Outdoor drop shades compared by size

A drop shade hangs from the beam or header and rolls down over the opening itself. That's the main difference from an awning, which sticks out from the wall and shades the ground beneath it. Because a drop shade covers the side of the patio, it's the type that blocks sun coming in low, which is what east- and west-facing patios get in the morning and late afternoon.

The three kinds you'll see

Plain roller shades roll up on a tube and hang free at the bottom. They're the cheapest and the easiest to order, and they're what most home stores sell. Cable-guided shades add thin steel cables on each side that the bottom bar slides along, so the shade doesn't swing as much. Zip-track shades run the fabric's edges inside side channels, which closes the gaps at the sides. Zip-track shades are usually custom made and cost more.

Most outdoor shade fabric is woven with small openings, listed as an "openness" percentage. A lower number lets less light and view through. Some sellers here, SmartWings among them, sell the same shade in 1%, 3% and 5% openness.

How wide they go

This is where drop shades run short. We list 70 from 31 brands, and 60 of them publish a maximum width. 57 are sold at least 8 ft wide, 17 at least 12 ft, 11 at least 16 ft and only 7 at least 20 ft. The home stores and blinds sites we checked stop at 12 ft. Above that you're buying from shade specialists, and the widest ones, like Phantom Motorized Screen (Sure Fit track / cable / vinyl) at 40 ft, are sold through dealers. If your opening is wider than what's available, two shades side by side with a post between them is the common workaround. See 16 ft, 18 ft and 20 ft openings.

Motors and power

43 of the 70 come with a motor, at least as an option. Only 20 of those say how the motor is powered. The choices are a rechargeable battery, a small solar panel that tops up the battery, a plug-in motor, or a hardwired motor. A hardwired motor needs a licensed electrician; the listing says so wherever a seller offers one.

Wind

29 of 70 drop shades say anything about wind, and 8 give a speed. We copy each statement word for word rather than rank them, because sellers don't test the same way. Read what each seller says.

Filter drop shades by your width and height.