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High quality knitted outdoor shade sail fabric is UV stabilized to resist fading as pergola patio cover, lanai cover, shade sail, and playground shading, plus, our sun screen shade panels will never mold or mildew. This shade canopy material is also used for paintball field netting, privacy screen, windscreen and snow fencing. Cheaper, non-knitted, woven shadecloth is used in agricultural applications where longevity, appearance and sag resistance are not as highly valued. We sell only the finest desert tested, Knitted shade fabric with strong, durable lockstitching to resist tearing, fraying, stretching and sagging. Our Knitted sun screen material does not ravel when cut, like cheaper woven shadecloth. Shade netting is perfect for windscreen, shade tarp, sun screen, pergola patio cover, playground shading, shade sail, water treatment plant algae control, or paintball netting for paintball field fencing.
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6 foot wide colored shade cloth 
colored knitted shade netting sold by the foot
plastic locking clips and galvanized wood fasteners
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larger & custom size rectangles 
custom size knitted shade panels made to order!
brass grommets are available on all custom panels
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triangular shade sails 
in-stock right triangle sails
odd shape knitted panels
open end pockets and GPP
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Shade canopies, pergola, deck, trellis or lanai covers not only provide sun screening to block excess solar heat gain, they create very favorable micro-climates alongside structures.
The effect is under-rated ... outside ambient climate/temperature can be dropped more than fifteen degrees with effective shading and ventilation.
Shade netting allows heated, rising air to pass through its open knit.
Even at the highest density, shade fabric does not trap heat underneath like a rainproof tarp, metal roof or plastic pergola patio cover.
Cut that heat on the deck while keep heated air out of the house at the same time.
These are higher quality, knitted shade fabrics and not some cheap woven, agricultural grade shadecloth.
Woven shadecloth just doesn't stand up to the weather and abuse like our fully lockstitched, knitted sun screen material.
A knitted shade panel does not ravel.
Cheaper woven shadecloth will unravel like a screen door when cut or torn.
Knitted shade fabric has a very high tensile strength, so you can stretch it very tight without affecting its appearance or performance.
And tight shade panels are the key to protection in high wind situations.
Our shade canopy plastic locking clips are specifically designed to further spread the strain over a larger surface area.
We do not provide any custom hemming or grommeting with these six foot wide premium colored materials - they are only sold by the foot (plain cloth).
Very fabric-like, it's easily cut with a razor knife and yardstick for straight line across the folded panel.
The two sides of 6 foot wide material are bound, not raw cut, with edges knitted back upon themselves for a bound factory hem.
The ends are normally folded over once or twice for a mock hem to hide the cut.
Some clients do reinforce by sewing 2-3/4 inch wide webbing folded over the edge.
Any home sewing machine is capable of sewing shade cloth.
We do not sell thread, but any local fabric shop can obtain it easily enough for you.
Just be sure to use a durable UV and rot resistant material.
Threads that are marketed for Marine Upholstery work are suggested for best quality.
Treatment to Resist UV is advertised for many threads, but generally speaking, cotton rots quicker and nylon gets brittle faster than the Polys like polypropylene.
Larger custom size shade panels with hem and grommet are available, just not with these saddle tan, green, smoke blue, brick red or chocolate colored fabrics.
Knitted shade materials are lockstitched fabric, so hemming the ends is not a functional necessity - merely for fashion.
Normally the material is cut to within six inches of frame size and then folded over until correct.
The folded 'mock hem' makes for a very solid anchor point.
Nails used with fender washers are common (screws can snag and pull).
Atop a wood frame trellis, the folded hem is often sandwiched under a 1by2 batten board strip.
Silicone caulk is an excellent adhesive for unique designs, curves and pipe frames.
The following plans are for making a set of roll-up shades.
Please note that six foot wide material has finished edges, so the plans work best for a six foot wide rollup.
If you make wider shades, we suggest ordering wider material from the form below and hemming any cut sides on a home sewing machine to avoid edge curling.
