Always check with local authorities or the council for any relevant building regulations before installing any type of shade sail.
Note the direction of the sun during the time you need the most shade. Make sure that the style of shade sail you have chosen will fit your desired space and block the direction of the sun. Height differences are an important factor when designing your shade sail. Alternating high and low points will keep your sail tighter for longer and enhance the visual impact. Consider overlapping multiple shades to get full coverage of the area you want to protect from the sun.
Consider your normal wind conditions- the speed and direction. Consider any dangers or obstacles such as trees, power wires, water pipes and barbeques in the area you are installing the shade
Always install the poles and mount all fixing points before taking final measurements for your custom-made shade sail. Your shade sail will be specifically manufactured for your site, they are designed to fit your exact dimensions. The depth of your post footings, strength of fittings and the strength of where the fittings are fixed to walls are things to plan carefully before ordering and installing your shade sail. The quality of fixings and installation ensures your sail stays tensioned and does not break away. a. We recommend that shade sail poles are installed with a 5° lean out away from the centre of the sail (direction of pull). This must be considered when positioning the poles. If using steel poles it is advisable to have a galvanised coating to prevent rust. If using timber poles it is advisable to use treated timber. Poles can be painted to match your shade sail or surrounding environment.
b. Once you have chosen the correct size poles and measured the position of them, dig holes to the required size. Lay 100mm of medium size gravel at the base of the hole and compact to form a solid pad OR pre-set 100mm of concrete. Poles should be embedded in concrete footings with a minimum of 20Mpa concrete: c. The concrete must be mixed to the manufactures’ instructions or supplied by a certified concrete supplier. Position each pole at a 5° angle leaning out away from the centre of the shade sail and add concrete, ensure the pole remains in the correct position. The top of the concrete surface should be sloping away from the pole to assist with water drainage. d. You may require bracing while concrete sets. Poles should be left for at least 72 hours to allow concrete to set.
The custom-made shade sail tool will guide you through all the necessary steps to complete your order. For your final measure we need the following: • • •
Exact perimeter measurements for each side The diagonal measurements between the fixing points (if you have 4 corners or more) The height measurements of all fixing points
You will need safe height-access equipment and the correct tools ready for the installation. When the shade sail arrives check the plans and instructions, so you know which way around it goes and where the turnbuckles and shackles attach.
Use the rope supplied to hoist each corner up to the fixing eye on the building or pole, one corner at a time. Attach each corner of your sail with a turnbuckle and/or shackle. All turnbuckles should be extended to full length at this point and the grease supplied must be applied to the thread area. You will be able to mount the first 2 corners by hand. To mount the next corner/s you may need to use a load ratchet strap to pull the corner close enough to the fixing eye so you can attach the turnbuckle and shackle. The sail will now be attached at all corners – although it will not be tensioned
Working around the sail from corner to corner, tighten all turnbuckles 25mm at a time. You may need to go around the sail several times. Continue this at each corner until your sail is as tight as a drum. Ideally all turnbuckles will be evenly tensioned, and each edge of the sail should be drum tight.
When you are happy with the overall tension of your sail, tighten the lock nuts on each turnbuckle and tighten the pin on all shackles. Remove the orientation tags from the D Rings and tidy the site. Your shade sail is ready to go!