Retractable Awnings Florida

Florida is the hardest place in the country to shade a patio and the place where it matters most. You get twelve months of UV, afternoon storms that build in twenty minutes, salt air on both coasts and hurricane season on top. 1800Awnings has been building shade for Florida from Tampa since 1987, and retractable awnings are the one product that handles all of it: full shade when you want it, rolled away when the weather turns. We carry two of the best retractable lines in the country — Shademaker® and Eastern Awning Systems (Sunflexx® and SunScape®), where we are the national master dealer.

Shop retractable awnings online · Get a free quote · Find an authorized dealer near you

Why retractable is the right awning for Florida

A fixed cover is built to take everything the weather throws at it, all year. A retractable awning is built to get out of the way. That is a big advantage in this state:

• Storms: retract the fabric before wind picks up and the only thing left on the wall is a compact aluminum housing. With a motorized system and a wind sensor, it retracts on its own.
• Heat: shading a west- or south-facing wall and sliding glass door keeps the sun off the glass, which is where most afternoon heat gain comes from. See our awning energy savings guide.
• Winter sun: from December to February many Floridians actually want sun on the patio. Retract and you have it.
• HOAs: a retracted awning disappears into a slim housing, which makes approval easier in deed-restricted communities.

Motorized retractable awnings — the Florida default

Most of the retractable systems we sell in Florida are motorized. A remote, a wall switch or a phone app means you actually use the awning every day, and an optional wind sensor retracts it automatically when a storm cell rolls in while you are at work. Read the full motorized retractable awnings Florida guide, or compare motorized vs. manual.

Shop by brand: Shademaker and Eastern Awning Systems

Shademaker® — modern cassette awnings with LED lighting

Every Shademaker is motorized with a Somfy® motor and uses Sunbrella® fabric. Cassette housings protect the fabric from sun and salt air, and integrated LEDs carry the patio into the evening. Shademaker retractable awnings in Florida →

• Zeus™ full cassette with LED — $4,322–$14,965. 9–40 ft wide; our pick for coastal homes, lanais and pool decks.
• Helios™ with adjustable front bar — $4,655–$9,757. Drops the front edge to block low afternoon sun.
• Apollo™ semi & full cassette with LED — $5,639–$11,200. Clean architectural look.
• Hercules™ heavy-duty up to 40 ft — $9,477–$23,225. Restaurants, resorts and long commercial frontages.

Shop all Shademaker awnings

Eastern Awning Systems — American-made Sunflexx® and SunScape®

Built in Watertown, Connecticut since 1961 with stainless hardware and powder-coated aluminum, and sold only through dealers. 1800Awnings is Eastern's national master dealer. Eastern Awning Systems in Florida →

• Sunflexx® — $3,473–$10,019. Patented wind-flexing shoulder joint and a 15-year frame warranty; best for exposed coastal and lakefront patios.
• SunScape® — $3,064–$7,629. American-made value line, widths up to 80 ft; best for sheltered patios.

Shop all Eastern awnings

Which brand should you choose?

If you want…	Choose
A cassette that fully encloses the fabric	Shademaker Zeus or Apollo
LED lighting built into the arms	Shademaker Zeus, Apollo or Hercules
To block low western sun	Shademaker Helios or a Sunflexx drop valance
A 30–40 ft commercial span	Shademaker Hercules
American-made frame and the longest frame warranty	Eastern Sunflexx
The lowest starting price	Eastern SunScape

Browse by feature: motorized · cassette · LED lighting · patio awnings. Pair an awning with motorized screens for bug and storm protection on the sides.

Retractable awnings across Florida

We serve all of Florida from our Tampa headquarters, with free shipping and authorized dealers and installers in every major market. Pick your area for local climate, permit and neighborhood details:

• Tampa — also St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Brandon, Wesley Chapel, Riverview, Largo
• Orlando — also Kissimmee, Lakeland
• Sarasota — also Bradenton, Venice
• Naples
• Fort Myers — also Cape Coral, Punta Gorda
• Miami — also Hialeah
• Fort Lauderdale — also Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Pompano Beach
• West Palm Beach — also Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Vero Beach
• Jacksonville — also St. Augustine
• The Villages — also Ocala, Gainesville
• Space Coast & beyond: Melbourne, Palm Bay, Daytona Beach, Tallahassee, Pensacola

Retractable awnings by project type

Residential patios

Over a slab, deck or paver patio off the back of the house. A 12–20 ft motorized awning covers most Florida back patios — a Sunflexx or Shademaker Zeus on exposed lots, a SunScape where the house blocks the wind. See residential awnings.