A free project guide with plans for patio shades, patio and playground covers, and a basic
greenhouse shade structure is included with every premium grade shadecloth order
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PRIVACY SCREEN
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Swatches shown below are front and back side of a sample swatch, scanned on a white background. Up close in person, all six colors have the same basic knit appearance and openings for about 75% shade factor (sun blockage). The tan and blue knits are not any denser than the solid colors, they just don't contrast as well with the white background. A more pronounced white band runs through one side of the tan and blue, giving you a choice of Show Side of mostly solid or very lightly striped (a lighter, softer shade from a distance). A factory hem is knitted along both sides of six foot material width, as shown on the bottom edge of brick red and chocolate swatches. Larger custom size shade panels with hem and grommet are available, just not with these six colored fabrics. These six fabrics are only sold six foot wide "off-the-bolt", for $2.50 per lineal/running foot. Our 75% premium knit stretches VERY little, so no need to plan for that, but do anticipate folding the ends over at least once. It will not unravel when cut or torn, but folding allows for a nicer, straighter appearance without requiring a perfect cut the first time. Just in case, we always cut your order a little long and ship a few extra inches.
Saddle Tan . . . . . Solid Green . . . . . Smoke Blue . . . . . Solid Black . . . . . Brick Red . . . . . Chocolate
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6 foot wide colored knitted shade cloth
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Saddle Tan . . . . . Solid Green . . . . . Smoke Blue . . . . . Solid Black . . . . . Brick Red . . . . . Chocolate
click here for discounted remnants, returns and wrinkled roll ends
click here for larger & custom panels available with hem and grommet
Need more than 100 feet? HUGE savings on 150 foot long rolls of shadecloth!
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150 foot rolls of colored shade cloth are $260*
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shade netting installation with plastic locking clips & galvanized nailing plates
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Plastic Locking Clips $14 per 36 bag
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Plastic locking clips for seasonal shade and
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Wood Fasteners $14 per 60 bag
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The 30% black knit awning pictured at left is bordered on all four sides with our plastic locking clips and 3/16 inch diameter galvanized braided steel cable. Material is simply folded over the cable and secured with one clip every foot. You can use fewer clips, but it helps to spread stress out more evenly. Turnbuckles are installed on two corners to tension for a tight look and allow panel to be removed seasonally. We do not sell cable or turnbuckles, but they are common at any hardware store. | 
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Heavy duty black hem "tape" webbing
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black 30% to 90%, green 60% & white 50% knit with hem and grommet
custom sized panels up to 32 foot wide and as long as you wish
- automatic custom quotes and shade panel ordering with the form below -
We custom cut, tape, hem and grommet sun screen awnings to your desired size and specific shade factor needs for a great lanai cover or shade canopy. Custom size shade sail panel are available, but only with fabrics shown below. We do not provide any hem and grommet work with the saddle tan, smoke blue, brick red, and chocolate color materials. Our UV and heat resistant, polyethylene, BLACK 30% to 90% knitted shade cloth (plus 60% green and 50% white) will cut the heat on your patio, keep leaves out of your Koi pond, slash your air conditioning bills, and also makes an excellent paintball netting for paintball field fencing. This extremely durable shade panel material will not fray when cut or torn, like cheaper woven shade screens and paintball fencing. All standard stock widths have a closed, factory hem along the two edges - only the ends are cut as it comes off the roll. Black and 60% Green knitted material comes in full range of 6, 8, 10, 12, 20, 26, & 32 foot standard stock widths (no Green 8 foot). White 50% knitted is not available in 8, 10 or 32 foot 26 foot widths, but we can cut down to the size you need. Or we can sew panels together to get larger widths, but the quoting and ordering form is limited to stock material (single piece panels). When covering areas wider than 32 foot, we most highly recommend ordering two separate panels and lacing them to the structure individually for greater strength and ease of installation. Black knitted shade cloth is available in six sun shade factors: 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 & 90% (plus 60% Green and 50% White). The higher the shade factor, the denser the knit and the smaller the holes (90% has ~1.5mm holes). ALL shade factors will allow water to pass through unless they are installed on an extremely steep pitch (45 degree plus slope). Even then, only a small percentage of the rain will roll off the edge. The open knit is what makes shade cloth work - it allows heat to pass up through, not trapping it like a solid tarp or roof. In warmer climates, you would be wise to install large shade canopies to create a cooler microclimate along the south side of your home - even on the roof! Click here for the engineering specifications of our knitted shade material. Click here for the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on our knitted shade. All custom panels are fully warranted by fabric manufacturer for one year under the Terms of Service Agreement and as produced within stated tolerances possible working with knitted materials.
