Motorized Patio Shades for San Diego —
Built to Order, Installed for You
We design them, build them, and install them. No middlemen, no wholesalers — one company from measurement to done. We warranty the motor and fabric for 20 years. Nobody else does that. Motorized, side-track guided, custom-built to your exact opening. Your patio stops being a sun oven and starts being a room.
Drop Shades for San Diego Patios
Push a button. Your patio goes from a sun-blasted oven to a usable outdoor room in under 20 seconds. Drop shades roll down from the top of the opening and cover the sides — blocking the afternoon sun, killing the glare, and shutting out the neighbors' sightlines. Push it again and they disappear back into the housing overhead. No folding, no hooking, no thinking about it.
The motor is what separates drop shades people use from drop shades people gave up on. Ours run on the Maverick motor — Apollo's own proprietary system. Remote, wall switch, or phone app. Works from across the yard, from the pool, from inside the house. Quiet operation. Stops exactly where you want it. And unlike every competitor who warranties their motor for 5 to 7 years, we warrant ours for 20.
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One button. Shades up or down in 20 seconds. Remote, wall switch, or phone app — your choice. Works from the pool, from inside the house, from across the yard. The Maverick motor runs quietly and stops precisely. Backed by a 20-year motor warranty. Not 5. Not 7. Twenty.
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Built to your exact opening — not trimmed to fit. Every shade is manufactured to your specific width and height after we measure your space. No standard sizes, no off-cuts. The shade fills the full opening, meets the tracks edge-to-edge, and looks like the space was designed around it.
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Works on patios, pergolas, covered porches — one opening or all of them. If there's overhead structure to hang from, we can run shades on it. We do single openings and full wraparound setups. Each opening has its own motor and runs independently.
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Exterior solar shades for windows — block heat before it reaches the glass. The same system installs on window exteriors. Stops solar heat at the source — before it hits the glass. Dramatically more effective than interior blinds, which just trap the heat inside.
Motorized Outdoor Shades with Side Tracks
A shade that flaps in the wind is a flag, not a shade. San Diego's coastal wind — especially the afternoon onshore flow — can turn a free-hanging shade into an embarrassment inside a week. Side tracks are how you fix that problem before it starts.
The fabric runs inside vertical aluminum channels bolted to each side of the opening. Captured the full height. No slack. No edge for the wind to catch. The shade moves smoothly and stops flat — whether it's calm or gusting at 30 mph. When fully lowered it seals against the track frame on both sides. No gaps. No light leaking around the edges. Just a clean, flat wall of shade.
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Captured in aluminum track — stays flat in a Santa Ana. The fabric doesn't get an edge to flap from. It runs inside the channel the entire height of the opening. Taut at every position — fully open, partially down, fully lowered.
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No light leaking around the edges. The fabric meets the track wall on both sides. You get full coverage across the opening — not the shadow-with-a-gap result you get from a free-hanging shade.
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Looks like it was built into the space. The aluminum tracks frame the opening cleanly. Powder-coated to match your shade housing. Looks designed, not bolted on as an afterthought.
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Quiet. No slapping, no flapping, no noise. Quiet ball bearing idlers keep the system running smooth. The guided track keeps fabric tensioned at every stop position. In a full Santa Ana, you'll hear nothing.
Sun Control for San Diego Heat
San Diego summer means afternoon sun that comes in low and west-facing, turning your patio into a heat trap even when the air temperature seems manageable. The concrete and pavers hold heat long after the sun moves. A covered patio with open sides barely helps.
Drop shades close off the sides and stop the sun before it reaches you. The solar mesh fabric blocks UV and cuts glare while still letting air move. You can see out. The sun can't get in. The temperature difference on the other side of a lowered shade is immediate — you'll feel it in the first 10 minutes.
The fabric is warrantied for 20 years. Not 5, not 7 — twenty. Because it's designed to live outdoors in San Diego sun, not fade out and sag in three seasons.
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Solar mesh — multiple openness ratings, your call. 3% openness for maximum sun block and privacy. 10% for more airflow and a lighter feel. We bring samples to the consultation so you can see them against your actual space before committing.
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Patio shade screen — sun and bugs in one The mesh is a physical barrier. It filters UV and also reduces insects on the patio. Not a fine-mesh bug screen, but significantly better than nothing.
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Roll down shades for afternoon use Drop them when the west sun hits. Raise them in the evening when you want the open air. Takes two seconds — which means you'll actually do it.
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Automatic porch screens for covered spaces Works on covered porches and porch enclosures as well as open patios. If you have a covered porch facing west or south, automatic drop shades make it usable year-round.
Retractable Sun Shades for San Diego Patios
Some people call it a retractable sun shade. Others search for exterior sun shades, roller shades, or roll-up solar screens. Around here most people just say drop shades. It's all the same thing: motorized outdoor roller shades that tuck into a housing above the opening and ride down on side tracks when the west sun comes around.
Exterior solar shades work because they stop the heat outside, before it bakes the pavers, the cushions, or you. On a Carlsbad patio catching late glare off the ocean or an Escondido backyard sitting in inland heat, a retractable sun shade turns the worst hours of the afternoon into ones you can actually use.
20-Year Warranty. Motor and Fabric. One Company, Start to Finish.
Most shade companies warrant the motor for 5 years and the fabric for 7. We cover both for 20. That's not a marketing line — it's in writing, and we can stand behind it because we build the product ourselves.
Apollo's proprietary motor system. We designed it. We warrant it. For 20 years.
Premium exterior-grade solar mesh. Rated for coastal salt air, inland heat, and UV. Warranted for 20 years because we stand behind what we build.
We build it. We ship it. We install it. No distributors, no middlemen, no franchise. What you order is what we make — for you, to your measurements.
