Sometimes it’s the invisible details that matter the most! 
When constructing a steel frame it is very important that all tubes are capped and the welds are ground smooth. Once your new awning is up on the wall or over your patio you may never see these details. Is your contractor being sure to close all tubes before painting your new frame? If they don’t, the frame will start rusting from the inside out. Rust that forms on the outside of a steel tube can be sanded off and painted over perhaps saving an older frame from deterioration. However, once that rust starts forming inside the tube, there is no stopping it!

Here are some frames from our welding shop – no open tubes!

Another invisible area that some companies will cheat on is the number of stitches on their seams. Are they passing these seams through their machines once to save money or twice to insure their covers will be durable? Awning fabrics are pretty remarkable materials – they can withstand the elements for 10 years or more! But they are only as good as the quality of the sewing holding them together. We always double stitch the top seams and sides on our awnings.