How to Build Patio Awnings and Canopies

Bamboo makes sturdy and attractive canopy poles.

A patio can be an inviting area to gather with friends, unless it's in direct sunlight on a particularly hot summer day. Erecting a patio awning or canopy does not have to be a back- or bank-breaking experience. An attractive canopy made from lightweight outdoor fabric provides a sunblock that will keep your patio parties hopping all summer long. Although this project is not difficult to do, it will go quicker with the help of a friend.

Things You'll Need

• 3-inch-diameter bamboo poles, 10-feet long (4)
• Drill
• Screw-in eyelet hooks
• 4-inch diameter PVC pipe
• Circular saw
• Post-hole digger
• Shovel
• Hand tamper
• Lightweight canvas fabric
• Fabric scissors
• Fabric glue
• Scissors
• Grommet
• Grommet tool and hammer

Instructions

1. Mark a location on the side of each of the four bamboo poles, 3 inches from the top. This location will mark the spot for the eyelet hooks to be installed.

2. Drill a small hole through each of the marked locations on the bamboo poles. Do not drill all the way through the poles, only about halfway. This will make screwing the hooks in much easier.

3. Install a screw-in eyelet hook in each hole made in the previous step. Twist each hook around so that the opening faces the top of the pole. These hooks will be used to hang up the canopy. Set the bamboo poles aside for now.

4. Cut four 2-foot lengths of PVC pipe. These will be the supports for the bamboo poles.

5. Dig a 2-foot deep hole with a post hole digger at each corner of the patio. Place a PVC support upright in the center of the first hole. Shovel a small amount of gravel around the support until it stays in place. The gravel will help keep water from pooling in the holes.

6. Place the bamboo poles in the supports with the hooks on top and facing the center of the patio. Place dirt around the poles and use a hand tamper to pack it down firmly. This will hold the bamboo poles steady.

7. Measure the length and width of the patio. Use fabric scissors to cut a piece of lightweight canvas fabric, according to the measurement for the patio.

8. Cut four squares of the canvas fabric that measure 6-by-6 inches from scrap fabric. Glue each square in the corners of the fabric cut in the previous step. This will make the corners of the canopy stronger.

9. Use the fabric scissors to cut a small slit in the center of each of the corner squares. Pound a grommet into each slit with a hammer and a grommet tool.

10. Hang each grommet from an eyelet hook on the bamboo poles. The fabric should drape slightly.

Tips & Warnings

• Use multicolored fabric for a brighter canopy.

References

• This Old House: 25 Thrifty Ways to Create Outdoor Dining Space
• The Family Handyman: How to Shade Your Deck or Patio

Resources

• Lowe's: Build a Pergola With Canopy
• ThatCoversIt: Let An Outdoor Canopy Frame Your Backyard Living Space