Our White Book
What is a shade sail ?
A shade sail is a sail stretched between walls or masts that protects from the sun by creating a shading area. Shade sails are specially cut with curved sides (negative curvatures) to obtain a flat sail. That is what gives it the name of a "shade sail".
Directly inspired by the marine environment with a design close to the sails of boats, it is a design and modern alternative to parasols, awnings and other traditional shading solutions.
Its trendy look and its ease of adaption to environments make it an increasingly popular choice to create a warm and welcoming living space on a terrace or garden.
Dress you outdoors and give a whole new dimensions with shade sails !
For which use? What are the benefits?
- Create a multitude of different moods according to your desires by playing with colors, shapes and materials.
- Also protect from the rain with some water repellent fabrics: you can safely finish a meal if a passing rain falls !
- Create a true natural air conditioner by protecting your windows from the sun rays and other surfaces that heat the house in summer. Shade sails bring freshness without overshadowing the brightness of the room.
- Create a windbreak by positioning the shade sail vertically.
Shade sails have the advantage of being able to easily adapt to the projects of each one by the different possibilities of size , implantation and fabrics that they allow. You have the option of shading almost any place, depending on the size of your shade sail and its type of attachment.
Sizes / Shapes :
A shading fabric can take dimensions generally from 1,00m to 7,50m (tension distances not included) and can easily be tailor-made compared to other shading solutions.
The surface of a shade cloth is very variable, ranging from about 5,00m2 up to 28,00m2 for standard dimensions.
All shapes are possible : the triangle is often preferred for its aesthetic appearance, which will give a unique design to our installation. The square or rectangle, however, allows to cover a larger area and are preferred to shade large areas.
Each shade will bring a different aesthetic and shade, do not hesitate to make simulations with several forms to find the one that suits you best !
You can also combine different sizes ans shapes to find the right compromise between the covered area and the design you want to give to the installation.
The shade sails have curved sides: by juxtaposing 2 sails without overlapping them, there will be a gap between the two. A good idea is therefore to slightly overlap several sails between them by installing them at different heights, to provide uniform shading (without "holes" between the sails).
A successful installation brings out the "air" side of the sail. It must be tight and do not present "belly".
The secret is to reserve enough space to stretch the shade sail: It is better to have a shade sail too small than too big because in this case the sail can not be tight (count 45 cm minimum and more depending on the size of the sail, this measurement is proportional to the sail).
This notion is all the more important as shade sails always relax slightly with time.
Create color and shadow effects to your taste !
NB: If you want maximum efficiency in shading and protection against rain, it is recommended to take a rectangular or square shade sail rather than several triangular shade sails as the water may leak between the sails.
Types of fabrics:
Shade sails are divided into 2 categories : Australe micro-perforated shade sails (on the left) and Acryl water repellent shade sails (on the right).
Choosing the quality of fabric that best suits your needs will be based on your use of the sail and the constraints of exposure to the wind.
To protect yourself from the sun, to eat on the terrace or enjoy a moment of relaxation in the shade for example, a perforated shading fabric will be ideal. It will protect you from the sun while letting the air circulate through its "airy" fabric. The UV filtration is efficient and the wind resistence of these shades is excellent.
If you want to be able to protect yourself from the sun but also from a passing rain, a water-repellent shade sail will be more advisable. The water-repellent shade cloths filter very well the UV as well as the glare. The dazzling sensations are therefore diminished. On the other hand, the sail won't let the air pass through and will therefore be vulnerable against strong winds. They leave on the other hand less circulate the air and have a catch with the greater wind. It is also necessary to be able to create a slope of 25% minimum between your different fixing points to allow the rainwater to flow naturally and not to create a pocket on the shade.
If the installation of the sail is well done, it can stay for most of the year. It is simply advisable to dismantle the shade sail in the event of strong winds (+80km/h for openwork sails and + 60km/h for water-repellent sails) and during the winter to avoid any risk of deterioration by the weight of the snow on the sail.
Warning: Like boat sails, beyond a certain size the shading sails can have an assembly seam.
Which color to choose ?
Create a custom atmosphere by choosing your colors !
- Bright and warm colors will create a welcoming atmosphere under the shade and will revive your outdoors. - Soft colors will create a "cocooning" and natural atmosphere in your garden or you terrace. - More sustained colors will bring a design and elegant atmosphere.
You can play with contrasts by combining different colors and create our own project!
