Shade cloth ideas for your home or business

A shade sail is typically made to protect from the sun by providing shade over an area. it could be to create an outdoor living space for you and your loved ones at home. It could be to protect the plants in your garden. your tomato plants will thank you for shade on the hot summer days.

Or it could be for commercial purposes, like creating shade for customers at a restaurant or shading products from the sun’s harsh rays. Whatever your shade cloth needs are, there are many different options on offer.

What can you do with shade cloth?

Shade sails come in a variety of shapes and sizes and you can choose from triangle, square, or rectangle shade sails. They are made up of shade fabric that is usually waterproof and UV-stabilised, making them perfect for outdoor use. You can choose from different colours to match your environment and they come with all the necessary hardware like poles, ropes, turnbuckles and fixings.

You could also opt for shade umbrellas or shade cloths that are tensioned across pergolas or balconies. These shade cloths can be made of mesh, allowing air to still circulate, or shade cloths that are more solid to provide even more shade.

Shade cloths can also be used over vegetable gardens and other outdoor areas to protect them from the sun’s rays and also help keep weeds out. Different coloured shade cloths help to promote growth in various plants. When selecting a shade cloth, it is important to take into account the desired effect on plant growth.

What is the best material for sunshade?

As you see there is a lot you can do with a shade of cloth. It serves a few useful purposes. Let’s talk about the material. As the name suggests, shade sails are made of some sort of cloth. It could be a synthetic shade cloth or a shade cloth made of natural materials.

Natural shade cloths have the advantage that they are more environmentally friendly, but synthetic shade cloths are usually more durable and will last longer.

Synthetic shade cloths are usually polyethylene, which is lightweight and highly tear-resistant. This is the most popular shade cloth for shade sails and umbrellas, as it can be easily manipulated into any shape you need.

There are also shade cloths made of polyester, PVC or canvas, which can provide more shade but are heavier and less durable than shade cloths made from polyethylene.

Polyester shade cloths usually come in two types; shade mesh and shade netting. Shade mesh is a tightly woven fabric that will block out up to 90% of the sun’s UV rays and shade netting is a lightweight mesh that blocks out up to 70% of the sun’s UV rays. These types of shade cloths are used in gardens and outdoor areas to shade plants and people from the sun.

Canvas shade cloths are also available and these provide more shade but can be quite bulky and may need to be kept in place with additional hardware. Canvas is commonly used for shade sails and umbrellas that shade patios, parks, playgrounds and other outdoor areas.

PVC shade cloths are usually more expensive than shade cloths made from other materials, but they also offer good protection from the sun’s UV rays and can be used to shade patios, parks and other outdoor areas. The durability of this shade cloth option is also superior to other shade cloths.

So which material is the best?

That depends on your personal preference and the shade needs of your outdoor area. Polyethylene shade cloths are lightweight, tear-resistant and easy to work with, making them an ideal shade solution for shade sails and umbrellas. Polyester cloth is good for plants and gardens and shade mesh provides better shade than shade netting. Canvas and PVC shade cloths could be better for residential use like pool or backyards, as well as heavy-duty commercials.

What is the best color for a sunshade?

This will depend on how much sun protection you need, as well as the look you are trying to achieve. Different shade fabrics come in various colours that have different levels of sunlight protection.

Another factor is that what is the purpose of shade. If you are looking for shade in the garden, lighter shade fabrics such as white and beige are often used to help promote plant growth in the shade.

For shade sails, umbrellas and other areas that need UV protection from the sun, darker shade fabrics such as black and dark green are suitable. They provide greater shade than lighter-coloured shade cloths, but they can also heat up quickly in sunny weather.

If your shade sails are to protect plants you need to consider what type of shade fabric will be best for them. Lighter shade fabrics such as dark green, tan or beige are usually the most effective at blocking UV rays, while darker shade fabrics such as black can heat up quickly in direct sunlight. Each type of plant also requires a certain amount of sunlight so it’s important to consider the type of shade you need before choosing a shade fabric.

Ultimately, it is important to choose a shade fabric that meets your shade needs and fits in with the look you are trying to achieve. Shade cloths also come in various patterns and designs that can add a bit of style to your outdoor décor.

Last word

So you have plenty of options for shade cloths to shade your outdoor area. Whether you choose a lightweight polyethylene shade cloth or a heavier canvas shade cloth, make sure that it meets your shade needs and fits the look you are trying to achieve. With a shade cloth in place, you can enjoy your outdoor space without worrying about the sun’s harmful UV rays.

Hope this was helpful in guiding you to make the right shade cloth decision. For any questions about shade sails, contact us at Sunguard Brisbane. We’re always happy to help!

Happy sailing!