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SOLID TARPS and a MYTH ABOUT SHADE FACTOR / KNIT DENSITY / SUN BLOCKAGE Shade factor is a rating of knit density with the percentage of sun blockage measured with a spectrometer. A 50% shade factor White blocks 50% of direct sunlight - a 60% Green blocks 60% sunlight - a 70% Black density blocks 70%. There is a myth circulating that a lower percentage white shade material would have the same cooling effect as a higher density green or black. This is absolutely false. Lighter colors reflect more ambient light underneath (make a patio brighter) while darker colors absorb rather than reflect light/heat, but the material is too light weight (low thermal mass) to RETAIN excess heat/energy. At less than 1/2 ounce per square foot, there is not enough thermal mass to store a large amount of radiant heat/energy. Heat is quickly dissipated by cooler air moving up through the open netting (even 90% density has ~1.5mm holes). A solid roof or waterproof canvas tarp would function differently, trapping heated air underneath. With an open netting, lighter colors of less density are not functionally cooler than a darker color with a higher shade factor rating. When dropping heat on your pergola or deck is key, our 80% and 90% black knits are the most commonly specified patio shade. |
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Commercial discounts apply to material on larger panels:
Panel options: black taped, reinforced sewn hem
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- automatic custom quotes and shade panel ordering with the form below -
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BLACK COLOR KNITS versus WHITE and GREEN Hot climate residential and commercial patios almost always install 80% or 90% black knit to drop the temperature (and sunlight) underneath as much as possible. You still get lots of natural light in from the sides, so it is not too dark. The only reason to install 70% or lower knit density is to ensure ample heat gain in the spring and fall months, where blocking 80% might make the patio a little too cool. It is common to have two shade panels in a hot climate: one high-density for peak summer months and one lower-density for when it cools in the fall. Functionally, black is the preferred color for a patio (see message box above). Patios are a place of relaxation and the black color absorbs more ambient light (not reflecting it), dilating your pupils, and generally creating a much calmer atmosphere. Heated air readily passes through any knit density, so the question of black absorbing more heat and radiating it back onto you is largely irrelevant to your personal comfort level underneath. Excess ambient light bouncing off a white panel adds heat gain and makes it much more of an active area, rather than a relaxation spot. The Black 70%, White 50% and Green 60% shade materials are very nearly the same knit pattern. The darker black absorbs more light, allowing only 30 percent to pass through. Green 60% knit is a compromise between blocking heat gain while still allowing 40% sunlight to pass through for plant growth and is very popular with greenhouse growers. White 50% knit is an excellent agricultural product too, reflecting maximum ambient light underneath, while allowing only 50% of direct sunlight to pass through from above. Any of the materials can be ordered as a double layer panel, where fabric is folded over for a heavy-duty two-layer panel (see quoting form below). |
Generally, the following shade factors are used (see sample swatches below)
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Three color choices in larger panels and/or with custom hem and grommet: Black 30% to 90% sun blockage, a 50% only White and a 60% only Green (see message box above).
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Pictured above are the seven black knitted, lockstitched shade nettings in 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90% shade factors (sun block density).
We do our best to represent the knit density properly, but actual size of openings, style, and appearance of knit is always subject to change without notice.
The 80% and 90% materials stretch VERY little, so there is no need to plan for that.
Our knitted shade materials are pre-treated to stop shrinking from happening in the hot sun, but you should always store a knitted panel in a cool, dry shaded place until ready to install.
