Custom vs. Standard Shade Products

 

Custom vs. Standard

If you have the flexibility to use one or more standard shade sails in your application, you may be able to save money by doing so. Even though our standard sizes are still made to order, they are sold at a lower price point than custom sails because they are already patterned and require no additional design. In the process of deciding whether or not to use a standard shade sail, be sure to check the spacing guides to see how far apart the attachment points will need to be. The dimensions shown on each product page are the relaxed dimensions of the sail. Therefore, the attachment points will need to be further apart to accommodate for stretch in the fabric as well as tensioning hardware offset.

Custom projects require a little more work, but offer complete versatility in application. Whether you know just what you want, or you’re still toying with a few ideas, we’ll set you up with one of our project managers, who can guide you through every step of the planning, buying, installing, and support process.

Can you Modify a Standard?

Standard shade sails only come exactly as described on the product pages. That’s what makes them standard! You can, of course, use a standard product as a starting point, making adjustments in size or shape to fit particular needs, but that will fall under a custom shade solution.

The same is true for standard structures. Our standard poles are 7' and 10' tall, each with one tab to accommodate one shade sail. To add extra height or additional tabs to any standard pole falls in the realm of a custom project. We do not recommend attaching multiple sails to standard poles, as they are designed for one sail attachment each. Please consider engineering your shade project if you want to use custom poles.

Common Customization Questions

When it comes to customizing your shade sail you have many options. You can adjust pole heights, side lengths, and color, to name a few. However there are some limitations that are imposed by practicality. Contact us for more specifics on customizability.

Can I Pick Catenary Depth?

Catenaries are the curved edges around the perimeter of each shade sail. The purpose of this is to distribute tension evenly throughout the fabric, reducing the risk of tear. Our shade sails have standard catenary depths based on functionality, but if you have specific needs, we may be able to accommodate. Because catenary depth is a part of what helps the shade sail perform correctly, deviations from the standard may affect functionality and may void your warranty. If that is the case, your project manager will make sure you understand any changes in warranty before proceeding.

Can I Put Grommets on a Shade Sail?

Shade sails are designed to stretch and therefore cannot have grommets on any of the sides. Additionally, the perimeter pocket must be free for wire rope to pass through in order to evenly distribute tension. Any grommets on the perimeter would hinder this from happening, thus greatly decreasing the functionality of your shade sail.

Can I Dictate Seams?

Our fabric rolls are 9’ 10”, and thus any shade sail wider than that will contain seams. Seam location is dictated by optimization of fabric yield, and any request for a change in seam location or orientation lowers the efficiency of fabric use. Therefore, we rarely accommodate such requests, and if we do, there will be a price difference you will need to take into account.

More Questions? Feel free to ask!