The first decision to make when considering an awning or canopy for your home is what material will best suit your needs – fabric or metal. In addition to being less expensive than metal, fabric achieves a softer look and offers more color options. Fabric also provides you greater flexibility to change out the color of your awning or canopy cover at a later time if you like, as the cost for a “recover” is so inexpensive. The average lifespan of most of Parasol’s fabrics is ten or more years. While metal awnings and canopies are a bit more expensive than fabric, they offer an average lifespan of 20 plus years. Metal is much easier to clean and isn’t as likely to stain from weather or tree sap.