How do you create shade on a patio?

You love the sun! But you also know that it is important to protect yourself from its potentially harmful rays and to take shelter in the shade. With its fabrics, Dickson provides effective and beautiful solutions to create shade on your patio and enjoy the nice weather in complete peace of mind. Here are several solutions to adopt depending on your needs.

Enjoying parasol shade

A practical solution for small spaces, the parasol is equally suited to patios and balconies.

Straight or offset, it can be unfolded in the blink of an eye, fixed to its base and stored easily, taking up a minimum amount of space. On the other hand, it only partially protects from the sun and needs to be moved throughout the day to continue enjoying its shade.

For large parasols, with more coverage, it is essential to select a fabric with a weight per square metre of between 200 and 300 g/m² to filter the sun’s rays effectively. The fabric’s composition is also important: The solution-dyed acrylic used for Orchestra and Sunbrella fabrics, for example, is water repellent, stain and UV resistant. This means that the parasol will keep its shine throughout the seasons without fading !

Our advice on choosing fabric

For good protection from the parasol, pay attention to the quality of the fabric, its colour (a darker parasol will protect better from UV rays) and its frame.

For your safety, we advise you to avoid low-priced models as the fabric fades a lot quicker. Most importantly, fold or store the parasol when you are not using it. When exposed to the wind, parasols can quickly become a danger to you and your neighbours.

Shade sails or curtains: lightness to benefit from the shade

Shade sails or stretch fabrics protect from the sun, heat and UV rays. They also create a soft atmosphere that you can brighten up by choosing the colour of your shade sail or by mixing several sails of different colours, shapes and sizes.

The triangular shape of shade sails transports you directly to the deck of a boat, as does the discreet slap of the sail in the summer wind: escape guaranteed!

At Dickson, we have many fabric ranges that are perfectly suited to shade sails. This is particularly true of the fabrics in the Orchestra range, which has a large range of plain colours, the Infinity range, which is particularly appreciated for its dimensional stability and the SWK15 range, a micro-perforated fabric that provides natural ventilation.

Discover all Dickson fabrics suitable for shade sails.

Our Windows Fabrics ranges by Sunbrella

And for a calmer atmosphere, you can also hang light curtains that dance in the breeze while providing delicate shade, to hang from the posts of a pergola or arbour. Sunbrella’s four Windows Fabrics ranges are perfect for indoor and outdoor curtains, canopies or pergolas. They add an airy, romantic and sophisticated touch that you can accentuate with matching garden furniture for a truly decorative patio. Between the Velum line, ideal for sheer fabrics, the Natté range with its natural look and authentic grain, the Mild range which provides an excellent compromise between sheer fabric and curtains and the Smart line, with its sophisticated and timeless herringbone pattern, there is bound to be a Sunbrella range that will fit in your home !

Enjoy summer in the shade of a folding arm awning

Practical, adjustable, inconspicuous and sophisticated, the folding arm awning needs no introduction! Here is a really interesting solution for creating shade on a patio and protecting you from UV rays, glare and heat. A versatile folding arm awning with an acrylic fabric can also shelter you from a small shower and protect you from the cool night air when dining outside with friends. Solution-dyed acrylic fabrics are the most efficient for guaranteeing effective protection against heat and bad weather. Also, as the awning is fixed to the facade, it also protects the interior of the house by filtering the light and reducing the interior temperature by at least 5°C.

Traditionally fixed to the facade, the folding arm awning doesn't encroach on the patio since it has no ground contact; it can also be placed in the centre of a patio or in the garden in its dual-slope version. It is inconspicuous when folded in its box and requires little maintenance. It has a long life and is really pleasant to use on a day-to-day basis: you can open it all the way or only part of it, in an instant depending on the amount of sunshine, and it's even easier if your folding arm awning is motorised!

Our advice and recommendations

The folding arm awning has been largely modernised: manufacturers are offering ever more innovative models (home automation, LED lighting etc.) with designer or retro fabrics for a super trendy look. Whether you decide to match the fabric of your awning to the colours of your facade or to those inside your home, you will succumb to its ultra-practical side as soon as the sun comes out. And for the size, take into account your positioning and the area to be shaded; the awning must be wider than the area to be covered! If you are planning to have an awning installed in your home, or if you would like to talk to a professional to answer your questions, don’t hesitate to ask for advice from your nearest Dickson approved blind manufacturer.

Pergola: choosing a well-anchored solution to protect you from the sun

A fixed structure attached to the facade or independent, the pergola is a real addition to the house that allows you to enjoy the outdoors almost all year round, depending on the chosen layout.

For a natural effect, you can choose a wooden pergola to which you can add sheer fabrics or climbing plants; a wrought iron pergola will create a rustic or contemporary atmosphere depending on the style; and if you choose an aluminium pergola, your garden will look modern, enhancing the aesthetics of your house or creating a welcoming space near the swimming pool.

Whatever you choose, you should also focus on quality so that your installation is truly sustainable and that your enjoyment of cool shade goes hand in hand with maximum protection from the harmful effects of the sun.

Solutions for all tastes

As you can see, there are many installation ideas and solutions for landscaping your garden and enjoying a welcoming shade on your patio while also enjoying the sun. In order to provide the right shade for your patio, you should take into account your lifestyle, how much sunlight you enjoy and of course the climate in your region.