The Ultimate Shade Sail Guide 0800 389 9072 www.ablecanopies.co.uk The Canopy Experts’Guide to Shade Sails
Welcome... ...to the Ultimate Shade Sail Guide. In this guide, you will find a whole host of information about shade sails. We have outlined the main features, the different options available and also the benefits they can offer your organisation.
note: All information in this guide refers to commercial grade shade sails, not domestic shade sails.
Shade sails are permanent and contemporary shade structures that work perfectly within schools, hospitals, parks and leisure centres. If you are looking for a stylish shade structure then a Shade Sail will cover all your needs! They are also known as “sail shades” and “sun shades” and are extremely versatile. They can create completely unique designs that really stand out and become architectural features within your outside area.
Colour -The fabric and posts can be supplied in different colours to match your outside area or create a stunning feature structure.
Design - Multiple shade sails can be installed together to produce creative shade sail Pleasearrays.
Aunique personalised design can be created for every customer due to three main features: Shape -The fabric sails are available in different shapes including square, rectangle and triangle.
Please
Sail Shapes
Fabric sails can be supplied in a range of different shapes, the most popular are square, rectangle and triangle. When creating a shade sail array, each sail can be an identical shape or different, to create a diverse and stylish shade structure. see the examples below which show the different shade sail shapes available: Square Rectangle
Shade Sail Designs
Above: The Harwich School, Essex incorporated four overlapping triangles to create a multi-layered effect.
Below are some examples of shade sail designs that really stand out as statement structures and enhance their surroundings.
Above: Hayes Park School, Middlesex added sails on the side to reduce wind and create a partially enclosed shelter.
The design possibilities created by installing multiple shade sails together are endless. You can create different shapes using single or multiple layers of sails.
Above: Castle Wood School, West Midlands used a mixture of rectangles and triangles to create a walkway style Shade Sail array
Above: Badgers Care Home, Essex incorporated two triangle Shade Sails to add shade to their outside area.
Above: Manor Infant School in Essex choose colours that matched their school uniform; White shirts, Red jumpers and Blue school logos.
Above: Bourne Abbey C of E Primary School in Lincolnshire created a covered storytime area and chose a contrasting shade of green to compliment the trees and grass.
Above: The Kent and Canterbury Hospital in Kent chose complimentary colours of Rapsberry, Purple and Cream to create a calm and soothing effect.
Shade sails are supplied with a choice of different fabric colours that range from calming and neutral to bright and vibrant.This enables you to create the ambience you require whether it be a relaxing time-out zone or a fun play area. Colours can also be chosen not only to create a specific mood, but also to match your branding or school colours.
(Image Credit: East Kent Hospitals)
Above: Sun Hill Infant School in Hampshire chose vibrant colours to brighten up their outside area and match their existing building colours with shades of blue, green and yellow
Sail and Post Colours
Shade sails can be used for a wide range of different applications. Because they are made with lock-stitched fabric, the air is able to blow through the tiny holes and create a cool breeze through the fabric, making the area underneath cool and comfortable.
Above: Claremont Senior School, East Sussex created a sheltered alfresco dining area in their school grounds.
Shade sails are not waterproof structures, they are designed to create a cool shaded area and to protect from the Sun’s UV rays, making them a perfect sun shade structure for any organisation. Here’s just a few ideas of what you can use a shade sail for:
Above: Carnfunnock Country Park, County Antrim created cover for their outdoor amphitheatre where they regularly hold events.
Above: The Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Kent created a calming, sheltered hospital garden for their patients to enjoy
Above: Our Lady of Pity Catholic Primary School, Merseyside created a colourful playground shelter in their school grounds.
DifferentApplications
6.Trustworthy & Recommended Company
3. Life Span & Guarantee
1. Fabric Quality and Colour Choice
4. UV Protection Shade sails are designed to create shade from the sun, so it is essential that your new structure offers high UV protection, particularly in schools, care homes and hospitals.
7. Relevant Experience Settings such as schools and hospitals, require installers who have experience working in busy areas and will keep disruption to a minimum. Ensure the company you choose have DBS checked fitters, particularly if your setting regularly has children on site.
7 Factors to Consider When ChoosingYour Shade Sails
Expected life spans give you an idea of the minimum number of years a product is expected to last. Guarantees should be looked into closely - paying attention to the terms and conditions, a longer guarantee may look more appealing but it may cover less issues.
5. Maintenance
2. Fire Performance
The less maintenance a structure requires, the better. Higher quality fabrics will require less cleaning and will look newer for longer. Some lower cost sails may need to be retensioned every so often, whereas high quality sails will not require re-tensioning.
Make sure you order your shade sail from a reputable supplier, ensure they are accredited to recognisable organisations and have customer testimonials that they are happy to share with you.
Shade sail fabric varies in quality considerably and the quality of the fabric will affect the life span and appearance of your shade sail. The greater the weight of fabric offered (gsm), the more durable the material will be, so it is best to chose a sail which is at least 320gsm. Also, the colour choice is important because you may want to match your school or branding colours.
