The 10 Best Shade Sails
Special Honors
Shade Sails Custom Shop. Built to commercial quality standards, and notably more durable than non-custom models, these shade sails can be made to almost any size and shape, and utilize Monotec 370 brand fabric, which has no seams and is easy to keep clean. The sails can either be reinforced with steel cable or polyester webbing, and there is detailed information on their website with regards to measurement and installation. shadesails.com
Editor's Notes
July 10, 2020:
Outdoor recreation areas can get hot at certain times of day, and if you like to spend large amounts of time alfresco it's important to have a shady space, especially if you live in an area with a regularly high UV index. Shade sails provide an effective barrier to harmful rays, while letting air circulate, and turn a heat trap into a comfortable retreat that is significantly cooler and far less bright.
The models in this ranking have very similar attributes, with their main differences being in shape and size. For example, the Love Story 16'5" and Patio Paradise 16' are both equilateral triangles, and are ideal for use in corners or for smaller seating areas, sandboxes, or pet enclosures. They can also be tessellated in a variety of configurations, and can even form a circular pergola around a central pillar.
Alternatively, the Royamy 10' x 13', Artpuch 10' x 13', Love Story 12' x 16', Shade&Beyond 12' x 16' , Sunlax 13' x 20', San Diego 14' x 14', and the king-sized Quictent 26' x 20' are rectangular in shape. All these models feature slightly inwardly-curved edges, designed in such a way that, when properly installed, they will not sag at the edges and maintain a taught profile that is more attractive, and allows water to run off easily in wet conditions. These are suitable to cover larger seating and dining areas, swimming pools, hot tubs, and lawn spaces, and can even be used to create a shady carport, eliminating oven-like interiors and keeping damaging ultraviolet light away from the paintwork.
The material used is usually woven polyethylene, which is strong, water repellent, and doesn't fade easily in direct sunlight. Bear in mind that shade sails such as these are fairly effective in light showers, but are not impermeable, by design, as they do not allow water to pool in the center during heavy rainfall, and let the breeze pass through.
When fitting a shade sail, consider the fact that you need three or four fixed positions from which to suspend it, depending on their shape. This might mean sinking posts into concrete, screwing hooks into woodwork, drilling eye-bolts into masonry, or installing upright poles with guy ropes. However you decide to do this, it does require a little forethought in order to get it right.