surfaces with good old elbow grease

Don’t suffer yet another sweaty summer; now’s the time to create beautifully cool spaces inside and out. Prioritise comfort with our tips on harnessing shade at home.

1Natural shade For deep, cooling cover, there’s a variety of trees and bushes available that together can drop your garden’s air temperature by up to 30 per cent*. The denser the canopy, the deeper the shade.

Deciduous trees are fantastic, as they will screen summer sun and let in winter light. However, be careful not to choose a tree that will grow too big, has invasive roots or will drop heavy branches, and don’t plant it too close to the house.

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Well-designed shade can make your environment feel much cooler than under direct sunlight, and where you position your shade structures will maximise your efforts. Orient gazebos, pergolas and the like towards incoming breezes and ideally make sure the openings are in shadow, perhaps that of a nearby tree. To cool the entire zone, prioritise shading those surfaces that tend to attract heat, such as sand, concrete and brick. 

Lifetime 82.5cm children’s picnic table, $79, I/N: 3240426 and I/N: 3240650. Saxon 580mm kid’s garden leaf rake, $5.50, I/N: 3360658, and shovel, $5.50, I/N: 3360660. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.

Great gazebos polycarbonate hoods. Polycarbonate and fabric source of shade. Choose a lightweight market umbrella for your patio table or a cantilever model, which can be angled against the sun as it moves throughout the day. To be sun-smart, check the UV protection of the fabric. When properly secured, an umbrella should be able to withstand light winds,

For permanent (or semi-permanent) shade, build a gazebo from scratch or assemble a kit. Ron Williams, national business manager for Palram, says the Palram gazebo kits feature tough, UV-resistant polycarbonate sheeting, which can provide up to 100 per cent protection against UV. “Our gazebo kits offer bronze ‘Twinwall’ roofing in a series of sizes and designs or, if you are building from scratch, choose from one of our many roofing options,” he says. “You can do anything you like; the sheeting can look really

Palram ‘Martinique 5000’ 4.92m x 3.59m x 2.85m aluminium DIY Window dressings Awnings provide shade to windows, cooling indoor spaces without blocking air flow or views. They can be fixed or retractable, stretched fabric Windoware ‘Easy Fit’ 3m x 2m awning in Charcoal, $264, I/N: 1262181 (available early February)5 7 gazebo kit, $3,413, I/N: 0135569† Coolaroo ‘Easy Release’ 2.4m x 2.4m outdoor roller blind in (canvas, mesh or vinyl) on a frame, or metal or Gun Metal, $265, I/N: 0047637 awnings provide UV protection and shade while Roll up maintaining diffused natural light. Shade your home with Instant shade Coolaroo ‘Lindeman’ 2.7m wall mount market umbrella in Charcoal, $349, I/N: 0123979 6 outdoor roll-up blinds over windows or around outdoor areas. “When placed over external windows, outdoor blinds are a great way to block UV rays and minimise heat entering your home,” says Danny

From a beach style to a permanent wall- or Collins, marketing floor-mounted model, umbrellas are a convenient director of Coolaroo. spectacular through clever design.” however if you want it to last (and to prevent it Windoware ‘QuikLok’ 3.0m x taking a flying trip), collapse it when you’re not 1.8m channel guided outdoor outside or when the weather warrants. blind, $399, I/N: 0164229

4Palram Feria 3m x 3m x 3m patio kit in White, $1,413, I/N: 0106709† Protect your veg Maze 2m net tunnel garden Harsh sunlight can cover, $54, I/N: 3321484† cause heat stress to plants. Plant or place them in the shade of stronger, taller plants for partial sunlight, or cover with shade cloth – look for a 30-50 per cent UV Pillar ‘Sc303610cg’ 10m x 3.66m cover. This will allow in 30% shade cloth in Cottage sufficient light, air and water, while protecting delicate plants from the worst of the heat. 8 Green, $79, I/N: 0183675

Coolaroo 3.6m x 3.6m square shade sail in Beech, $125, I/N: 3300345

Sail away For outdoor areas, shade sails are a great option. Coolaroo shade sails block up to 90 per cent of UV light and are endorsed by Cancer Council Australia. “Made from breathable fabric that allows air to pass through on hot days, our shade sails come in a range of sizes and colours that coordinate with popular exterior colour schemes,” says Danny. Shade sails are a great solution for both large and small living areas and can be attached to walls, secure posts or structures. ◆ Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.

Clark Tanks offers delivery services to Queensland, Victoria, NSW and the ACT from manufacturing facilities located in: • Dalby, Queensland • Bathurst, New South Wales • Moama/Echuca, Victoria

Clark tanks are known throughout the industry as the manufacturer of superior designed, premium quality products, to suit all domestic & rural applications. As an Australian owned and operated company, Clark Tanks is committed to providing quality products designed to meet the needs of rural & residential Australia. We supply stainless steel mesh strainers for their higher quality service life. We only supply Brass Outlets & Ball Valves that are Watermarked so as to comply with all state and territory regulations concerning installation of a water tank and connection of that tank to your home. (AS:3688-2005 ATS:5200.012-2005)

Our raw material is high quality Australian Made, UV established, & food grade polyethylene. (AS/NZS:4766), (AS/NZS:4020). We are certified ISO 9001:2015 & to Australian standard AS:4766 (Certification No:300/1)

*Please contact your local Clark Tanks operations to confirm availability.