How Much Clearance Is Needed for a Retractable Awning?

An awning is the perfect way to add shade to your yard, patio, or deck. Many people, however, may feel unsure as to whether or not they can fit an awning over their space, or if they have enough space on a wall or above a door for it to be mounted properly.

Are you one of those people looking to find out how much clearance is needed for a retractable awning?

You’ll need 8 feet of clearance for your retractable awning over your patio or deck. If you’re installing an awning over a door, you’re going to need 10 to 12 inches of clearance space between the awning and the door frame.

Keep in mind that you will also need 6 inches of unobstructed space along the wall for us to successfully mount the awning. 

Figuring out how much clearance you need for your retractable awning, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to add an awning to your space, you’ll need to ready your home and yard with a few more steps!

How to Make Sure a Retractable Awning Will Fit

Excited to turn your yard into your own relaxing oasis? A little shade is all it takes!

Of course, before you add the patio awning of your dreams, you’ll need to make sure fitting it into your yard is a possibility! The SBF team is happy to help you determine whether or not an awning is right for your space, but there are few steps you can take if you want to get a head start.

Ready to improve your patio? You can start by taking measurements of the space where you want to install your awning! You can find the steps below, but our friendly SBF team is more than happy to help guide you through the process.

  1. Measure Height

Your first step will be to measure the height of the wall where you want us to put your retractable awning. Remember, we need 8 feet between the ground and the roof or eave.

  1. Measure Width

Next, measure the wall lengthwise at the desired mounting height. This will be helpful for our team as we give recommendations regarding the awnings.

Our awnings don’t need any ground support, so you don’t need to worry about support poles taking up any extra space.

  1. Check Trees, Bushes, and More

If you have trees or shrubs near where you want your awning, you may need to trim them in order to provide enough clearance. Remember, you’ll need to keep up with this even after your awning is installed so you don’t risk any tears or brush falling onto your retractable awning. If you have trees nearby, you may have to spend some time cleaning bird droppings off of your awning, too.