Wednesday, November 28, 2012

The New Age Shade Sail


Are you tired of having to deal with the labor of pulling the umbrella out every time that you want to sit at your outdoor table or outdoor area? Save yourself the hassle of worrying about wind damage to the umbrella, packing it away etc. etc.

Sails provide an aesthetically pleasing, easy to use alternative. The initial installation involves some planning and labor, nothing that in most instances can't be handled by the homeowner or their handyman.

Commercial grade units, when installed according to the manufacturer's directions can withstand 60 mph winds. They don't deal well with snow so you would want to take them down at the end of summer in areas that experience heavy snowfall. They are available in a variety of colors in two different types of fabric. The most widely used fabric is a Polytex mesh that provides varying degrees of UV blocking, between 66% to 97%, dependent on the fabric color. The second fabric is the most commonly used outdoor furnishings fabric, Sunbrella. Your UV blockage with this fabric is 98%.

Keep in mind that although the manufacturers claim the above UV ratings, a tremendous amount of the sun's rays are reflected off surfaces and will still affect you under the covering.

Shade Sails are attached to their connection points via stainless steel turnbuckles and assorted hardware. This makes installation and removal a quick easy process.

You just need to look at images of installations for inspiration and to obtain a better understanding of the posts that you will want to use for the installation. It is noteworthy that many people install their units with long ropes between the attachment point and the unit. This is not recommended you want to keep the attachment point as short as possible. As with umbrellas, wind is the sails biggest enemy if it is not installed correctly. To prevent any movement in the wind you want to go directly from the connection points to the shade sail with just the turnbuckle or shackle in-between. You also want to tension the unit in a manner that doesn't cause creasing of the shade sail and while not allowing it to move in the wind, doesn't overstress the fabric and damage its integrity.

You will often see shade sail installations making use of steel cable to tension the shade sail. It should be noted that the shade sails that need the steel cable are generally larger than 25' long or wide. For this type of installation it is recommended that you have a professional measure, manufacture and install the sail for you or by reading through the shade sail installation instructions. The cable should also run the full length of the sides of the shade sail. Because of the large cross section experience strong wind pressure and it is therefore extremely important that the mounting points are substantial and that a good quality marine grade hardware are used.

Cleaning of the fabrics is accomplished by brushing them down with a mild soap solution, rinsing them off well and allowing them to dry completely before storing them.

Creating an Amazing Decking Space   Showcase the Beauty of Your Deck by Using CAMO Hidden Fasteners   Outdoor Slipcovers, Make Your Patio Furniture Look New Again   Choosing the Right Deck Builder   Understanding Pressure Washing   Electric Patio Cooler   



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