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shade sail planter post, check these out | What posts do you use for shade sails?

By Sarah Oconnell

What posts do you use for shade sails?

It is recommended to use a round steel post with a minimum diameter of 90mm, or a 90x90mm square steel post. Post wall thickness should be a minimum of 3.5mm.

How deep do shade sail posts need to be?

Post lengths should be taken into account with the proposed height of the sail plus the depth of your footings. Footing depth should be a minimum of 36 inches deep and 30inches square. For example, if your post height is higher than 8 feet, we recommend a hole depth 40% of the height above ground.

Can you use 4×4 posts for a shade sail?

If your posts will actually be 12′ above ground, and they’re not supported with any sort of diagonal bracing, you will want 6x6s (or at least 4x6s). 4x4s will flex and bounce substantially at that height.

Do shade sail posts need to be angled?

Ideally, they should be installed at an angle of 10 degrees for steel and 20 degrees for timber posts. The angle should be away from the shade sail, so account for the angle and the length of the turnbuckles when you dig your post holes.

Can you use timber posts for shade sails?

Most shade sails are designed to suit a specific area, so they will vary in size, shape and number. Several small sails may look better, give a more flexible shape and cost less than one large one. Small sails can also be supported by timber posts whereas larger sails will need strong steel posts.

How much wind can a shade sail withstand?

How much wind can a shade sail withstand? A properly installed, good quality shade sail should be able to withstand normal wind flow. Shade sails form a tensioned structure and they should not flap in the wind. Sails generally are designed to withstand up to 85 mph winds.

Can I attach a shade sail to my house?

Can you attach sail shade to a house? Yes, the majority of residential sail shades are attached to the side of a home.

Are shade sails a good idea?

If you want to make the best use of your outside areas, installing a shade sail or waterproof canopy is a fantastic idea. Shade sails offer a great source of sun shade and UV protection, plus water protection, allowing you to enjoy the outdoors and relax outside in comfort.

Why are shade sail posts angled?

Shade sails are designed with hollow concave edges to help tension the fabric. Because of these hollows, a three-sided sail (triangle shade sails) will provide less than 50% of the effective shade than a four cornered sail. Also a triangle sail will always remain flat as it has no 3-dimensional shape.

Why do shade sails sag?

Without a wire rope around the perimeter, tension applied at each attachment point is not distributed evenly in the sail, creating areas of concentrated stress around the corners. This causes the center to sag and increases the risk of tearing at the corners.

Why are shade sails triangular?

A triangle shaped sail will offer less shade than a square, but it’s more spatially flexible and can fit into smaller areas better. Plus, it has one less fixing point, so you can be a little more imaginative with it.

Do shade sails stop rain?

Despite being permeable, shade sails do provide some protection from rain. For example, they would provide protection from a light summer shower. In heavier rain the water will run across the surface of the sail but will also drip from the underside.

How do you keep shade sails from sagging?

If your shade sail starts to sag, you can re-tighten it and bring it taught. One way to do this is by using a wire rope that runs through a pocket sewn in the perimeter of your sail. Simply pull the wire rope on each corner until the shade sail retightens and all sagging is removed.