Shade Cloth or Shade Sails: All You Need to Know

What are Shade Sails?

Shade Sails Installed

Sun Sails are designed to connect to mounting points on homes, garages, posts, or other structures. Delta rings (d-rings) are in each corner that attach to the attachment points with mounting hardware. Mounting hardware can consist of turnbuckles, spring clips, cables or other hardware.

By design, Shade sails have curves (gores) in the perimeter of all sides. The shade sail’s corners are adequately tightened to the connection points on structures, poles, trees, and various other objects..

This design with the curves (gores) in the perimeter of the sails is what tightens up the entire sail. When you pull the corners, you try to straighten out the curves, but you cannot. The perimeter is fastened to the fabric in the center of the shade sails. This tightens the fabric in the center of the shade sails, reducing sagging in the middle during high winds.

Shade Cloth on Pergola

What is Finished Shade Cloth?

Finished shade cloth is the same fabric that is used for shade sails but in custom sizes.. If you are wanting to place the shade cloth on top of a pergola or arbor, you can get shade cloth custom made with straight edges and no gores.

Brass Grommets may be placed in the corners and along the sides equally spaced. The finished shade cloth can be fastened to the top of the pergola by putting screws with washers through the grommets.

Another use is finished shade cloth with grommets placed closely together. Cables or ropes can be lashed through the close mounted grommets and around a frame or existing structures.

These are the main differences between shade sails and finished shade cloth. Other uses for each exist, but this gives you a starting point on trying to achieve the shade that you are looking for. Be sure to take into consideration the shade fabric types, solid (waterproof) or mesh. They can both give you shade, UV blockage and sun protection.

Shade sails made with a solid fabric like Sunbrella marine grade fabric must be installed with about an 18 to 20 degree slope. This will reduce the chance of the outdoor shade filling up with rain and possibly causing damage to the shade sail and/or your property. For more info on shade sails and finished shade cloth, contact our customer service at 1-888-246-6909.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *