How to Choose a Shade Sail

Shade Sails offer a stylish alternative to gazebos or awnings and can be used to enhance any outside space or garden. Frequently used to provide a safe shaded area over playgrounds, outdoor dining areas, parking spaces and swimming pools a good quality shading system will not only increase a home's value it can help protect automobiles and boats which are stored out-of-doors.

Shade Cloth : It can be very difficult to compare the quality and durability of the
Shade Cloth itself unless you are very familiar with the products. If you have 2 or more products before you its often easier to examine the quality of the other elements as it is unlikely that poor cloth is used with high quality fixings or finishing.

Border : Shade Sails are designed to be erected under tension. With wind adding
to the tension the quality of the border or edging can be vital if you are
looking for a Shade Sail that lasts. In te budget Shade Sail above, the Borders
are small and stitched in two rows. Most budget Shade Sail have 'turned edges'
which, while adequate in the short term, do not tend to last more than a season
or two.

How to select the right Shade Sail for your needs ?

As with all products there are a variety of different options on the market catering for all
requirements and budgets. Essentially a Sail shade consists of 3 elements : The
Shade Cloth itself, the border / edging and the corner fixings. The quality of
all of these can vary remarkably which is generally reflected in the price.

In the picture below two shade sails are shown. The 'top' Shade Sail (terracotta / black) is a
budget Shade Sail, whilst the bottom shade Sail is the best quality Shade Sail
from Australian manufacturer ShadeSailWorld.

Fixings: Again the difference in quality between the two products is easy to see when they are together. The size and thickness of the fixings will obviously effect the strength but the make up of the material will also have an impact. The premium product uses marine
grade stainless steel which will not rust. The budget item may well start to
rust after a few weeks in the garden.

Our view : We believe that as with so much in life, you get what you pay for. Buying a quality Shade Sail, whilst more expensive to start with, may well be much cheaper in the medium term and will look better. As the price differential between the two extremes is relatively small in terms of the overall costs of buying and erecting the product, buying the best quality will greatly enhance your enjoyment in the medium to long term.Commercial playground