Retractable Awnings
Retractable Awnings, Built for Southern California Sun
Our flagship product: premium motorized awnings with Somfy controls, available wind sensors, LED lighting, and hundreds of fade-resistant fabrics — custom-built for your patio and backed by a 15-year warranty.
Se habla español
Owned
Made
Warranty
CSLB #951583
Here’s the problem with most patios in Southern California: from about 1pm to 6pm, they’re unusable. The afternoon sun turns your outdoor living space into a furnace, so the most expensive square footage of your home sits empty half the day.
A retractable awning from AJ Shades fixes that on your terms. Unlike a fixed patio cover, it gives you shade when you want it and sun when you don’t — extend it for lunch, retract it for evening sun, all at the touch of a button. Our customers tell us the same thing over and over: it completely changes how they use their backyard.
We don’t sell cheap temporary shade products. Every awning we install is a premium American-made system with a Somfy motor, quality hardware, and solution-dyed fabric that’s engineered to hold its color for years in brutal UV. It feels solid, looks high-end, and operates smoothly — because it was built to, and because we install it right.
During your free estimate, Tony or Richard will measure your space, walk you through fabric and option choices with real samples, and give you a clear written quote. No pressure, no games — just honest guidance on what makes sense for your patio, your home, and your budget. And with our financing options (rates as low as 0% for 24 months for qualified buyers), you don’t have to settle for a cheaper system to keep the cost down.
REAL AJ SHADES INSTALLS
Watch retractable awnings deploy
See how two real AJ Shades systems extend into usable shade — a cassette awning with integrated LED arm lighting and a striped lateral-arm awning over a balcony.
Fabric & Color
Pick your colors — from America's best mills
Two industry-leading awning fabrics, both made in the USA. Browse the real manufacturer catalogs below, pick your favorites, and we'll bring samples to your free estimate.
Retractable awning fabric
Sunbrella® Shade
Woven in the USA by Glen Raven — a family-owned American company since 1880 — at its Anderson, South Carolina manufacturing center.
- 100% solution-dyed acrylic: the color goes all the way through the fiber, so it resists fading for years
- Resists mold and mildew; water-repellent yet breathable
- Cleans up with soap and water — even bleach — without color loss
- Dozens of colors across solids, textures, and stripes, plus specialty lines: Contour (shade sails), SeaMark (waterproof-backed), Nebula, and Unity (recycled)
- Skin Cancer Foundation recommends certain Sunbrella fabrics in shading products as part of a complete sun-protection regimen
Manufacturer's fabric warranty: Sunbrella backs its shade fabrics with a 10-year limited warranty. This is the fabric warranty from the manufacturer — AJ Shades systems are backed by a 15-year warranty. Coverage varies by product and component.
Browse the Sunbrella Shade CollectionOfficial manufacturer catalog — opens in a new tab
Awning & shade mesh fabric
TEXTILENE® Sunsure®
Made in the USA — Twitchell weaves its Textilene fabrics in Dothan, Alabama, where the company has manufactured for over 100 years.
- High-strength vinyl-coated polyester mesh (500-denier warp / 1000-denier fill) built to resist fading, mildew, soiling, wear and tear
- Up to a 92% shade factor — serious sun relief with airflow
- Around 40 colors (Azure, Alabaster, Taupe, Forest Green, Royal Blue, Black, Red, Honey, and more); custom colors available
- GREENGUARD Gold certified; antimicrobial, flame resistant, and lead free
- Engineered to stay vibrant for years, even under continuous outdoor exposure and severe weather
Manufacturer's fabric warranty: Twitchell's 15-year limited warranty for fixed & operable shading applications (3-year for all other end uses). This is the fabric warranty from the manufacturer — AJ Shades systems are backed by a 15-year warranty. Coverage varies by product and component.
Browse TEXTILENE Sunsure ColorsOfficial manufacturer catalog — opens in a new tab
Both fabric options are covered by their manufacturer’s warranty on the fabric itself. AJ Shades systems are backed by a 15-year warranty. Coverage varies by product and component; your written proposal and warranty documents identify the exact coverage for your system. We’ll help you compare colors, stripes, and textures side by side at your free estimate.
Manufacturing
Built on QIP frames — designed in Italy, hand assembled in the USA
The fabric gets the compliments, but the frame does the work. Here's the manufacturer behind our retractable awning systems.
Our retractable awning frames
QIP® Awning Systems
QIP (Quality Improvement Products) is a Southern California company — now one of California's premier retractable screen, shade, and awning manufacturers.