Factory Direct Isn't a Tagline. It's How We Keep the Warranty Honest.
Apollo manufactures its own screens in-house. We don't buy product from a wholesaler and resell it. We source our own components, build to your order after we take your measurements, and ship straight to our installation crew.
That's how we can offer 20 years. A company that doesn't control its own product can't make that promise. We can.
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100% proprietary components — no supply chain gaps We control our own parts. No waiting on a distributor who's out of stock. If your shade needs a component, we have it — because we source it ourselves.
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Fastest lead times in the market Custom-built to order. No one is faster at producing a custom motorized shade — because we're not waiting on a vendor to fulfill.
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Warranty service by our local San Diego crew — not a 1-800 number When you call about a warranty issue, a real person picks up. Our team comes out. You're not shipping a 12-foot shade to a warehouse in another state.
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Up to 30 feet wide — same headbox profile We manufacture shades up to 30 feet wide in the same sleek housing. No stacking units. No visible seam down the middle. One clean header.
Privacy + Shade, One System
San Diego fence heights cap at 6 feet in most residential zones. On compact lots — and there are a lot of them in North County and the coastal neighborhoods — that's barely enough to block sightlines from next door or from a two-story addition. Drop shades close that off without permits, without a contractor, and without permanently blocking your view of the yard.
The fabric keeps people from seeing in but still lets the air through, so you're not trading privacy for a stuffy patio. Lower them when you want to be left alone, raise them when you want the open yard back. Takes about three seconds.
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Privacy screen for outdoor spaces Blocks the view from the street, from neighboring patios, or from elevated windows next door. Pick a darker mesh for maximum opacity.
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Not a solid wall — airflow stays The mesh doesn't trap heat the way a solid panel would. You get privacy and ventilation at the same time. Important in a climate where airflow is the only thing that makes 105°F bearable.
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Retracts completely out of sight When you don't need privacy or shade, the fabric rolls back into the housing. Nothing to fold, unhook, or store. It's just gone.
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Each opening runs independently If your patio is exposed on two sides, each drop shade has its own motor and control. Cover one side, leave the other open — your call.
How Our Drop Shades Compare
There are a few ways to shade a San Diego patio. Here's how motorized drop shades with side tracks stack up against the alternatives.
| Feature | Apollo Drop Shades | Fixed Screen Enclosure | Shade Sail | Manual Roll Shades |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motorized one-button operation | ✓ Standard | None | None | Manual only |
| Side-track guided system | ✓ Standard | ✓ Framed | No tracks | No tracks |
| Retracts completely out of sight | ✓ Fully | Permanent structure | Manual removal | Manual only |
| Custom-built to your opening | ✓ Every unit | ✓ Custom | Standard sizes | Standard sizes |
| Privacy + sun block in one | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | Overhead only | Partial |
| Local San Diego installation team | ✓ Escondido-based | Varies | Self-install | Self-install |
| 20-year motor & fabric warranty | ✓ Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
We Come to You — Free Measurement, Local Install
We handle everything from measurement to motor wiring. You don't coordinate a thing.
Free Consultation
We come to your property throughout San Diego County — Escondido, Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos, Chula Vista, El Cajon, La Mesa, and surrounding communities. We measure every opening, show you fabric samples in person, and walk you through your options. Takes about 45 minutes. No obligation.
Custom Build
Your drop shades are built to your exact dimensions — width, height, fabric openness rating, frame color, motor type, and control preference. Nothing off the shelf.
Installation Day
Our Escondido-based crew handles mounting, track installation, motor wiring, and control setup. Most single-opening jobs take a few hours. We do a full walkthrough before we leave so you know exactly how everything works.
Powder-coated aluminum frames in white, bronze, black, and custom colors. Solar mesh fabric in multiple openness ratings and tones. We bring samples to your consultation so you can see them in your actual space before committing.
Hundreds of 5-Star Reviews — Nearly 20 Years Installing Drop Shades in San Diego
"Got motorized patio shades on two sides of the pergola. The difference is night and day — we can actually use the patio in the afternoon now. Motor works perfectly and the side tracks keep everything flat even when the onshore breeze picks up. Apollo was easy to work with from start to finish."
"Finally did the motorized shades. Went with the darker mesh for privacy from the neighbors. It filters the sun but you can still see out from the inside. Looks way better than I expected and the motor is dead quiet. Really happy with how they came out."
"Called on a Monday, had someone out for measurements Thursday, shades were installed the following week. Fast turnaround, showed up on time, and they actually answered every time I called. If you're looking for patio shades in San Diego, these are your people."
Ready to Actually Use Your Patio?
Free estimate, no obligation. We come out, measure your openings, show you samples, and give you a real number. Takes about 45 minutes.
Get a Free Quote for Drop Shades in San Diego
Tell us about your project. We'll follow up within the hour with real numbers — not a ballpark. No runaround.
We Actually Answer the Phone.
Not a voicemail, not a queue. When you call or text, you reach our San Diego team — the same people who will come to your home and do the install.
Prefer to start online? Fill out the form above and we'll get back to you fast with real numbers.
Come Visit Our Escondido Showroom!
Drop Shade & Motorized Patio Screen Installation — Areas We Serve
Escondido · San Marcos · Vista · Carlsbad · Oceanside · El Cajon · La Mesa · Santee · Chula Vista · National City · Poway · Ramona · Alpine · Lakeside · Spring Valley · Lemon Grove · Rancho San Diego · Bonita · Jamul · Del Mar · Encinitas · Solana Beach · Cardiff · San Ysidro · Coronado · Point Loma · Mission Hills · Mission Valley · Kearny Mesa · Mira Mesa · and surrounding San Diego County communities