Pools and lanais

Screened lanais trap heat under the cage. A retractable awning mounted to the house wall shades the seating area inside the cage and the glass behind it, and retracts so the pool deck still gets sun. A slim cassette such as the Shademaker Zeus suits the tight clearances under a pool cage. Mount height and cage clearance are the details to get right — read the pool and lanai awnings guide or send us a photo and we will check it.

Restaurants and outdoor dining

Patio seating that stays usable through a July lunch service is revenue. The Shademaker Hercules spans up to 40 ft with projections to 16'-6", links for continuous coverage, and carries LEDs for evening service. See restaurant awnings in Florida.

Resorts, hotels and hospitality

Pool bars, cabanas, balconies and event terraces. Motorized systems can be grouped on one control so staff retract every awning on the property at once ahead of a storm. The same systems we recommend for restaurants work here.

Commercial storefronts

Retractable awnings for retail and office frontages — the SunScape runs up to 80 ft wide — alongside fixed architectural aluminum canopies. See all commercial awnings.

Retractable awning cost in Florida

Online prices for our retractable systems currently run from $3,064 for an Eastern SunScape to $23,225 for a 40-ft Shademaker Hercules. What moves the number: width, projection, motorization, cassette vs. open-roll, LEDs and sensors. See the full retractable awning cost guide for Florida for every model and option price, and how to measure your opening, then request a firm quote.

Retractable awning installation in Florida

Installation is quoted separately and depends on your wall (most Florida homes are concrete block or stucco over block), mounting height, power for the motor and local permits. Install it yourself, use your own contractor, or have an authorized dealer do it. Read the Florida installation guide.

Three ways to buy

• Shop online: configure and order a Shademaker or Eastern awning online, shipped free to your door.
• Get a quote: send dimensions and a photo of the wall through our quote form or call 1-800-296-4647.
• Use an authorized dealer: prefer a local company to measure and install? Find an authorized dealer in your area. Installers can become a dealer.

Frequently asked questions — retractable awnings in Florida

Can a retractable awning survive a Florida hurricane?

A retractable awning is not designed to be extended in hurricane or tropical-storm winds. It is designed to be retracted, so the fabric and arms are stowed inside or under the housing on the wall. Retract before any named storm, and use a wind sensor on motorized systems for pop-up afternoon storms.

Are motorized retractable awnings worth it in Florida?

For most Florida homes, yes. Because weather changes fast, an awning you can open or close in seconds gets used far more, and a wind sensor can retract it automatically when you are not home.

How much does a retractable awning cost in Florida?

Our retractable systems are currently listed from $3,064 for an Eastern SunScape up to $23,225 for the largest Shademaker Hercules, depending on size, motorization and options. Installation is quoted separately.

Shademaker or Eastern Awning Systems — which is better for Florida?

Both work well here. Choose Shademaker for a cassette housing, integrated LED lighting, an adjustable front bar or a commercial span up to 40 ft. Choose Eastern for American-made frames, the Sunflexx 15-year frame warranty and wind-flexing arms, or the SunScape's lower starting price.

Do I need a permit for a retractable awning in Florida?

It depends on your city or county and your HOA. Many Florida jurisdictions require a permit for anything attached to the structure. Check with your local building department, and we can provide product documentation for your application.

Which retractable awning is best near the beach?

A full-cassette system such as the Shademaker Zeus encloses the fabric and arms when retracted, and the Eastern Sunflexx uses stainless hardware and wind-flexing arms built for exposed locations. Either way, add a wind sensor.

Request a free retractable awning quote or call 1-800-296-4647. Headquartered in Tampa, serving all of Florida.