Awnings with support legs in Malaga more projection, more stability

It’s the question we hear most, and it’s worth being clear about: the telescopic legs support the front of the awning, but the awning still needs a solid support at the back, which is where the roller tube and the arms go. The legs don’t replace that anchoring; they complement it and take some of the strain off it.

Normally the back is anchored to the facade or the ceiling and the legs rest on the ground. If the facade is weak, clad or best left untouched, the front support helps spread the weight, but we still check the wall and choose the right fixings.

When what you really want is a freestanding awning with no wall fixings, for example in the middle of a garden or beside the pool, the answer is to mount the awning on its own structure with posts at the front and back, or on a pergola. That way the whole thing stands on its own, depending on the model. In those cases an aluminium pergola or a retractable roof pergola, which are already designed to stand alone, can sometimes be the better option.

At the free visit we look at your space and tell you plainly which option is safe and which makes the best use of the shade. If you live in a community of owners, have a look at our guide to awnings and communities of owners as well.

A retractable awning with legs isn’t always better; it’s better in certain situations. If your terrace is small, sheltered and has a solid wall, a standard retractable awning is usually enough and leaves the floor clear. The legs make sense when there’s something a standard awning can’t handle well.

The first is wind. In spots exposed to the levante or the poniente, like many frontline terraces in Torre del Mar or Fuengirola, the front support means the awning moves less in the gusts. Even so, any awning should be retracted in strong wind, which is why we usually recommend a motor with a wind sensor.

The second is low sun. Because you can lower the front on the legs, you block the afternoon sun coming in from the side, which slips in underneath a standard awning. The third is projection: if you need to cover a lot of depth, the legs let you gain extra metres, depending on the model.

The floor matters too. The legs need a firm base to rest on or be fixed to; on lawn or soil that support has to be prepared. If you’re unsure, compare it with the standard retractable awning and the monobloc awning, and we’ll help you choose at the visit.

Yes, it’s one of its best uses. A garden awning usually has to take the shade well away from the facade, out towards the lawn, the dining table or the edge of the pool, and that’s where an awning with no front support falls short or ends up under a lot of strain.

With legs, the awning can cover more depth and stays steadier. What matters is where they rest. On tiles, concrete or stone they can be fixed with ground anchors. On lawn or soil we prepare a firm base or a concrete pad to sit them on, because a leg resting on soft ground ends up sinking or shifting.

Think about how you’ll use it, too. If the awning will be out for many hours in summer, we recommend a fabric that stands up well to the sun, and at the visit we’ll show you the Sauleda and Dickson sample books. In the Axarquia, with strong sun almost all year round, the colour of the fabric makes a big difference to how hot it feels; we explain it in which awning keeps the heat out best.

If you want a shaded area that’s completely independent of the house, in the middle of the garden, we’ll look with you at whether a freestanding structure or a pergola would suit better. We give you both options with a fixed-price quote so you can decide with all the facts.

In hospitality every shaded table counts, and an awning for a bar terrace with telescopic legs can cover more space than a standard awning. On top of that, the front support keeps it steady when a gust comes through, which happens a lot on the promenades of Malaga, Torremolinos and Marbella.

Another advantage is that you can adjust the height of the front. At midday you raise it so the terrace can breathe and people can walk through comfortably; late in the afternoon you lower it to block the sun coming in from the side, which bothers the front row of tables. The legs also help mark out the edge of the terrace visually.

Before installing on public land you need to check your town’s terrace bylaw, as it may regulate how much space you occupy, the height, or how things are fixed to the ground. We handle the paperwork and permits when they’re needed; there’s more detail in our guide to permits for installing an awning.

For businesses we usually recommend a motor, because the awning goes out and in every day, and fabric in your business colours so the terrace is recognisable from a distance. If you also want to close off the sides when it turns cooler, combine it with windbreak awnings. There are more ideas on our awnings for bars and restaurants page.

