The beautiful days are coming and with them the desire to enjoy your outdoors. Balcony, terrace, or even the edges of your swimming pool are not long in coming. But if the sun is welcome for your barbecues, its rays can be formidable. As an alternative to the traditional parasol, awning, pergola, or covered terrace, the shade sail does not only provide protection. As practical as it is elegant, it helps to create a real atmosphere. Focus on this shading solution and how to make the right choice.
Choosing a shade sail means choosing one that will embellish an exterior just as much as it will last over time. This assessment is based on precise criteria and good reflexes. Here are some explanations in 9 exhaustive points to know everything about shade cloth to make the right choice.
Take into account the quality of the fabrics of a shade sail
The basis weight of the shade sail fabric partly determines their strength. Beyond the weight, the very nature of the fabric is important. There are different types, by opting for stretch polyester, The Creative Shade Solutions has chosen a rot-resistant material capable of withstanding bad weather as well as time passing. Water repellent, easy to maintain, and stretchable. Indeed, polyester offers all the characteristics necessary for the manufacture of good shade cloth.
Check the quality of the hooks and fittings
Like on a ship, any shade sail has its hooking, tensioning, and adjustment system. This hardware must be as easy to use as it is solid. By definition, a shade sail intended to be suspended between several fixing points on:
• A facade
• A wall
• A tree
Or a mast (wood or aluminum) specifically installed.
On the sail side, the type of binding is a very important assessment criterion. The eyelets or rings that equip many shade sails are all points of weakness. Unfortunately, it is common for a burst that is too strong to cause an irreparable tear in one or more eyelets or rings. The force applied by the wind on a sail can be considerable. Useful on a ship, it is nevertheless problematic in your garden.
Choose between permeability or water repellent treatment
Permeable or water repellent: what’s the difference?
There are permeable or water-repellent fabrics. While the first only protects you from UV rays, the second limits the penetration of water into the fabric. An important point to check when buying your shade sail. No region is immune to rain. By opting for an outdoor shade structure, your sail will keep better and be able to withstand light rain.
Choose the right color (s) for your shade sail
The shade sail, a useful and decorative accessory for your home
A true decorative element, the shade sail sets the tone of your overall composition by its color. It helps to create a garden atmosphere to suit your tastes: zen, bohemian, or oriental. It goes with all styles. Associated with garden furniture, cushions, candleholders, and decorative objects, it will allow you to create an atmosphere that suits you. You can just as easily play the card of harmony with the color of your facade or on the contrary that of the contrast. It’s a matter of taste and ideas! These last are not lacking: you can for example match your shade design with your tablecloth, your cushions, and deckchair mattresses, even with your paving!
The different colors
Light and neutral colors: the visual comfort and atmosphere created under your shade sail are determined by its tone. Do you prefer zen? So, go for a relatively neutral tone like white, taupe, or lime green. These colors also have the advantage of preserving the brightness of the interior room adjacent to the covered exterior area.
Dark colors: conversely, do you want to energize your space and give it a more bohemian spirit? Go for raspberry. Slate and blue are perfect for creating an in-between space combining rest and escape.
Choose the color of your shade sail according to the temperature
The color of your shade sail affects the temperature. Thus, it partly determines its thermal comfort. Therefore, the chosen shade must correspond to the sunshine conditions and the type of shade sought. Dark tones offer better sun protection against ultraviolet rays and maximize the feeling of freshness in the covered space. If the light shades protect a little less well from the sun’s rays, they have the advantage of offering a greater luminosity.
Find the right shape and size for your shade sail
First, take the time to analyze the space to be covered, take the measurement. You don’t protect a large terrace-like you cover a balcony. In the same way, a convivial space, intended to receive long hours, does not protect itself like its equivalent intended for a simple moment of idleness.
When your covered area is called to receive guests or is equipped with quality furniture and accessories, the shade should be maximum. So you can protect all your guests without exception from the effects of the sun, but also all the objects present. Protected from ultraviolet rays and bad weather, they retain their colors and do not rust. They can be reused for many years without a problem!
Favor simple maintenance
Consider how to maintain the shade sail. Which is the easiest for you? Better to opt for a sail which can be cleaned with soap and a sponge. Rot-proof, the stretchable polyester, like that of Easy Sail sails, allows machine washing: cleaning at 30 °, without having to remove the self-locking clamps present on the sail.
In the absence of a machine, you will be able to extend your sail on the ground on hard ground free of sharp asperities. Just as effective is cleaning with a sponge and soap. An operation that is recommended to be carried out once a year at the end of each season of use. Be sure to dry before packaging and store away from moisture during winter. This is the assurance of finding your shade sail in perfect condition in the spring, ready to be installed.
Take into account the exposure to the wind before installing your shade cloth
If you live in an area subject to frequent and strong winds, you will need to take this weather factor into account before shade sail installation. To shade a large area, prefer the addition of several small sails to the installation of a single large one. It is an effective way to avoid exposing too large an area of the canvas to the force of the wind. It is also an opportunity to design the most aesthetic assembly! Thanks to the elasticity of the polyester that composes them, Creative Shade Solutions sails have wind resistance much higher than that of other less suitable models. Thus, you benefit from the perfect products to provide a little shade without having to fear the first blast of the mistral or the first summer squall.
Get advice on choosing the right shade sail
Ultimately, you can’t improvise yourself as a decorator or handyman. So if necessary, do not hesitate to ask for advice. In the sales area, the department manager concerned should be able to advise you on a technical level to guide you towards a high-performance product. Finally, a serious online manufacturer should be able to answer all your questions.
Creative Shade Solutions responds to your calls or questions via an online form. A shade sail specialist can meet all your needs and offer you the most suitable model for the intended use such as commercial shade sails. The presence of an advice platform is in itself a pledge of seriousness that bodes well for the quality of the products. If decoration is not your strong point, do not hesitate to call a professional in your sector.