What a fantastic experience. The new louvre awning has made such a difference to our outdoor space and has honestly exceeded our expectations. The attention to detail during the installation was excellent, and the whole team was friendly, respectful, and easy to deal with. It looks like it was always meant to be part of the house. Thank you for a job well done!
Aluminium Awnings · Retractable Awningsretractable awnings.
Folding-arm awnings that wind out for shade and disappear when you want the sun back. Motorised or manual, cassette-housed, made to your opening and installed across the Western Cape.
Free site visit · Motorised or manual crank · 4–5 week lead time
Retractable Awnings
A patio cover you can put away.
A retractable awning is a fabric cover carried on folding aluminium arms. Wind it out and you have deep shade across the patio; wind it in and the space is open again with nothing overhead. Because nothing is fixed across the view, it suits balconies, sea-facing patios and any spot where a permanent roof would take the winter sun with it.
The frame and arms are powder-coated aluminium and the cover is solution-dyed acrylic canvas, so the colour runs through the fibre instead of sitting on the surface and holds its depth under Cape UV. Drive it with a crank handle or a tubular motor and remote. We fit Somfy motors and remotes on our motorised awnings. Every unit is made to the opening we measure, there are no stock sizes.
0
Posts or beams in the way
2
Motorised or manual crank
100%
Made to your opening
1 day
Typical install once made
Retractable or louvre?
Looking for a roof that opens and closes?
Many people who ask us for a retractable awning are picturing a louvre roof. A retractable awning is fabric that winds away. A louvre roof is aluminium, with blades that open for sun and close for rain, and it stays up when the wind comes. Here is how they compare.
| Retractable awning | Louvre roof | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Fabric cover on folding aluminium arms | Aluminium roof with rotating blades |
| Opens and closes | Winds out, and back in against the wall | Blades open and close, the roof stays in place |
| Rain | Pitched so rain runs off the cloth | 95% weatherproof with the blades closed |
| Wind | Must come in when the wind gets up | Fixed aluminium frame, built for the Cape coast |
| Drive | Crank handle, or motor with a wind sensor | Manual or motorised |
| Choose it if | You want shade you can put away and a clear view when it is in | You want a roof that opens for sun and closes for rain |
If the table points to a louvre roof, see our aluminium louvre roofs, or compare every option on our types of awnings page.
Specify it
Cassette, drive and fabric
Those three choices are yours. Everything after that is measured on site.
Built for the Cape
The south-easter decides when it comes in.
A folding-arm awning is a sail on two arms. That is exactly what lets it vanish on demand, and it is also why it has to come in when the wind gets up. No retractable awning, from any manufacturer, is rated to stand out in a Cape south-easter. On motorised units we fit a wind sensor so the awning retracts itself while you are out, and we set the pitch so rain runs off rather than pooling in the cloth. Specified honestly it lasts for years. Left out in a gale it will not.
Powder-coated aluminium frame and arms, no rust
Solution-dyed acrylic canvas, colour through the fibre
Wind sensor and remote on motorised units
Adjustable pitch, set on site for run-off
Wall, soffit or rafter fixing to suit the substrate
How it works
From brief to hand-over
01
Brief & site visit
A free, no-obligation site visit anywhere in Cape Town and the Western Cape. We measure, photograph, and talk through configurations, materials and finishes.
02
Design & quote
A detailed, fixed written quote with finish samples and pricing, within 48 hours of the site visit. No surprises on the day.
03
Fabrication
The frame and arms are cut and powder-coated to your colour and the cover is cut and stitched to size in your chosen fabric, then test-run before it leaves for site.
04
Install & hand-over
Our own crew installs and wires the motor where one is fitted. Most retractable awnings go up in a day, finishing with clean-up and a walkthrough of the remote and the wind sensor.
Warranties
Makers’ warranties
Retractable awnings carry their makers’ warranties only. We do not add our own guarantees to them. Your rights under the Consumer Protection Act still apply; see our terms.
Retractable awning FAQs
Good to know
What is a retractable awning?
A fabric cover on folding aluminium arms that winds out over a patio or balcony and retracts flat against the wall when you don’t need it. There are no posts and nothing fixed across the view, which is the main reason people choose one over a solid roof.
Is a louvre roof a retractable awning?
No, though the two are often confused. A louvre roof is a fixed aluminium roof whose blades rotate open and closed, so it lets in sun or keeps out rain and stays in place when the wind picks up. A retractable awning is a fabric cover that winds back against the wall and has to come in when the wind gets up. If you want a roof that opens and closes, look at our louvre roofs.
Should I choose motorised or a manual crank?
