Vela canopies, shade structures and carports are meant to be installed as durable, permanent and esthetically-pleasing additions to your patio, deck or back yard or driveway. The following are the main considerations when ordering:

Foundation
Vela Canopies, shade structures and residential carports all have the option of being installed on wood, on concrete, in asphalt, or in the ground. On wood and on concrete, the structure will be bolted down onto the surface. In the ground, or in asphalt, it is sunk into a hole, 24 inches deep by 12 inches in diameter, with concrete poured in to make sure the structure remains stable. You can define the installation type that you need in the “options” field on every product page.

If you need to install some columns on one type of surface, and other columns on another type of surface, please give us a call at 1-866-590-8636 to special order.

Number of columns
The “Shade Structures” and “Residential Carports” have four columns. The “Canopy Awnings” have two columns. In fact, all the products are interchangeable in the sense that you could use a “Canopy Awning” with 2 columns as a carport, if you prefer a carport with two posts along the side of your garage. Or you can put a “Shade Structure” with 4 columns on your patio or deck, etc.

The choice is yours, depending on your needs and preference. The only thing to bear in mind is that in the two-column models, the maximum outstretched, unsupported span is 10 feet. (It can’t safely reach out further without support.) So a 10’ x 16 with 2 columns means that the distance between the two supporting columns is 16’ and outstretched, open part is 10’.

Roof Shape
The square models have a pyramid-shaped roof. The rectangle models have a “hip” shaped roof. You can choose square dimensions or rectangle dimensions according to your needs or preferences in the “size” option on all product pages.

Size
What is the area you want to shade closest to our standard sizes? As our structures are square or rectangular, simply measure length and width, taking into consideration the foundation availabilities. For example, say you have a concrete patio 10’ x 16’ and want to cover it all, you would simply order a standard 10’ by 16’ Vela Canopy structure, to be installed on concrete. If you are ordering a “Canopy Awning” please see the note above about “Number of Columns.”

Color
We offer three standard colors for the shade fabric (green, gray, and beige) and two standard colors for the steel frames (grey and beige). You can choose any of the colors for frames and any of the colors for tops in the “Options” section on all product pages. We offer the following extra options for an additional charge of $75.00 for black or white steel frames; and $75 for blue shade cloth cover.

If you have any questions, please see our FAQs or call us toll-free on 1-866-590-8636.