There is no test to determine actual shrinkage, but in practice it is limited to 1%-3% and typically offset by a certain amount of stretch in a knitted material.
While the fabric might stretch a bit, it will shrink a bit too, so there is normally a net-zero change when installed under tension properly (keep out of hot sun until ready to lace up).
All woven or knitted shade fabrics will allow water to pass through, but as you progress up to 90% density, some rain will run off the edge when installed on a steep slope.
The material will slow the rain down, but it will eventually pass through ... this is key with a shade panel versus solid tarp choice: these knit panels will let the heated air pass back up through.
Shade panels may not stop the rain, but they do a much better job of keeping an area cooler and fresher.
The size shade panel you request, is the FINISH size - we cut down from a larger panel, as per your finish dimension ordered.
The ONLY time to anticipate a variance is when you order a single layer panel of standard width: 6, 8, 10, 12, 20, 26 and 32 feet wide.
Then the finish Width after reinforcing tape and hem is usually 2-3 inches less, i.e.: 5' 9-10", 7' 9-10", 9' 9-10", 11' 9-10", 19' 9-10", etc.
ALL other times, the finish size panel you request the size we ship (within stated tolerances possible working with knitted materials).
Eight foot width is not available in 30% or 40% Black and Green 60% knit.
White 50% does not come in 8, 10 or 32 foot stock widths.
Price varies with shade factor (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 or 90%) and your desire for reinforced hem (black color only) tape webbing and brass grommets.
Discounts for larger volume orders are automatically calculated by the ordering form below: 1000 sq ft discount is 10%, 1750 sq ft is 15%, 2500 - 20%, 4000 - 25%, 6000 - 30%, 8000 - 35%, 10,000 - 40%, 12,000 - 45%, and 15,000+ square feet is discounted 50% by the automatic quoting and ordering form.
Please note that discounts are per panel, not cumulative.
We can fold the fabric over for a heavy-duty double layer panel - the automated form below is easy to use for an instant quote.
Production lead time to make your panel is +/- 4 business days this time of year and then they ship via UPS Ground with automatic email tracking notification.
larger panels typically add grommeted pinch pleats - see below form
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Automatic quoting and ordering form
JavaScript must be enabled on your browser to run this program and get pricing
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add grommeted pinch pleats GPP for $1.25 per foot
Grommeted pinch pleats GPP are often added on commercial panels longer/wider than 20 feet with engineers typically specifying one GPP every 8-10 feet for maximum stability. A "pinch" pleat/fold is made in middle of panel, covered with reinforced webbing ("taped") and then hemmed and grommeted every foot just like the perimeter edge. Finished GPP are about 1-1/4 inch top to bottom with a #4 brass grommet every foot (grommet has a 1/2 inch inside diameter hole opening). This additional lashing (tying to structure) point eliminates lofting (rising in the wind) and sagging in the middle (pillowing) on larger shade panels. Movement and abrasion against the structure are what eventually causes material failure, not exposure to the sun, so keeping a panel taut is the key to longevity. Note that it is not possible to overlap GPP in middle of panel (crossing one over the top of another) and GPP are not available with double layer panels. Custom work is only available with materials shown above. We do not provide any hem and grommet work with the saddle tan, smoke blue, brick red and chocolate color materials.
