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Common questions about patio shades

Straight answers on cost, installation, the view, wind and warranty. If your question isn't here, give us a call.

The three questions we hear most

How much do motorized patio shades cost?

Every project is quoted individually after a patio consultant visits and measures, because size, fabric, controls, brand and wind rating all change the price. We aim to be fair, which means we are not the cheapest option and not the most expensive one either.

What drives the cost of a project

How long does installation take?

Installation typically happens about 3 weeks after you sign, though that is an estimate and not a promise. On most existing patios the install itself takes one day. Larger or more complex projects can take longer, and your patio consultant confirms the schedule with you in advance.

Will shades block my view?

In daylight, you can look nearly straight through the screen from inside. At night, with the lights on inside, it is harder to see out, and that is worth knowing before you pick a fabric. Screens come in different openness levels, and your patio consultant will help you choose one that suits how you use the space.

See screens on real patios
Lowered patio screen on a covered porch, with a wooded hillside visible through the mesh and green water below
Graford lake porch, screen down

Cost and financing

  • What's included in my project?

    Your project includes a consultation and custom design, a shade custom built to your opening in the USA, installation by our own crew, a remote, the Wi-Fi bridge for the app, and our warranty.

  • Do you offer financing?

    Yes. We offer financing through Hearth to help you spread the cost of your project. Options are subject to approval and the specific offer terms, so the financing page has the current details.

    See financing details

Products and how they work

  • How do motorized patio screens work?

    A motor rolls the shade up, and gravity with a weight bar at the bottom brings it back down. Side tracks guide the fabric, and a brush seal closes the bottom gap.

    How motorized screens work, step by step

  • Can motorized shades be installed on my patio?

    Most covered patios, pergolas and outdoor living spaces can take motorized shades. Every project is custom-measured, and on an existing patio the housing and side tracks mount onto your structure. Your patio consultant will look at yours and recommend what fits.

  • Will I see the housing and tracks?

    On an existing patio, yes. The housing, side tracks and weight bar stay visible, sometimes tucked above a header. On a new build or remodel, the tracks can be recessed into the walls, so the shade disappears into the ceiling when it's up.

  • Which brand of motorized screen is best?

    It depends on your opening, your wind exposure and your budget. We're a certified dealer and installer for Universal Motions, Templar, SunPro and MagnaTrack, so we can match the shade to the opening, and we'll recommend the less expensive one when it fits.

    Compare the four brands

  • What fabrics and colors can I choose?

    Fabrics run from bug screens to high-performance solar screens, in different openness levels and colors, plus a dim-out fabric for bedrooms. The housing and tracks are powder-coated aluminum in many standard colors, and we can custom match a color too.

  • Is there an impact-resistant screen?

    Yes, a Kevlar-lined screen fabric is available as an upgrade. It isn't standard on every screen, so ask about it at your consultation if impact resistance matters to you.

  • Where are your shades made?

    Our shades are made in the USA and custom built to each opening, then installed by our own crew.

  • What else do you shade besides patios?

    We shade windows and doors, pergolas, and clear vinyl for winter, including dual-roller openings that pair a screen with a vinyl shade. We also sell SunPro motorized awnings. We shade pergolas, but we don't build them.

    Window and door shades

    Pergola shades

    Clear vinyl enclosures

    Motorized awnings

  • Are motorized patio screens worth it?

    That depends on how you would use the patio. If heat, glare, bugs or wind keep you inside, shades can make it usable for much more of the year. Fabrics and coatings do wear over time, but we commonly see shades go 10 years or more.

    Are they worth it? The longer answer

View, sun, heat and bugs

  • Do patio screens block UV and heat?

    Yes. They cut heat, glare and UV, which also helps protect furniture and floors from fading. Motorized solar shades reduce solar heat gain, which can make indoor and outdoor living areas more comfortable and can ease the load on your air conditioning.

    How screens handle UV and heat

  • Can people see in?

    That depends on the fabric. Tighter weaves block the view in, so you can choose one for privacy. For bedroom windows, we also offer a dim-out fabric.

  • Will screens keep bugs out?

    Yes. Zippered side channels hold the fabric's edges and a brush seal closes the gap at the bottom, which keeps insects out even on a sloped patio. Leaves and debris stay out too.

    Keeping bugs off your patio

  • Can I use my patio in winter?

    Yes. With the shades down, your patio is shielded from wind and cold, and a patio heater or fireplace helps on the colder days. Clear vinyl shades can close the space in more fully.

    Using your patio in winter

Wind and weather

  • How much wind can motorized screens handle?

    It depends on the brand and the system. A published wind rating describes a properly configured, properly installed shade that is fully deployed, in short gusts, so it is not a setting to leave the shade down until. Here is what each brand tells us:

    • Standard MagnaTrack: a published capability of up to 75 mph for short-duration gusts when fully deployed, subject to configuration and installation limits. Retract around 35 to 40 mph and ahead of storms to help protect the screen.
    • Templar: a published capability of up to 70 mph for its Knight Shade side-track system, subject to proper configuration and installation. We confirm operating guidance for your installation.
    • Standard SunPro screens: retract before gusts reach 40 mph.
    • Universal Motions: wind performance depends on the specific configuration. We confirm the applicable rating for your project.

