The good weather arrives and with them the desire to enjoy your outdoors. Balcony, terrace or even the edges of your pool are no longer expected. But if the sun is welcome for your barbecues, its rays can be formidable. As an alternative to the traditional parasol, the awning, the pergola or the covered terrace, the shade sail does not just protect. 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 online means taking one that will enhance 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 the shade cloth to make the right choice.

1. Consider the quality of the fabrics of a shade sail

The grammage of the fabric of the shade sails partly determines their resistance. The larger the latter, the more dense and solid the fabric. Shade sails with a grammage of 250 g / m² offer particularly high resistance.

Beyond the grammage, the very nature of the fabric is important. There are different types. There are shade sails in Soltis, PVC, Mesh, acrylic and expanded polyester on the market. By opting for the latter, you can choose a rot-proof material capable of withstanding bad weather as well as passing time. Water repellent, easy to maintain and extensible, many shades have everything to please. Polyester offers all the characteristics necessary for the manufacture of good shade cloth.

2. Check the quality of hooks and fittings

As on a ship, any shade sail has its attachment, tensioning and adjustment system. This hardware must be as simple 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) installed specifically.

On the sail side, the type of attachment is a very important assessment criterion. The eyelets or rings that equip many shade sails are all points of weakness. Unfortunately, it is often the case that a slightly too strong gust leads to an irreparable tear in one or more eyelets or rings. The force applied by the wind to sail can be considerable. Useful on a ship, it is nevertheless problematic in your garden.

In addition, the ease of installation is essential for choosing the right shade sail.

Did you know?

Companies have solved the problem by adopting an exclusive system: an auto-blocking gripper that can be positioned at will linked to a rope, and a tensioning clam. Thanks to this original type of attachment, some products notably facilitate uninstalling-reinstalling. This allows you to heed storm warnings without undue hardship. You remove your shade sail in just two minutes until the weather returns. Therefore, the risk of grubbing up is simply eliminated!

3. Choose between permeability or water repellent treatment

Permeable or water-repellent: what difference?

There are permeable or water-repellent fabrics. If 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 rainy passage. By opting for a water-repellent fabric, your sail will keep better and will be able to withstand light rain.

4. Choose the right color(s) for your shade sail

The shade sail, a useful and decorative accessory for your home

True decorative element, the shade sail gives by its color the tone of your overall composition. It contributes to creating a garden atmosphere to be declined according to your tastes: bohemian or oriental. It fits all styles. Associated with garden furniture, cushions, candle jars, 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 contrast. It’s a matter of taste and ideas! There is no shortage of these: for example, you can match your shade sail with your tablecloth, your cushions, and mattresses, or even with your paving!

The different colors

The visual comfort and the atmosphere created under your shade sail are determined by its tone. Do you want to energize your space and offer it a more bohemian spirit? Go for raspberry. Slate and blue are perfect for creating an in-between combining rest and escape.

Choose the color of your shade sail at the temperature

The color of your shade sail affects the temperature. Thus, it partly determines its thermal comfort. The shade chosen must, therefore, correspond to the sun conditions and to the type of shade sought. The 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.

Play on contrasts and color games

For large sizes, a uniform shade always appears darker than that presented in the sample or in the color chart. The fixing of two or more shade sails, of different colors and sizes, offers a very effective solution and is very decorative. It is a question of playing the clear contrast between the chosen shade sails. A very nice way to protect large areas. Trust your imagination and project the different solutions, even if you want to draw them using a simple box of colored pencils. A little creative work that can help you find the combinations of shapes and colors that really suit you.

What colors are found in Shade Sail?

The six colors usually available (white, taupe, anise green, raspberry, slate, and blue) and allow you to choose the one that best suits the desired decorative atmosphere.

5. 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, is not protected like its equivalent intended for a simple moment of idleness.

When your covered area is called upon to receive guests or proves to be equipped with quality furniture and accessories, the shade must 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, the latter retain their colors and do not rust. They can be reused for many years without a problem!

Rectangle or triangle: select the right shape

On the one hand, the form to choose is above all dictated by the constraints of the installation space. However, to obtain a maximum shade area, it is strongly advised to opt for a square or rectangular type rather than triangular. The latter will be perfect for a space of limited size, or to aestheticize an arrangement of several shade sails. We can find shade sails of different shapes: square, rectangular or triangular, and of various dimensions to meet all possible configurations and expectations.

The shape is also dictated by the desired look. The shape of your patio table or garden furniture guide that of your shade sail. Thus, an assembly of triangular shade sails above a long rectangular table will be of the most beautiful effect.

Conclusion

Sunny days are coming, it’s time to dare to be original for your greatest happiness and that of your hosts. So, what are you waiting for?!