For commercial setting, the fire performance of a product is important. Different sail fabrics can offer different levels of fire retardancy, so it is always advisable to compare.
7. Create a Shaded Outdoor LeaningArea
You can create an attractive events shelter from multiple shade sails which can be used for large events and displays, keeping your visitors sheltered and shaded.
1. UV Protection
8.Attractive Events Shelter
8 Ways Shade Sails Benefit EarlyYears and School Settings
5. Brighten up OutdoorAreas
2. Cooler PlayAreas
3. Ventilation Shade sails are constructed from a knitted fabric which has tiny mesh holes allowing airflow through the fabric.This means that pupils will benefit from a pleasant breeze.
Shade sails are available in a wide range of colours including vibrant, funky colours and calming pastel colours.
4. Pleasant EatingArea
Shade sails provide a cool, shaded area in the playground that children can sit under to cool down and to reduce the risk of sunstroke.
Shade sails can create pleasant & cool outdoor picnic or dining areas, with or without tables and benches.
6. Style Options
Shade sails offer an endless selection of design options making your shade sail choice completely bespoke to you.
Shade sails block up to 98.8% of harmful UV rays produced by the sun, keeping children and teachers safe.
By investing in a shade sail, you will be offering your staff the chance to re-locate their lessons outside making them much more comfortable on sunny days.
An outdoor area is the perfect place for children to play or watch nature; whether they are a young patient or visiting children who may be bored or scared of the medical environment. Why not make sure these benefits can be enjoyed safely in the summer by adding a shade sail to your outdoor area to provide UV protection from the Sun.
1.Time OutArea
4. Enjoy the Sun
An outside area offers a quiet and calm place to think, relax and re-charge – great for both patients and visitors.
Asheltered outside area provides an escape from the clinical hospital environment that some patients or visitors can find overwhelming and offers them a cool, sheltered area to sit when things get too much for them.
Patients can get some fresh air and gentle exercise with a stroll around the area, this might even improve their recovery time.
5 Reasons toAdd Shade Sails to a Healthcare Setting
Enjoy some sunshine – patients can top up their vitamin D levels and enjoy a sunny day away from the stuffy inside, using the shade sails to shade them if the Sun becomes too hot.
3. Escape from a Busy Environment
Image Credit: East
Ahospital shade sail also provides much needed shade on sunny days, creating a cool relaxing escape from the heat which also offers high UV protection. Kent
Hospitals
Here are 5 reasons why shade sails are great for hospitals, care homes and hospices:
2. FreshAir and Exercise
5. Safe Place for Children to Play
The posts are made from high quality steel and are galvanised as standard to offer a long lasting product that is protected against rust.These posts have a 25 year life expectancy. Features & Benefits: Ÿ High UV Protection - Sails blocks up to 96.5% of UV rays
Ÿ Excellent Fire Performance - With a flammability index of 1, ignitability index of 13, spread of flame index of 8, heat evolved index of 3 and smoke developed index of 6 Ÿ Easy Maintenance -The fabric requires only periodic cleaning. For lasting results, the sails should be hosed down with water occasionally to retain visually stunning aesthetics at all times Ÿ 10Year Guarantee -The fabric has a 10 warranty against UV degradation
Ÿ Choice of Colour -Arange contemporary fabric colours to choose from Ÿ Choice of Shapes - Square, rectangle and triangle sails are available
Ÿ Lock Stitched - Sail fabric is lock stitched using advanced technology to allow for more air movement and better channeling of cooling breezes
ACloser Look atAble Canopies’Shade Sails
Ÿ 25Year Life Expectancy -The framework has a life expectancy of up to 25 years
Ÿ Curved or Straight Posts - Posts can be curved to create interesting designs which really stand out Ÿ DBS Checked Fitters -Able Shade Sails are fully installed by our trained and DBS checked teams of fitters
Ÿ 340gsm Knitted Polyethylene Fabric - Will not rot or absorb moisture
Ÿ Galvanised Posts - Posts are galvanised as standard, for ultimate corrosion protection
OurAble Shade Sails are manufactured from the best materials available on the market.The fabric is a high quality knitted polyethylene fabric that has a superior impact tear strength in weft and warp and will not rot or absorb moisture.
Able Shade Sails are also available with our non-standard dual fabric which features two different colours (one colour on each side) to create a striking feature of your sun shade..
Fabric Able Shade Sails are available in 15 standard contemporary colours including warm, earthy tones,neutral shades and bright & vibrant colours, as shown in our Fabric Colour Chart (left).
The images within this guide are all shade sails that we have previously installed so you can see the many colour combinations available.
Posts Our steel posts are supplied galvanised as standard for ultimate protection against corrosion. We can also powder coat the posts in any RALcolour at an additional cost, enabling you to personalise your shade sail further.
Thank you for reading The Ultimate Shade Sail Guide If you would like to share or download this guide or request further copies please go to: www.ablecanopies.co.uk/downloads.html To view more information about our Shade Sails please go to: www.ablecanopies.co.uk/shade-sails/ For further information about any of our products or services please call us on: 0800 389 9072 or email sales@ablecanopies.co.uk