 
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Open end pockets are also available. We fold the material over and sew an "open hem" into a side to allow insertion of a pipe or cable. Cost is the same as normal rectangle plus $1.25 per foot for the pockets. Please note that open hem pockets are simply folded over and stitched; it is not possible to create pockets with reinforced hem tape webbing. For a quote, email natural@colorado.net or fax 720-293-1705 an 8-1/2" by 11" boldly labeled drawing in feet and inches. Be sure to make the lines and numbers VERY bold and specify the shade factor desired along with postioning of the open end pockets and their inside net width (flat measurement, not diameter). Fractional inches are not possible to specify. For instance, if you wish to slide a 2-1/2 inch diameter pipe, it has a circumference of 7.85 inch, so order a 5 inch pocket. If you are sliding a 2by4 through (1.5 & 1.5 & 3.5 & 3.5 is at least 10), so order a 6 inch pocket. We always do our best to produce to tight specs, but only offer free replacement outside tolerances. |
image above is a grommeted pinch pleat (GPP)
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double layer grommeted triangular shade sail panels in 3 stock sizes
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Made in the U.S.A., our stock size triangular shade sails are DOUBLE LAYERED for long-term durability and maximum sun screen protection. The white 50% knit and green 60% knit double layers equate to +/- 90% sun protection with the double layer 90% black bordering upon 100% shade. Please note that knited fabrics are open to allow air to pass through, so they do not trap heat underneath like a solid tarp. All three sides are fully reinforced with black hem tape webbing (only color available) sewn around the edge and large brass grommets (1/2 inch hole diameter) every foot with double corners standard. While it is certainly possible to pull a panel from the corners only, you are wise to run a rope or galvanized cable through all the grommets on each side. This allow the cable along sides to carry the stress, not just the corners. Custom size triangular shade sail panels are available, but only with fabrics shown above. We do not provide any hem and grommet work with the saddle tan, smoke blue, brick red, and chocolate color materials. |
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** Finish dimensions may vary slightly with some shade sails up to full 20, 26 and 32 foot sides A/B
Our double layer triangular shade sails leave our warehouse the same or next business day!
FREE UPS shipping! Sorry ... no delivery available to APO/FPO, HI, AK, PR, Mexico or Canada
rectangles are purchased with the automatic quoting and ordering form above
odd shape custom panels are available - email sketch for a quote
As shown below, we can create just about any odd shaped sun screen panel, lanai, trellis or pergola patio cover. We can also create double layer panels for very heavy duty action and/or desire for a higher shade factor white or green knit panel. Folded over once, a double layer white or green panel would have an effective shade factor of 85 to 90%. We do not stock 32 foot widths in the white 50%, so there are limitations (all widths in green). Email natural@colorado.net (or fax 720-293-1705) with an 8-1/2" by 11" boldly labeled drawing with feet and inches (i.e.: 8' 4" not 100 inches) of each side. Be sure to make the lines and numbers VERY bold and specify the shade factor desired along with postioning of any GPP and inside net width (flat measurement, not diameter) of any pocket. Round off to the nearest inch and note that we always do our very best to be precise, but we do not warrant odd shape custom panels since knitted materials are inherently difficult to work with. Please note that custom work is only available with materials shown above. We do not provide any hem and grommet work with the saddle tan, smoke blue, brick red, and chocolate color materials. As per the project example below, many commercial installers specify their panels up to a foot smaller than the trellis overall (trampoline style). This "trampoline" effect (lacing with a gap around the perimeter) allows you to install very taut and keep it that way, with room to adjust as need be.
shade panel installation guidelines, suggestions and examples ...
Wind can whip a loose lanai cover or shade canopy, causing damage. That's why we install grommets on one foot centers with double grommeted corners standard at no extra charge. The more evenly stretched and supported, the stronger the panel and structure it is attached to. Shade panels are typically laced to a frame: tie rope or galvanized cable to one corner, run it through a grommet, around the trellis or pipe frame, back through the next grommet, and back around the structure ... all the way to the corner, where you pull it tight and secure (often with a turnbuckle to tighten as need be). When not lacing around the structure itself, a pipe, board or fasteners (eyelet screws) can be installed on structure and then the panel laced to it. We do not sell the pipe, rope, cable, turnbuckles or eyelet screws, as these items are commonly available at any building supply center. The installation below is a classic example of lacing a shade canopy onto a metal pipe framework.
