Exterior Porch Shades

Porch Shades: Partial to complete shading

Sometimes you already have partial shading on the outside of the house, such as a deck or porch that has a ceiling resting on wood columns or beams. It turns out that you can increase the shading even more, while letting air flow into the porch area for a real outdoor experience. These are known as exterior porch shades. There is considerable overlap with patio shades.

The EasyShade outdoor porch shade example

One example is the EasyShade system by SunSetter. The shade is a roller-type that hangs from the ceiling of the porch. When you want to use it, you turn a mechanical crank rod that lowers the shade. The mechanical crank means there's less propulsive stress on the mechanics, ensuring a shade that lasts longer. The shade is unfurled from its resting position until it reaches the railing of the porch, if you have one. Once there, it can then be latched using a bungee and hook provided by the manufacturer. When the shade is rolled up, it's housed in its own enclosure to reduce wear-and-tear, and enhance longevity.

The EasyShade example

The outdoor porch shades system is not restricted to a porch, but can be installed in combination with gazebos, pergolas and other types of outdoor structures discussed on this site. Some houses have very large windows that could benefit from such a shade system, although installation on second story windows poses another difficulty of its own.

Blocks light but lets in air

The shade material of the EasyShade is such that it blocks most of the light, the wind, and rain, but lets in some air and softer light that penetrates the material. Moreover, the outdoor porch shades mean that you're hidden from view of the outside, which increases the privacy of your porch. Looking outward, you can still see the scenery.

Customizable sizes

Size-wise, there are a number of possibilities. Even if your porch does not have a railing, a sufficiently tall outdoor porch shade of up to 6.5 ft means that it can reach from the ceiling to the floor. What about the width? There are a number of widths anywhere from 4 to 10 ft. Colorwise the selection is more limited, but a very neutral cream color can be used to accomodate just about any house paint or natural material. When considering porch shades, look for a shade material that is easy to wash and resistant to mold or mildew.