

These coverings became more of a common feature in the years directly after the end of the Civil War. There were certain kinds of advancements that came about at this time as well. Iron plumbing pipe, which was used for awning frames soon after it was invented, quickly became widely available as well as affordable as a result of an industrial revolution in the middle part of the century.

Actually, it was a wonderful new material that could be used for the frames of these coverings. They were easily bent and also threaded together to make a large variety of different shapes and sizes.

Simultaneously, the invention of the steamship forced mills that produced canvas and sail makers to search for markets that were new. An awning industry soon after developed and began offering a large variety of frame and fabric options that were adaptable to both storefronts and windows.

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