When protecting large or irregular areas, sometimes it is desirable to have a retractable canopy extend beyond the posts of a pergola. By using cantilevered structures, canopies can be extended to areas that are beyond the structure posts to provide added protection from sun and rain.

A cantilever is a beam that is supported at one end only. There are two ways you can apply the principle to your advantage; one is with the pergola, and the other is with the ShadeFX canopy itself.

Cantilevering The Pergola

To cantilever the pergola, simply extend the beams farther from the posts. You end up with a cantilevered ‘overhang’ and your retractable canopy can cover an area outside the posts. See an example of the cantilever overhang on this installation at ORA Restaurant, in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Cantilevering ShadeFX Canopies

Regardless of the pergola or frame, with a ShadeFX retractable canopy system, there are two cantilevering options. One is to extend the wings beyond the posts, and the other is to extend the drive beam beyond the rafters.

Extending the pergola canopy wings beyond the posts is shown in this Millcroft, Ontario installation. Be sure to measure the inside face of the post to the inside face of the post so we can calculate the proper length for you to order. Please recognize that the canopy runs under the beams, so wind resistance is reduced as your extend the cantilever dimension.

Extending the retractable canopy drive beam (track) can be trickier because you also have to extend the stabilizers. Our track can cantilever from 36” to 60” depending on width of canopy. The wider the canopy the less we can cantilever. In any case, here is an example of a short cantilever that added that extra 12” necessary to keep the bar stools (and those sitting on them) protected from the rain.

To learn more about managing drip lines to maximize useful area in the rain, see this blog article.