The practical distinctions between different types of awnings is important to understand when making a purchasing decision. This is especially the case with cassettes vs. open-roll awnings since in many ways the choice made will shape the consumer’s experience with the awning for its entire lifespan. Because of the decision’s permanency, open-roll awnings should be placed with care.
Cassettes: Let’s Unpack
The construction of an open-roll awnings is fairly self-explanatory. Upon retracting the awning, the fabric unrolls and is exposed to all elements. Anything that the elements come in contact with can land on the awning fabric and become a residence for leaves, birds, and all manner of atmospheric debris. What’s more, because of the awning’s exposed construction, the arms and rolling mechanism are fully exposed and open to the elements as well.
In contrast to open-roll awnings, the fabric of a cassette awning is fully enclosed in a protective housing and rolling mechanism, the cassette. This means the arms and moving parts are also protected from the elements. When retracted, a cassette awning presents a clean, straight, and horizontal line to the building face as opposed to an exposed roll of fabric and articulating arms.
The cassette is not a cosmetic addition. Fabric that’s not shielded from the sun degrades over time. Retracted awning fabric that spends the day shaded from UV exposure will last longer than fabric that doesn’t. In the UK, annual UV exposure is lower than in southern Europe; however, this doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant, particularly in the case of sloped roofs like south and west-facing elevations, where the retracted awning fabric is directly exposed to morning and evening sun. Manufacturers typically assume a fabric will have a cassette, and therefore, a longer lifespan, when quoting a fabric’s lifespan. If there’s no cassette, open-roll fabric awnings will typically perform below what is quoted.
Cassette Awning Fabric Maintenance
Retracted open-roll fabric awnings gather dirt on their surface. Though it’s not a major concern to most buyers, this is a maintenance reality. Organic matter that is moist, like bird droppings, leaves, or blossoms, will support mold and mildew growth. Fabric that is clean and dry, as well as protected in a cassette, will not sustain this type of environment.
A cassette awning, like any other type of awning, requires maintenance. The casing needs to be cleaned, and the drainage will require maintenance as well. The fabric is by far the most expensive and most noticeable part of the awning, and the fabric is protected in the cassette.
Where the Cost Argument Gets Messy
Cassette awnings cost more due to the extra housing. Full-cassette models (where the arms and barrel are enclosed) sit at the higher end of the price range. Compared to similar quality fabrics and motors, the price is a lot higher on a cassette awning versus an open-roll awning.
The thing is, what are you getting for that price difference over a 10-15 year period? Fabric replacement of a mid-range awning isn’t cheap, and if a cassette awning significantly extends the fabric life, that could mean savings over time. This is certainly not always the case, it again depends on the installation and how much direct sunlight the awning is exposed to. But, the price difference is not as simple as what is shown upfront.
Where Open-Roll is Better
Picking an open-roll awning over a cassette awning is sometimes the more considered choice rather than the cheaper option.
Open-roll awnings sometimes have advantages over cassette awnings in the projection length. Typically, open-roll awning mechanisms have the capability for longer projections than cassette mechanisms as the geometry of the arms is restricted by the housing. In specific cases where maximising coverage is most important, this could be an advantage.
Another approach is retrofitting to an existing structure. A cassette awning requires a clean mounting surface of sufficient depth for the casing. Where wall surfaces are old and irregular, or where there are existing fixings or pipes that get in the way or soffit depths are restricted, then the physical constraints can make the installation of a cassette awning practically impossible and would require modification to the building. An open-roll awning has less of an issue in this regard.
In some building types such as agricultural or barn conversions, and in buildings of a more modern design with exposed structural systems, the visible mechanism of an open-roll awning can create a more acceptable design outcome than a cassette awning designed for a traditionally constructed facade. The clean line of a cassette awning will improve a building’s appearance, however, on some buildings, the aesthetic appearance suggests that it does not belong.
The Motor and Controls Question
Both awning types can be ordered with a manual operation, motor operation only, or motor operation and control systems. Wind and sun sensors, time control, and even more sophisticated home automation systems of awning control are all available. Whether an awning is of the cassette or open-roll type does not dictate what control systems are available, but it is worth noting that the additional cost of a cassette awning makes it a more rational choice to integrate automation controls than an open roll does.
This is simple. An automatic awning that comes out in the sun and retracts in the wind would never be forgotten and thus never left out in inclement weather. An open-roll awning that gets left extended in a sudden downburst is more vulnerable to the elements than a cassette that gets rolled up. In a system where automation is possible, the protection offered by a cassette is more important than in a system with manual operation. This is because a more automated system increases the chance the awning will be used more frequently and thus will be more exposed to the elements over time.
The traditional onboard cassette and wind sensor combination is the specification most often requested in cases where a really automated awning is wanted for a terrace or garden room, as opposed to a manually operated decorative awning. Whether it is warranted is situational, dependent on the projected use of the space but, of these options, it is by far the least user-requiring.