Add Strength, Style, and Shade with Custom Metal Awnings

June 30, 2025

Custom metal awnings Awnings aren’t just about weather protection anymore. Today, custom metal awnings are often a key architectural feature that enhances a building’s exterior while still providing shade and shelter.

At Macy Industries, we’ve worked with residential and commercial clients throughout New England to design, fabricate, and install custom metal awnings that check all the boxes. Whether you’re looking to add contrast to a glass façade, improve energy efficiency, or incorporate a durable architectural accent, we’ll help bring your vision to life with a solution that’s functional, code-compliant, and built to last.

Why Consider a Custom Metal Awning?

It may seem simple enough to order an off-the-shelf awning and install it yourself, but generic options can’t account for the specific structural, aesthetic, or compliance needs of your building.

In contrast, a custom awning from Macy Industries is designed with your exact site, purpose, and design goals in mind. This customization gives you more flexibility, longer-lasting results, and better integration with your building as a whole.

Design versatility

Whether you’re building a modern office or updating a restaurant exterior, we can fabricate and install an awning that matches your design goals and reinforces your visual identity. From unlimited powder coat colors to dialed-in dimensions, custom awnings give you the look and performance you need.

Durability and weather resistance

New England winters are tough on building materials. While fabric awnings and lower-grade metal options can fade, rust, or break down quickly, we build our custom aluminum or steel awnings to withstand harsh conditions and maintain their appearance year after year.

Energy efficiency

Awnings also improve energy performance by providing shade and reducing heat gain. For commercial buildings, that can mean lower cooling costs in the summer and more sustainable building practices overall.

When you work with Macy Industries, your awning isn’t treated like an accessory. Rather, it’s built and installed with the same level of care as our platforms, handrails, stairs, and other structural elements. And because we manage everything in-house—from design to fabrication to installation—you get one point of contact, fewer delays, and a smoother process from start to finish.

The Types of Awning Projects We Take On

Macy Industries supports commercial and residential projects of all sizes. From office buildings to retail storefronts, we’ve built:

  • Large commercial awnings for main entrances and curtainwall systems
  • Window canopies that break up long façades and add architectural depth
  • Multi-site rollouts for clients who want a consistent, branded look across locations

Whether you have a completed architectural drawing or a concept you’re still working through, we have the in-house expertise to take it from idea to installation.

How We Approach Awning Design

When a client reaches out to us about custom metal awnings, we begin by getting a clear understanding of a few key details:

  • What type of awning do they need? (Size, shape, and application)
  • What surface will the awning be anchored to? (Masonry, steel, wood, etc.)
  • What aesthetic is the client looking to achieve?

Many clients come to us with a general concept or a rendering rather than a finalized set of plans. From there, the Macy team works to translate those ideas into engineered shop drawings that align with the design intent while meeting code and fabrication requirements.

Choosing the Right Material

Material selection is based on structure, finish, and budget. Here’s how the options compare:

Aluminum

  • Lightweight and corrosion-resistant
  • Easy to handle and install
  • Pairs well with powder coating for a durable, custom-color finish

Steel

  • Heavier and more labor-intensive to install
  • Lower material cost upfront, but more prone to corrosion unless galvanized
  • Best used when anchoring has already been planned into the structure

We occasionally incorporate non-metal elements as well. One recent project included cedar slats for visual contrast. We can also integrate fabric when called for by the design or use case.

Inside Our In-House Fabrication Process

Once the design is approved, our in-house team gets to work fabricating every component at our New Hampshire facility.

We use a range of advanced tools to cut, shape, and assemble metal components with precision:

  • Band saws cut tubing and angled metal to exact specifications.
  • CNC plasma tables handle flat sheet metal, making it easy to produce clean, complex shapes.
  • The Dragon A400 automates cuts on round and square tubing, which is ideal for building structural frames and brackets.
  • Jigs and welding stations hold everything in place during TIG welding—our preferred method for clean, strong, low-spatter welds, especially on aluminum.

Once welded, parts are prepared for finishing. We typically work with trusted powder coating partners to ensure a high-quality, durable finish. For larger or modular projects, we may fabricate components in sections, coat them individually, and bolt everything together on-site during installation.

What to Expect During Installation

Installation is the final step where everything comes together. At Macy Industries, we take this phase seriously because a great-looking awning only works if it’s anchored correctly and built to last.

Unlike decorative features that can attach to veneer or siding, awnings must be mounted directly into the structural portion of the building. In some cases, that means removing interior walls to install reinforcement or blocking, especially when the awning was added later in the construction process. These are the kinds of details that are easy to overlook but that are essential for safety and long-term performance.

The equipment we use depends on the size and location of the project:

  • For smaller awnings, like 2’ x 4’ window canopies, ladders and hand tools are usually enough.
  • For mid-size installations, we bring in boom lifts or lulls to access elevated or hard-to-reach areas.
  • For larger or multi-component assemblies, we may use a crane to position everything safely and efficiently.

Our installers are experienced in navigating tight job sites, urban settings, and multistory buildings, and we plan every detail to minimize disruption and keep things moving smoothly on install day.

Why Clients Choose Macy for Custom Awnings

At Macy Industries, awnings are just one example of the custom architectural work we do. We’ve spent more than 50 years helping clients across New England tackle projects that require smart design, solid fabrication, and a team that knows how to get things done.

Our fully integrated shop supports:

  • Custom architectural features
  • Metal signage
  • Steel stairs and railings
  • Industrial ductwork and dust collection systems

We’re known for delivering work that meets code, fits the space, and looks the way it should. And because we handle everything in-house—from design through install—you won’t have to coordinate across vendors or manage extra moving parts.

Awnings are often one of the last pieces to be finalized in a project, but they pull everything together when done right. We treat them like any other architectural component—designed with care, built to last, and installed the right way.

If it’s made of metal, we can make it—and we’ll make sure it’s done right. Let us know how we can help with your custom awning project.