Outdoor advertising
Canopies and awnings
Canopies and awnings that shelter an entrance and carry the brand at the same time.
At a glance
- Metal, polycarbonate, glass
- Integrated lighting
- Snow-load engineering
- Made to measure
About this solution
A canopy is where advertising and construction meet: a roof over an entrance, over a terrace or along a shop window, keeping rain and sun off the door and carrying the sign on its fascia. For a shop, a restaurant or a hotel the covered entrance is the first impression — and often the best place for the sign, at the right height, lit from below.
The structure is steel or aluminium profile, powder-coated, anchored in the wall and, on wide spans, carried on posts. The covering is multiwall or solid polycarbonate, toughened or laminated glass, sheet metal or composite, depending on how much light it should let through and how solid it should look. The fascia — the canopy's face — is made in composite and carries the sign: letters, a box or a lit fascia along its whole length. Lighting is built into the structure: spots in the underside, lighting the door and the pavement, and LEDs for the sign, fed along the same route.
A canopy carries snow, water and wind, so it is engineered rather than improvised: the profile sections, their spacing and the anchors are calculated for the span and the snow load, and the fall is set so water runs to the gutter, not onto the head of the person coming in. Joints are sealed and painted after welding, or rust appears there first. Awnings — fabric canopies on retractable arms — are chosen where the shade has to go away in winter.
The canopy is designed together with the facade and the sign, not after them: its length, its mounting height and what is seen from the street beneath it decide the size and place of the sign. Installation needs access to the wall and, usually, a spell in which the entrance is closed in sections. Tell us what has to be covered and what it has to say, and we draw the canopy with the sign on it.
Frequently asked questions
All frequently asked questionsPolycarbonate or glass?
Polycarbonate is lighter, needs a lighter structure and does not break; multiwall gives diffused light, solid is as clear as glass. Toughened or laminated glass looks more expensive and stays clear for years, but needs a sturdier structure and more careful installation. For a shop entrance polycarbonate is the usual choice; for a hotel or an office building, glass.
Can the canopy carry the sign?
Yes, and it usually does: the canopy's composite fascia is the natural place for 3D letters or a lit fascia along its whole length, and the spots in the underside light the entrance. The sign and the canopy are designed together, so the fascia's height suits the letters and the cables run inside the structure.
Does it take snow?
It does, if it was engineered for it: the profile sections, their spacing and the anchors are sized for the span and the snow load, and the fall and the gutter carry meltwater away from the entrance. A canopy improvised from thin profile gives way in the first hard winter — which is why the calculation is part of the job, not an option.
What should I send for a quote?
A photograph of the entrance or terrace from the street, the width to be covered and how far the canopy should project from the wall, the wall material if you know it, and what it has to say. If there is a facade design, send it. From those follow the structure, the covering and the place of the sign; the rest is measured on site.
Send a request
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Tell us what you need, and we’ll put together a tailored quote.