Leave an Awning Out in Rain?
what the fabric can take and when to retract it
In rain, you retract the rope tension awning: wet fabric becomes heavy and strains the ropes and fixings. The fabric is water-repellent, and normal rain runs off it. In prolonged or heavy rain, however, water gets through, and an awning is not a storm or rain roof. Here you can read what rain does to the fabric, why there is no waterproof rope tension awning and where the fabric bundle is best placed in bad weather.
The rope tension awning is pure sun protection. In rain, strong wind and storms, you retract it. What else an awning can do and where its limits lie is explained under What are awnings.
- Retract it in rain, strong wind and storms. Wet fabric becomes heavy and strains the ropes and fixings.
- Once retracted, the fabric bundle belongs under cover, usually under the roof that the awning hangs from.
- The fabric itself does not mind rain: it is water-repellent, and normal rain runs off. In prolonged or heavy rain, water gets through.
- We do not make a waterproof rope tension awning. All four fabrics in the configurator are water-repellent.
- If the fabric has got wet, let it air-dry before it sits pushed together for a long time.
Leaving an Awning Out in Rain - What the Fabric Can Take
Many awnings are only water-repellent, not waterproof. That is not a flaw but intended: an awning fabric is meant to give shade and let air through. How to care for your awning fabric so that the finish lasts a long time is explained under Cleaning an awning.
Water-repellent means
The surface is finished so that droplets bead off. Normal rain runs off without soaking into the weave. In prolonged or heavy rain, water gets through, and it does not stay dry underneath.
Waterproof means
The fabric also keeps out lasting rain. That takes a coating that no longer lets air through. Our awning fabrics are not made this way.
Slope lets water run off
If the panel lies flat, water stays standing in the fabric. Standing water gets through over time and pulls on the fabric and fixings. The steeper the surface, the better the rain runs off.
The finish wears out
Weather and every wash wear down the water-repellent finish over time. If rain no longer beads off, a waterproofing treatment can help on acrylic, with more under Waterproofing an awning.
Acrylic tolerates damp
Acrylic is naturally water-repellent and mildew-resistant. A wet fabric is therefore not damaged, as long as it can dry afterwards.
Is an Awning Waterproof? The Four Fabrics Compared
For the rope tension awning, you choose between four fabrics in the configurator. All four are water-repellent, none is waterproof. The spray test measures how well water beads off the surface, on a scale up to 5. Dralon and Agora come from Spain.
| Fabric | Fibre | In rain | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dralon | Acrylic, conventionally dyed | water-repellent, rain beads off | mildew-resistant, no bleach |
| Agora | Acrylic, solution-dyed | water-repellent, spray test 5/5 to UNE EN ISO 24920 | finished to repel dirt and PFAS-free |
| Polysun | Polyester, solution-dyed | water-repellent, spray test 4/5 to ISO 4920, water mostly beads off | do not apply a waterproofing spray yourself |
| Olefin | Polypropylene | water-repellent, the fibre does not absorb moisture | dries quickly, no additional waterproofing |
Are There Waterproof Awnings?
An awning fabric only becomes waterproof through a coating. We make our made-to-measure rope tension awning in Westoverledingen from Dralon, Agora, Polysun or Olefin, all water-repellent. There is no waterproof version for our awnings. The awning remains sun protection and is retracted in rain.
Making an awning waterproof?
That is not possible afterwards. A waterproofing treatment refreshes the water-repellent finish, but it does not make the fabric waterproof. On Olefin and polyester, you do not apply a waterproofing spray yourself, as it can react with the factory finish.
Staying dry in rain
If you want to sit outside even in rain, you need a solid roof. A rope tension awning underneath then gives shade, and the roof keeps the rain out. Which solutions exist besides the awning is explained under Alternatives to an awning.
Shade sail against rain
A shade sail is also available in a waterproof version. What the sail does in rain is explained under Waterproofing a shade sail and winterising it.
Other designs
We do not make articulated-arm or cassette awnings. Whether and for how long they may stay out in rain is stated in the manufacturer's operating instructions.
Retracting the Awning in Rain - Where to Put the Fabric Bundle
When retracted, the fabric of the rope tension awning pushes together into a bundle. Where this bundle sits decides how long the fabric, runners and ropes last. So plan the parking spot when you buy.
Under the roof
The fabric bundle belongs under cover, typically under the roof that the awning is installed under. There, the fabric, runners and rope guides are protected from rain and UV radiation.
Space for the bundle
With 4 panels of 150 cm width in Dralon, the bundle is about 30 to 35 cm deep. With longer panels and more panels, it grows.
On a slope, park at the top
If the awning hangs under a sloping roof, park the bundle at the highest point. A stopper on the first aluminium tube holds it there.
Collecting box, ventilated
Some customers have a box open at the top built under the bundle, for example by a joiner. It is not part of the delivery. What matters is ventilation, small drill holes or a slight slope in the base against standing water and an inside measurement that you only take at the bundle after installation.
Avoid closed boxes
A closed box keeps residual moisture in the fabric after rain. This shortens its life. Also keep the operating pole freely accessible.
Glass Roof, Pergola or Folding Awning
How strict the rule is in daily use depends on where your awning hangs. The rule itself stays the same: an awning is not a storm or rain roof.
Under a glass roof or in a conservatory
If the rope tension awning hangs under a glass roof or inside a conservatory, the rain from above does not reach the fabric. Wind from the side does: the panels are designed for wind up to about 30 km/h, and above that you retract them.
Open pergola in the garden
Over an open pergola in the garden, the rain falls directly on the fabric. Retract the awning before the rain and park the bundle under cover. If there is no roof at all, an awning is often not the right solution.
Folding awning
The same applies to our made-to-measure folding awning: in strong wind or bad weather, make sure the system is retracted and secured.
Overnight and on holiday
Rain and wind often come without warning. If you are not at home, retract the awning beforehand. Retracted under the roof, the system stays functional and clean in the long term.
Left the Awning Out in the Rain - What Now?
If the awning has been through normal rain outside, usually nothing has happened. The water-repellent fabric lets the water run off. Retract it as soon as you can, and check whether water has collected in the fabric.
If you retracted the awning wet, push the panels back out in dry weather and let the fabric air-dry. If it stays damp for a long time pushed together, mildew spots easily form. How to remove them is explained under Removing mildew spots from an awning.
After bad weather, check the ropes, runners and seams. If the panels sit crooked or sag unevenly, contact us before you extend the awning fully again.
If even normal rain no longer beads off an old fabric despite care, the finish is used up. Then it is worth a look at Re-covering an awning or a comparison under Awning fabric: acrylic or polyester.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- Made-to-Measure Rope Tension Awning
- Agora Liso - Measured Values
- Polysun - Measured Values
- Olefin - Measured Values
Last reviewed: 23.10.2026 · Reviewer: Germes-Team
Where Should Your Awning Hang?
Send us a photo of your patio and the roof above it. We will tell you whether a rope tension awning suits and where the fabric bundle can sit in rain.