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The shade sail - The popular and affordable protection from the sun's harmful UV rays

In many parts of the world, and especially in Australia where it was developed, shade sails are amongst the most popular forms of sun protection.

When you think about the best form of UV protection for your home, garden or business, you should consider how and when you wish to use it. For example you may want to entertain your guests on your terrace ; you may want to protect the children as they spend long hours in the swimming pool or paddling pool ; you may want to stop your car from overheating when it is parked either at home or at work; or perhaps you may want to have an area of the garden where you can relax safe from the suns heat and UV rays.

To protect yourself from the sun's harmful UV rays, you need to a reliable solution. Specifically designed to block UV, a shade sail will protect you and your loved ones from the sun's harmful UV rays. As your shade sail will last for many years, it is also a very cost effective solution.

Shade sails are designed to be visually appealing. Not only are they a popular solution for creating shade in both commercial and domestic environments, they are also based on state-of-the-art technology. Each strand of the specially developed fabric used in the manufacture of the shade sail has been designed to block the sun's harmful UV rays. The knitted fabric allows warm air to rise through the fabric and allows any breezes to pass through, thus creating the most comfortable environment possible beneath the shade sail.

Summers are becoming hotter and hotter all over the world. In Europe the number of days each summer when we enjoy uninterrupted sunshine are also increasing. While this is good news in many ways, it is now recognized that spending lots of time in the sun, especially during the hottest times of the year, can pose problems for our well-being not only in the form of sunburn, but can also be a cause of certain types of skin cancer.

Shade sails are generally described as a semi-permanent shade solution and are widely used all over the world to create shade for public areas such as playgrounds, swimming pools, motorway rest areas, restaurant terraces, campgrounds, etc.

In Australia, where they were initially developed, they are also very popular for domestic uses. In the gardens of many Australian houses, you will find one or more shade sails shading terraces, pools, tables and play areas. Increasingly the rectangular shade sail is being used to create shaded parking areas, protecting vehicles from the hottest hours of the day. Home owners in South Africa and the United States of America are also discovering the benefits of installing a shade sail in large numbers, and other countries are quickly following this trend.

Some key reasons why a shade sail is a popular protection against harmful UV

Shade sails are the preferred choice of many homeowners and businesses because they are extremely effective in blocking the sun's harmful UV rays. In addition, they can add a touch of elegance to the home or workplace at a much lower price than almost all other solutions. For this reason, they remain the most popular protection for residential and commercial premises.

Our shade sails are available in different colors, shapes and sizes. Each installation is different with some owners choosing a single shade sail while others install several together. One of the attributes of shade sails that customers appreciate is the ability to create their own unique installation to meet their needs and aesthetic preferences. Shade Sails are available in a variety of colours and sizes so you can choose the colour, size, shape and number of shade sails that best suit your home.

We have many shade sails in stock ready for delivery. On our website you can see the sizes and colors we currently have in stock. Once you have placed your order, your shade sail and bindings (if required) will be shipped within 2 working days.

Shade sails are often used in groups of 2 or more to create interesting designs. With the different shapes, sizes and colors available, many people create a unique installation by combining variations of shapes and colours. Although they are especially popular in commercial environments such as campgrounds, swimming pools, playgrounds and shaded parking lots, the popularity of using multiple shade sails is also growing in the domestic market as people want to create something special for their homes. The variation in shapes and colours can add something unique to your outdoor space.

A wide range of applications

Many people use the square shade sail for their pool. All parents want to protect their children from sunburn, and all parents know that getting children out of the swimming pool or even toddlers out of the paddling pool in hot weather can be an impossible task! This is further complicated because most parents want their children to be outside in good weather rather than hidden in their rooms playing computer games or watching videos ! ... So we want them outside but we want them to be safe from the sun's harmful UV ..... the shade sail is a reliable, cost effective solution to this problem.

Installing a shade sail to cover an area of the garden where the children play will not only protect them from the sun's harmful UV rays, but it will also allow them to play safely outside in even the hottest weather. In addition to covering play areas and swimming pools, a carport can be easily created using a rectangular shade sail. Using a shade sail in this way avoids spending a large amount of money on building new structures to protect your car or favourite sports utility vehicle.

Moreover, if you wish to protect your outdoor furniture from fading as a result of exposure to UV, then a shade sail will also help protect them too.

Economical solution

This is one of the main factors that make shade sails extremely popular with customers worldwide. Instead of spending a large amount of money to extend your outdoor spaces using traditional building methods such as building a stone, brick or wooden structure, a square shade sail or triangular shade sail can be installed quickly and inexpensively providing shade where ever it is required. It is this relative low cost that also makes them popular with schools, play groups and any public areas.