Filter the brightness :
The shade chosen for your shading will bring a more or less strong filtration of the brightness and thus change the feeling under the shade.
If you lie in a particularity sunny area and your shade sail is often exposed, avoid very light colors because they can cause a glare sensation by reflecting too much light.
On the other hand, if you live in a less sunny region, prefer shades of light for your shade sail, which will revive and brighten your exterior.
Bring more or less freshness :
Be aware that the dark tones contribute to a feeling of freshness under the shade.
Create an extension of your house :
Choose the color of your shade sails according to the color of your facade, your shutters, your garden furniture or any other exterior decoration to create harmony in your garden or on your terrace.
Shading sail can become a natural extension of your home that integrates perfectly with your environment.
The types of installation :
They can be stretched between 2, 3 or 4 walls. This solution involves drilling holes in each wall "carrier" to be able to insert the fixing (dowels or chemical sailing + threaded rods and eye nuts) on which will be clinging the shade sail with its carabiners.
One possibility consists to attach the shade sail from one side against a wall and the other to hang it on masts. This solution is very often used to shade a terrace facing a garden. So you can stretch the shade sail even if you do not have a wall available for each side of your shade sail.
Finally it is possible to realize a completely personalized and free implementation. Only masts will be used for the tension of the shade sail. This solution makes it possible to position the shade sail where desire.
Warning: If you install a waterproof shade sail, it is necessary to create a height difference of at least 25% of the distance between two fixation points of attachment of the shade sail so as to form a slope for the flow of water during heavy rains. If one side is 3-meters long, you will have to create a difference of at least 75cm in between the two fixing points.
Otherwise, a pocket of water can be created and damage the shade sail because of its weight.
The types of fixations :
The quality of an installation of a shade sail is not only obtained by the quality of the sail itself, but also by the quality of the accessories and the choice of equipment. It is important that the sails are well installed and tight. It is the secret of a successful installation, of quality and perennial in the time.
It is important to take into account the type of support that will receive the fixings of the shade sail or the mast: We will not use the same bindings if it is wood, stone, concrete or even of lawn.
For walls, we will distinguish wood from other concrete, stone, brick...
Several types of materials can be proposed to mount your shade sail: aluminium poles. Shrouds with ropes. These solutions appeal to your personal taste, there is no "best solution".
Adjustable Mast: This is the most effective solution for securing your shade sail if you do not have a wall nearby. We have three types of poles: masts, screw-on masts and wall-mounted masts. Regarding their sizes, the Espace Ombrage masts measure 260cm and you have the choice between a vertical installation and a 75 degree inclined installation. The three colors are aluminium, Anthracite powder coated and Brown powder coated.
The slide: The adjustable mast slide allows you to install several sails on the same mast. This also allows you to independently adjust the height of each sail to maximize its shading space throughout the day.
The shroud: This accessory makes it possible to balance the different tensions when fixing several shading sails on the same mast. These stays are available with attachment on hard ground and soft ground.
Other fixations and accessories :
In order to personalize your installation and create an optimization to the environment, here is a wide range of fixations and accessories:
The short wall fixing allow to fix an angle of the Shade Sail to a wall. The short wall mount leaves a gap of 25cm to 35 cm between the attachment point and the shade sail.
The long wall fixing are the ideal fixations if you want to combine strengh ans practicality. The nautical cord and the pulleys allow a excellent tension of the sail leaving a distance of 30 cm to 250 cm between the point of fixation ans the sail shade.
The double skin wall fixings have the same role as the fixtures mentioned above with the particularity of being suitable for buildings with external insulation.
The tensioning systems allow to hang an additional shade sail on an adjustable mast. The coulisse will ensure an independent adjustment of the height of the two sails while leaving a space between 30 cm and 2m50 between the mast and the sail.
The wall cleat, inspired directly from our adjustable masts, allows the surplus of the rope to be wrapped in a purely aesthetic frame, the latter being made of stainless steel.
Carabiner: Metal buckle for quick assembly and disassembly of your sail.
Piton with ankle: To be fixed in a brick, stone or concrete wal. Allows you to hang a turnbuckle or tensioning systems.
Bridge with screws: To fix in a wall in brick, stone or concrete. Allows you to hang a turnbuckle or tensioning systems.
Turnbuckle: Device for tensioning the sail. Short amplitude.
Anchoring: Allows you to fix the stay of a mast to the ground.
Rope and pulley: Device for tensioning the sail. Great amplitude.