    Whichever brand you choose, we'll tell you the limit for your shade before you buy it.

    Wind details by brand

  • Should I leave my shades down in a storm?

    No. A published wind rating is not a setting to leave the shade down until. For SunPro screens, retract before gusts reach 40 mph, and for MagnaTrack, around 35 to 40 mph and ahead of storms. For Templar and Universal Motions, we confirm the guidance for your installation.

  • What should I do in a freeze?

    Never force a shade that is frozen, obstructed or operating irregularly. If it isn't working right afterward, call us at (817) 470-0744 and we'll help.

Smart control

  • Can I control my shades from my phone?

    Yes. Every shade comes with a remote, and a small Wi-Fi bridge adds app control, so you can work your shades from virtually anywhere.

    How smart control works

  • Do they work with my smart home system?

    Depending on the system selected, shades can also integrate with popular smart home platforms. Your patio consultant can tell you what works with yours.

  • Is the app hard to set up?

    Typically not. Most customers set it up themselves: the Wi-Fi bridge plugs in and joins your Wi-Fi, and each shade pairs with the press of one button.

  • Can I put my shades on a schedule?

    Yes. You can set scenes and schedules, including sunrise and sunset triggers, seasonal scenes and partial positions, such as raising a shade a few feet.

Installation and timing

  • Who installs your shades?

    Our own in-house crew, not subcontractors. Everyone on our team is certified in installation and product, and we measure and set each install to within an eighth of an inch.

    Meet the team

  • What happens at the consultation?

    A patio consultant visits, asks how you want to use the space, then measures and takes photos. Most quotes go out the same day, often with a rendering, and there is no pressure to sign on the spot.

  • When can you come out?

    Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday appointments are available on request.

  • Do you serve my area?

    We serve the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, including some lake areas outside the core metro. If you're near the edge, call us at (817) 470-0744 and we'll double-check.

    See where we work

  • Do I need HOA approval?

    Requirements vary by HOA. We can provide specifications and product information to support your submission, but getting HOA approval is the homeowner's responsibility.

Warranty and service

  • What warranty does Texas Shade provide?

    Our own 10-year warranty covers shades, motors and system components against qualifying defects in materials and workmanship. We also give a lifetime warranty on our installation workmanship, for the originally installed system at its original address. Coverage is subject to your signed project documents and proper use and maintenance, and we handle the warranty paperwork and service.

    What's covered and what isn't

  • How long do motorized shades last?

    A decade or more is common in our experience, and fabrics and coatings wear gradually over that time. Our 10-year warranty covers qualifying defects during those years.

  • Can you service shades you didn't install?

    Sometimes. We look at those case by case, most often for brands we can support, like SunPro, MagnaTrack or Templar, and we'll tell you straight whether it's worth repairing or better to replace.

    Request service

  • How do I take care of my shades?

    Operate them regularly, keep the tracks clean, use only a dry silicone lubricant on the tracks, clean the fabric regularly, and never force a shade that is frozen, obstructed or operating irregularly. Good care also helps protect your warranty coverage.

Building new and builders

  • When should I plan shades for a new home or patio?

    As early as you can. Ideally we review your plans before or during framing, so the electrical, blocking and recessed tracks can be coordinated. The tracks go in before the masonry, and the shades go in last.

    Planning shades for a new build

  • Do you work directly with builders?

    Yes. We work with the builder from planning through installation in three stages: early coordination and a quote, the U-channel when the home is ready (before the masonry), and final shade installation at the end of the build, typically in one day depending on project size. A dedicated project manager coordinates with the builder, architect, electrician and other trades.

    For builders

  • Can the shades be wired into the house?

    Yes. Shades can be hardwired so the power and wiring are concealed. Your project manager provides the electrical requirements and coordinates with the builder and electrician.

What we don't do

  • Do you build screened-in porches?

    Not on their own. We don't do standalone screened-in porches or fixed-screen-only jobs, and fixed screens only come as part of a motorized project. If that's what you need, give us a call and we'll point you in the right direction.

  • Do you sell manual or hand-crank shades?

    No. Every shade we install is motorized.

  • Why can't a narrow opening be motorized?

    The motor lifts the shade, but gravity and the weight bar bring it down, and a shade narrower than about 4 feet isn't heavy enough to do that. We fit a fixed screen there instead, as part of your motorized project.

  • Do you build patio covers or pergolas?

    No. We don't build patio covers, pergolas, louvered roofs or outdoor kitchens. If you're building one, bring us in early and we can plan the shades with it.

Still have a question?

Call us and we'll talk it through, or tell us about your project and bring your questions to the consultation.

Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Saturday appointments on request.