Yes. The legs make the awning steadier, but they don’t turn it into a fixed structure. The fabric is still a large surface that catches the wind, and in strong gusts of levante or poniente the sensible thing is to retract it, always following the manufacturer’s instructions.

The difference compared with a standard awning is the margin. In light or moderate wind an awning with legs moves less, and the arms and fixings take less strain. But an awning left out in a storm can damage the fabric, the arms or even the facade, and no support can prevent that.

That’s why on exposed terraces we recommend motorisation with a Cherubini motor and a wind sensor. The sensor picks up the vibration from the gusts and tells the awning to retract even when you’re not at home, depending on the model. Bear in mind that if the legs are anchored, the retraction system has to be compatible with them; we check this when we configure the awning.

If the wind has ever damaged your awning, we check the arms, brackets and fabric. We do this through our awning repairs and fabric replacement service, including on awnings installed by other companies. We give you a fixed-price quote before we touch anything, so you know from the start what’s being fixed and what it costs.

Each leg is made of two tubes that slide one inside the other. To adjust it, you release the catch, raise or lower the inner section to the height you want and lock it again. It’s a simple job that takes seconds, and we’ll show you how to do it at handover.

How far they adjust depends on the model and how the awning is installed. That’s why we don’t give generic measurements: at the visit we measure the height of your facade, the projection and any slope in the floor, and tell you how far you’ll be able to lower the front in your particular case. What they all have in common is that the adjustment lets you tilt the awning further to block low sun, or keep it higher so you can move around underneath.

A practical tip: if the awning is going to stay in one position for most of the summer, it’s best to set the legs at a height that gives the fabric a bit of a slope. That way, if there’s an unexpected shower, the water runs off and doesn’t pool in the middle.

With the salt air and sand on the coast, clean the bottom of the legs with fresh water now and then so the mechanism keeps sliding smoothly. There are more tips in how to clean and look after an awning, and if anything sticks, our after-sales service will take a look.

Often, yes, but it depends on the awning. The legs are fixed to the front bar, so the profile needs to take the brackets, and the arms, fabric and rear fixings need to be in good condition. There’s no point adding supports to an awning with tired arms or torn fabric, because the problem would still be there.

At the visit we check the whole awning: the condition of the arms and joints, the fabric tension, how it’s fixed to the wall and whether the front bar is compatible. If everything’s fine, we suggest the type of leg and ground fixing that suit it best. If something isn’t right, we tell you what’s worth fixing first.

It doesn’t matter if the awning was installed by another company. Our after-sales service also covers installations by other installers, and we often use the visit to replace the fabric with a new Sauleda or Dickson one or to motorise it.

If we find that the awning falls short of what you need, we’ll also explain the alternatives: a new awning with more projection, or a cassette awning if you want the fabric protected when it’s retracted. Always with a free visit, a written quote and a fixed price, so you can compare at your leisure before you decide.

Yes, and in many cases we recommend it. Awnings with legs tend to be large, and extending and retracting several metres of fabric with a crank handle every day soon becomes a chore. With a Cherubini motor you operate it by remote control or a wall switch, effortlessly and without having to go out onto the terrace.

There’s one important detail. If the legs are anchored to the ground, the awning can’t retract while they’re fixed, so they have to be released first or the system has to be designed for it. That’s why, when we configure a motorised awning with legs, we agree with you how you’ll use it: with fixed legs only while it’s out for the season, with supports that move with the awning, or with another solution, depending on the model.

The motor lets you add automation such as a wind sensor, which retracts the awning when it detects gusts, or a sun sensor, which extends it when the heat builds up. They’re very useful in second homes on the coast, where nobody is around to keep an eye on the weather.

You’ll find all the information on our awning motorisation page and in the article on which motor to choose for your awning. At the visit we’ll tell you which set-up suits your terrace and give you a written, fixed-price quote for your awning with support legs in Malaga.