A crank handle is simpler and cheaper and works perfectly well on smaller awnings. A tubular motor with a remote makes sense on wider units, anything above head height, and anywhere you want a wind sensor, because a sensor can only retract an awning that has a motor. We spec both at the site visit.
Will it survive Cape Town wind?
Only if it is wound in. No retractable awning is rated to stay out in strong wind, and any supplier who tells you otherwise is selling you a repair. The practical answer is a motor and a wind sensor, which retracts the awning automatically when the south-easter comes through and you are not home.
Is a retractable awning waterproof?
It sheds light rain if the pitch is set correctly, but it is a shade product, not a roof. Water will pool in the cloth in sustained or heavy rain and the awning should be retracted. If you need genuine all-weather cover, a fixed aluminium awning or a louvre roof is the right product.
How wide can one awning go?
A single unit covers most domestic patios and balconies. Wider openings are done as coupled units running off a shared line so the cover reads as one. We measure the opening on the site visit and tell you which way it is going before you commit.
How long does the fabric last?
Solution-dyed acrylic holds its colour for years in Cape conditions because the pigment is in the fibre rather than printed on it. The cover is a wear item and can be replaced on the same frame later, which is a fraction of the cost of a new awning.
How long does installation take?
Most retractable awnings are installed in a day once fabricated. Lead time from accepted quote to sign-off is about four to five weeks, depending on the fabric you choose and whether the unit is motorised.
Start your project
Free on-site visit, fixed quote within 48 hours. Anywhere in Cape Town and the Western Cape.
Makers’ Warranties
Free Site Visit
Accredited Somfy Expert
Western Cape Coverage
Dedicated Project Management
Fixed Written Quote
Pricing
Priced on measurement
Retractable Awnings
Folding-arm awnings on a powder-coated aluminium frame, motorised or crank-driven, in solution-dyed acrylic canvas.
Retractable awnings are quoted per unit rather than per square metre. The projection, the drive and the fabric set the price more than the area does. The quote is issued in writing after a free site visit. See full price comparison.
Reviews
Rated 5.0 on Google
Every review here is from our Google Business Profile, shown word for word and unedited.
We were looking for a modern, low-maintenance patio cover that suited our home in Stellenbosch, and this was exactly what we wanted. The finish is beautiful, the installation was neat, and communication throughout the project was excellent. It’s given us a space we can enjoy all year round. We would definitely use Aluminium Awnings again.
Aluminium Awnings Cape Town enclosed our Constantia patio with a manual louvre roof, full white, with aluminium doors and windows all round, and it's honestly become our favourite part of the house. We use it right through winter now. The rain and the wind don't get in, and it's so easy to wind the louvres open when the sun comes out. Neat, tidy install with a friendly team, and the white finish looks really clean against the house. Couldn't be happier, highly recommend.
Ryan and his team were awesome and really went the extra mile to make our awning perfect! Can definitely recommend them!
Very happy with the replacement of our awning after it got damaged in the May storm. More sturdy and stronger
We recently had a louvre awning installed by Aluminium Awnings at our home in Durbanville, and we’re so pleased with the result. The quality of the workmanship is excellent, and the finished product has completely transformed our outdoor space. The team was professional, arrived on time, and kept us informed throughout the installation. We looked at a few different companies before deciding, and we’re really glad we chose Aluminium Awnings. If you’re considering louvre awnings in Cape Town, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.
Had a great experience with Alminium Awnings from start to finish. Ryan was incredible and made the entire process stress-free. The product come out better than imagined. Overall I am really happy and would definitely recommend using them in the future. Thanks guys for such a great job.
Wonderfully professional and friendly service from the whole team. I commend them on their attention to detail. I recommend them highly.
Great service unmatched quality their eye to detail shows would hire them again in a heart beat 10/10
Aluminium Awnings is so professional from start to finish. They make the process easy and understandable from day 1. The quality of their work is outstanding, we are so happy! I highly recommend them!
Absolutely thrilled with our new louvre awning from Aluminium Awnings. From start to finish, the service was professional, the installation was neat, and the finished product looks incredible. We’re based in Blouberg, so we wanted something that would work well with the coastal conditions and strong winds, while still giving us control over the sunlight and shade. The louvre awning has completely transformed the outside area and the quality of the aluminium structure and finish is excellent. Would definitely recommend Aluminium Awnings to anyone in Blouberg or Cape Town looking for a quality louvre awning. Very happy with the end result!
Fast Reliable Great Service!
Very professional and quick service from Aluminium Awnings, also very competitive pricing. I would highly recommend them.
Top-quality aluminium awnings and patio enclosures! The craftsmanship, structure, and installation finish are truly impressive. Highly professional team, great communication, and seamless service from start to finish. Outstanding work!
Rated 5 out of 5, no written review.