Easy to install

The use of a shade sail is very practical. We stock a range of high quality ready-to-install shade sails in a range of sizes and colors. Installation is an easy task and anyone with the basic DIY skills can install a shade sail. We have several installation guides (and videos) on the website to help you plan your installation. The process consists of selecting fixing points and identifying the appropriate fixing accessories from our website. However, if you are not confident of installing it yourself, then any handyman will be able to install it for you.

The best quality shade sail

We offer high quality shade sails from market leading Australian suppliers. The specially developed fabric used in our square shade sails and triangular shade sails is durable and offers the very best protection against the sun's harmful UV rays. We stock a number of ranges at various price points, all at very competitive prices.

When comparing shade sails from different manufacturers, it is difficult to judge the difference in quality between the products on offer. Distinguishing the best HDPE sail cloth from budget versions can be difficult. One major difference between budget and the best shade sails that are much easier for most people to judge is the quality of the metal fasteners at each corner. Our shade sails are made using very strong 8mm marine grade stainless steel fasteners. These not only give you the strength needed to withstand all weather conditions, but they will not rust. Cheaper products tend to use smaller, low quality metal fixings. Using the best quality fixings is important because this will not only give your shade sail the strength it will need in strong winds, but they will also prevent rust from running onto the fabric of the shade sail, staining it and detracting from the visual appeal of your shade sail. Our shade sails also have manufacturer's warranties against uv deterioration so you can be assured that not only will they withstand all weather conditions, but the fixings will not rust, the shade cloth will not lose its color and become brittle and that it will give you the best UV protection even after many years of use.

In any market, there will be a range of products that meet the needs of consumers at various price points. Our products do not compromise on quality and are made using the very best materials. This ensures that they will look good for many years, offer UV protection for many years and provide exceptional value for many years.

The shade sail is ideal for Day Care centers and Kindergarten

Does your child care center or kindergarten need more shade ? In addition to natural shade such as trees with dense foliage, a square shade sail, a triangular shade sail or a mixture of different shapes and sizes are often the ideal solution for creating safe shade in these environments. Not only are they a safe and cost-effective option, they require very little maintenance and look great too !

The sun's harmful ultraviolet rays can cause devastating damage to human skin. It is therefore essential to ensure that children are well protected by safe shade as just a few severe sunburns can increase your child's risk of skin cancer later in life. Children don't need to be at the pool, the beach or on holiday to get too much sun - it can happen anywhere, including at school or at home in the garden. Their skin needs protection from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays when they are outside.

There are many options for shading, but the most economical, and easiest to install is almost always a shade sail.

Square and rectangular shade sails generally consist of 4 posts with the shade sail connected to a fixing point on each of the posts. Triangular shade sails require three attachment points.

Shade sails for kindergartens and schools are an excellent choice because they are relatively inexpensive compared to fixed roof structures. Shade sails significantly reduce the heat in the area under the sail and, most importantly, block the harmful UV rays produced by the sun. It is this UV which can cause a range of problems and skin damage. Shade sails are very versatile and your installation can be easily customized to meet the specific needs. You can install a square shade sail or a triangular shade sail in a playground, in the middle of a lawn or to cover a sandpit or paddling pool.

Sometimes the available fixing points can be far apart. This is not a problem as stainless steel chains or ropes can be used to attach the shade sail to these fixings at a distance. The turnbuckle can still ensure that the correct tension is applied, even over extended distances. This allows a shade sail to be positioned anywhere in the area.

The UV protection of shade sails depends entirely on the fabric from which it is made. There are many different fabrics on the market and these play a very important role in the protection provided as well as in the lifetime of the product.

As a general rule, we would always suggest using a high quality fabric with high UV blocking characteristics. Gale Pacific are the market leader in developing the fabrics used in shade sails and these fabrics are used in all products from Coolaroo and Shade Sail World. This fabric, designed by Coolaroos' parent company Gale Pacific, is the market leader with the best levels of Ultra Violet protection. Depending on the range, the fabric comes with a warranty between 3 and 15 years and is available in different sizes and colors. This means that you can be sure that anyone undernearth the shade sail will be well protected from the sun's harmful uv rays, a protection that will last for many years to come.

To find out more about our high-quality products, please see our product range.

How to clean your shade sail

Does your shade sail look a little tired?

It is very easy to clean and maintain your shade sail - and keep it looking fantastic for many years.

Most of the time, a shade sail can be cleaned by simply using a garden hose. If the fabric has become very dirty and using a hose pipe does not clean all the dirt and grime, you may need to take extra steps.

We do not recommend the use of any detergents to clean the shade sail as this could weaken the chemical coating of the fabric's which could effect its resistance to ultraviolet rays and affect its ability to provide safe shade for you and your family.

Do NOT place the fabric in your washing machine or dryer and do not scrub it with a hard brush or abrasive cleaner. You can brush it gently with a very soft brush, if necessary, and rinse it with a spray of fresh water from your hose pipe.