Thinking about new commercial awnings? Perhaps you’re designing a new building, or a new shopping center. Perhaps you’re about to open a new business. Commercial awnings are one of the most important physical elements of any enterprise, because they can serve so many purposes.
As you start your planning process, here are five quick tips that will help you design top-performing and great-looking commercial awnings for any purpose:
1. There’s a lot to consider.
Commercial awnings can decorate the exterior of your building and give a complex of multiple buildings a unified look. They can make it easy to identify your place from down the street, down the mall or across a parking lot, so customers can quickly find you.
They can overtly promote your business and reinforce your brand as well as identify your business by name and address. Using graphic elements such as your logo and official marketing colors creates a look that’s consistent with all your other marketing.
So what do you want your commercial awnings to do? The more ways you use them, the smarter your investment.
2. You can have whatever you want.
As long as it meets building codes and other official requirements. And as long as the materials you choose are appropriate for your location. Factors such as weather, especially if you’re in an area that’s windy or salty or especially damp, can determine the type of structure and fabrics or other coverings that will ensure your commercial awnings perform well and give you the aesthetic benefits you want.
With those things in mind, you can design commercial awnings in virtually any shape, size or style. You can go ultra-modern or match your historic building’s time period. Commercial awnings can be attached to your building, or they can be free-standing, such as pergolas, tent-style canopies, tension membranes and so on.
That means you can use them to cover parking or performance areas as well as to shade your windows and spaces for eating, seating or walking. Talk about versatility!
3. Franchise doesn’t preclude individuality.
If your commercial awnings are for a franchise business, you’ll certainly have to meet specifications or guidelines set by the home office. But every building is a little different, and an awning expert who has experience working with franchises can help you create commercial awnings that reflect your personality as well as the corporate brand.
4. Researching commercial awning options can be fun, but hiring a pro gets better results.
It’s inspiring to investigate all the options surrounding commercial awnings, from design to materials. But it can be time-consuming, too. Consulting a professional awning expert can shorten your search, and there’s a lot to be said for expert guidance. They know things your research won’t uncover.
A local full-service awning company has the knowledge, experience, skills and state-of-the-art production facilities to design and fabricate anything you can dream up. More than likely, they’ll have some very creative ideas you’d never have thought up on your own. You’ll get commercial awnings beyond your wildest dreams.
5. Spring’s coming. Really, it is.
That means it’s time to inspect your awnings. Especially after this Most Awful and Endless Winter, there’s a good chance something’s amiss. Well-designed commercial awnings are built to withstand our weather extremes, but extra-heavy snow load, ice and other factors can create problems for even the toughest structures. And fabrics can suffer, too.
A careful visual inspection will pinpoint problems, so you can get them fixed right away. After all, you want to look snazzy to welcome the sun, not to mention shoppers finally venturing out.
While you’re at it, now is the time to put together a short checklist for regular maintenance, too. Commercial awnings don’t require extensive care, but keeping them clean will help them look better and last longer. You’ll bet a better return on your investment.
Photo Credit: Andrea_44 via Flickr