A shade sail is a non-permanent fabric membrane supported by fixings on poles or brackets. They are designed to fit outdoor spaces requiring shade, weather protection or privacy and increasingly in indoor spaces to shade glazed rooms, or as a contemporary alternative to blinds, and sometimes used as a room divider – in a restaurant, for example.
Our shades are increasingly appearing in many different settings, from nurseries, schools and restaurants, public parks and other open spaces, providing the ideal protection to many outdoor venues. Our sails are built using premium fabrics to the same standard as our yacht sails, which means as strong as we possibly can. They will provide shade and shelter for many years, if looked after properly.
At Shade Solutions, alongside our comprehensive range of pre-designed Shade Sails we also offer a service for bespoke one-off designs. The bespoke service offers an opportunity to talk to members of our team to discuss the best choice of fabric and fixings.
To help with your decision there are some key considerations:
Site Considerations
Before anything else, it is important to consider your site; proper planning now will ensure that your Shade Sail performs the way it should.
- How large is your Shade Sail? How exposed is your site? Smaller shades and more of them lend themselves well to a more exposed area. Less area per shade = less strain on fixtures and fittings.
- What part of your site needs shade? Your Shade Sail should be planned to provide maximum shade where it will be needed most.
- Consider if you need to angle your Shade Sail to provide water run-off. If your fabric is water resistant a 20° angle is recommended.
- Where are your electrical/telephone/water/gas supplies in relation to your proposed site? Consider lines both above and below ground.
- Shade Sails normally need no official approval but do check with your local authority if you are unsure, or if the area/ building is listed, or in conservation areas.
- Where will you attach your Shade Sail, and what fittings would be required? Exercise care in using structures such as the walls, the loads placed by your Shade Sail can be enormous, and should not be underestimated. See the fixings section for more information
- Analyse the surroundings for potential sources of damage to your shade; keep clear of open flames. We recommend to install your shade away from BBQs, chimneys and fire pits. Cool lined chimneys and infra-red heaters are generally cool to touch, but please check this with the product manufacturer.
Measuring
Below is a brief explanation of the measurements required for each Shade Sail. Further information can be found in our measurement section along with the measurement forms.
1. Pre-designed Shade Sails
When measuring to accommodate a pre-designed Shade Sail you need to take the distance required for fixings into consideration. We recommend that a gap of at least 240mm be allowed diagonally between the corner of your Shade Sail and the fixing point.
2. Bespoke Shade Sails
For a bespoke design we ask you to fill in our measurement form as accurately as possible, following the instructions on the form closely.
We recommend that you have your anchorage points in place prior to measuring, and measure between these. Alternatively you can mark the proposed fixing points and measure these. Ensure we know whether the dimensions are taken from the mark on the post face, or from the bearing edge of your located eyebolt, and we will then calculate the fixing allowance required between these points as part of the design process, and according to your chosen intermediate fixing(s).