Please note that we do not sell shade structures, just shade panels
rather than retail flimsy shade structure kits (and they are all flimsy)
we suggest hiring a local plumber or welder to construct a galvanized frame
- ten foot is a common pipe length for basing the structure grid upon -
Larger shade panels are typically installed over trellis frames, utilizing multiple "bays" to lend even more support to the shade netting when spanning greater widths and lengths. The standard specification is for a series of ten, twelve, or twenty foot wide panels versus a single large one. Weight of the material is not an engineering issue (less than 1/2 ounce per square foot), but sail effect can be great in a heavy wind. The material will handle the wind fine ... the structure needs to be solid and secure, though. The additional lacing offered by a series of smaller width panels creates a much stronger structure and keeps the panels from lofting (sailing) in the wind. Depending upon bay/stall size (span of pipe), 1-1/2" to 2" diameter schedule 40 galvanized pipe should be ample. Any local plumbing supply store will have everything you need - and be able to thread the straight pipe sections for you. Avoid using plastic PVC pipe as it gets brittle in the sun and 'off-gasses'.
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Once the structure is in place, lace the panels to it with a good quality UV resistant polypropylene rope or better yet, parachute cord for a tight fit. Parachute cord has a silk outer sleeve for extra UV protection and is available at any Army Surplus store. Avoid bungee cords, bungee balls, cotton, and nylon as they degrade in the sun and weather much faster. As a general rule of thumb, any supple cordage (versus stiff) will have much better longevity. |
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angle iron bracing is often used to construct engineered commercial shade trellis structures
this is 20 foot wide 60% Green knit - a second structure attaches for a 40 foot overall bay depth
80% or 90% black knit is always recommended to drop heat, but this client desired better lighting
Pictured below, courtesy of a client in Canon City, is one of our 90 percent black knit panels over a wood frame pergola. On this particular panel, the client laced from grommeted panel to eyelet screws in top of the wood pergola. Rope and fastener are hidden, yet it is relatively easy to unlace in the winter and store for next season. Shade canopies, pergola or lanai covers not only provide sun screening to block excess solar heat gain, they create very favorable micro-climates next to structure. The effect is under-rated ... outside ambient climate/temperature can be dropped more than fifteen degrees with effective shading and ventilation. The secret is shade netting allows heated, rising air to pass through its open knit. Even at the highest density, shade fabric does not trap heat like a rainproof tarp, metal roof, or plastic pergola patio cover.
Up close, you can see through any density/color of shade cloth, but as you move farther away (20 plus feet) and at an angle, it becomes much more difficult to see objects on the other side clearly. The image below is looking out through our 70% black knit (above the stunt dog). Mind you, the intense backlighting with sunny day, super white snow foreground exaggerates the clarity, but this 70% black knit is a good compromise between preserving view from inside and creating a sense of privacy from outside. Looking in from across the yard about 20 feet away, the view is very nearly opaque, as shown in second image below. Refraction off glass is a good part of the effect, but the key is lack of back lighting. At night with a light behind you (back lit), the shade material would naturally provide much less privacy. Direct natural light can overpower, washing interior rooms with glare on a sunny winter day. Knitted shade material drapes, sheer or curtain are an easy way to control the indoor environment passively. The shade netting catches a large percentage of direct solar gain, dissipating the heat, and stratifying the energy to best radiant benefit (always hottest around material).
Our built-tough commercial grade knitted shadecloth panels carry a one year manufacturer's replacement warranty against material defects.
You should expect at least 3 years of service (permanent installation in harsh desert climate) - ten years or more when only installed seasonally or in a more temperate climate.
Keeping the panel tight is the key - wind damage from rubbing against the structure and whipping in the wind is more relevant than sun damage.
Wind can whip a loose shade canopy or paintball netting, causing damage - that's why we install grommets on one foot centers.
Shade panels are typically laced to the structure: tie rope or galvanized cable to one corner of the structure, run it through a grommet, around the trellis or pipe frame, back through the next grommet, and back around the frame ... all the way to the corner, where you pull it tight and tie it off.
Your local hardware store will stock ± 3/16 inch galvanized cable, eyelet bolts, cable clamps and turnbuckles to tension it.
If you use rope, we suggest army surplus parachute cord, polypropylene or similar UV resistant product.
We do not sell any rope, cable, or turnbuckles since these supplies are common to any local hardware store.
Terms of Service, Measurement Tolerances, and Specification Disclaimers:
click here for discounted remnants, returns, and wrinkled roll ends
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