- Custom made to order: every awning is engineered for your exact specifications — nothing sits pre-built in a warehouse
- Designed in Italy by experienced engineers, then hand assembled in the US to your measurements
- Premium materials throughout: aluminum alloys, high-tech fabrics, and fully automated digital controls
- Full-cassette designs like the Round Box completely encapsulate the fabric when retracted — up to 13'6" of projection and 36' wide, tested and certified to CE and TUV standards
- A lineup built for installers who care: motorized awnings, power screens, disappearing screen doors, and patio covers
QIP's manufacturer warranty — and ours: QIP backs all of its shading products with a full 15-year warranty of its own. AJ Shades systems are backed by a 15-year warranty. Coverage varies by product and component.
See It on Your Own Home — Free EstimateWe chose QIP because their systems are built the way we install: carefully, to order, and meant to last. Ask us about frame colors, cassette options, and sensors at your free estimate.
Options & upgrades
Everything a premium awning should have
Somfy Motorization
Whisper-quiet motors with remote, wall switch, or smartphone control. The gold standard — ask any of our reviewers.
Wind & Sun Sensors
Available as options: add wind and sun sensors and the awning retracts itself in high wind and extends itself in harsh sun. Set it and forget it.
Built-In LED Lighting
Extend your evenings. Integrated LEDs turn your patio into the best seat in the house after dark.
Hundreds of Fabrics
Solution-dyed acrylics engineered to resist fading, mildew, and UV — in colors and patterns that complement your home.
Retractable = Flexible
Full sun when you want it, full shade when you don't. Unlike a fixed cover, you control the patio's personality by the hour.
15-Year Warranty
AJ Shades systems are backed by a 15-year warranty. Coverage varies by product and component.
Promotional packages
One package. Everything included. No upsells.
Our promo packages bundle the options people actually want — lighting, motor, wind sensor, smart-home control, professional installation — into one all-inclusive package. No surprises, no field upsells.
Open Roller
Maximum span: up to 40 ft wide
The traditional open design for large shade coverage. Fabric and arms visible when retracted — maximum shade, classic look.
Skyline Cassette
Maximum span: up to 20 ft wide
6-inch powder-coated aluminum housing, fully enclosed for a cleaner, modern look. Added protection for fabric and motor when retracted.
Skyline+ Cassette
Maximum span: up to 40 ft wide
8-inch premium cassette housing — fully enclosed for larger openings, with expanded coverage and a finished architectural look.
Every awning package includes
- LED lighting built into the awning arms
- Professional-grade Somfy motor with handheld remote
- Automatic wind protection sensor
- TaHoma app: scheduling, scenes & smart-home control
- Site engineering, installation & motor programming
- 15-year warranty
Sized in width bands from 21′–25′ up to 36′–40′, plus a dedicated Skyline 20′ cassette package — measured to your exact opening at your free estimate. Wall mount, eave mount, or roof mount, verified for your structure.
Free estimate, measured in person, quoted in writing. No pressure. Se habla español.
Reviews
What awning customers say
Verbatim, word for word from Google and Housecall Pro.
“AJ Shades did an outstanding job installing our retractable awning. From the initial consultation through the final installation, the communication was excellent. They kept us informed every step of the way, showed up when they said they would, and answered all of our questions. The installation was professional and efficient, and the finished product exceeded our expectations. The awning looks fantastic, operates smoothly, and has made our patio much more comfortable to enjoy throughout the day. You can tell they use quality materials and take pride in their workmanship. If you're looking for a company that's reliable, professional, and delivers a great product, I highly recommend AJ Shades. We couldn't be happier with the entire experience!”
“AJ Shades did an excellent job installing our new motorized awning. From the first conversation to the final installation, the process was professional, clear, and easy. The awning looks great, works smoothly, and has completely changed how we use our patio. We were impressed with the quality of the materials, the Somfy motor, the built-in lighting, and the clean installation. You can tell this is not a cheap temporary shade product. It feels solid, looks high-end, and makes the backyard much more comfortable. Tony and the AJ Shades team were knowledgeable, respectful, and took the time to explain everything. We are very happy with the finished product and would definitely recommend AJ Shades to anyone looking for a premium retractable awning.”
“We had AJ Shades install a motorized awning for our backyard and it has been a great upgrade. The patio used to get too much sun in the afternoon, so we weren't using the space as much as we wanted. Now we have shade when we need it and the area feels much more comfortable. The awning looks clean on the house and the motor works very smoothly. The fabric feels high quality, and the built-in lights make the patio feel really nice in the evening. The 15-year warranty also gave us confidence that we were choosing something built to last. Tony and the AJ Shades team were professional, helpful, and the installation came out very clean”
FAQ
Awning questions, answered straight
Service area
We install retractable awnings across Southern California
Free estimates throughout San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
Want to see what they look like installed? Browse real projects in our project gallery.
Free estimate • No pressure
Your patio called. It wants shade.
Get a free awning estimate — measured, quoted in writing, and backed by our 15-year warranty.
Se habla español
Owned
Made
Warranty
CSLB #951583