There are 2 installation options that you should consider before starting your shade sail project. You can either:

A: Install your structural supports, measure precisely as required, then order a custom made ShadeSail that exactly fits your attachment points,
or
B: Purchase a pre-made shade sail and install your posts/brackets to suit.

As a general rule, Method A is easier to install and will achieve superior results (it’s the one that professional installers use). It is also somewhat more expensive but the sails are of higher quality and will last far longer due to the precise, custom fit. It’s also a two-step process because you will need to
wait about 3 weeks while your custom sail is being manufactured.

Method B is less expensive but is far harder to get the precise, taughtly tensioned fitting sail which will ultimately decrease its service life.
Whichever method you decide to use Australianshades.com can support you with the sails and hardware you’ll need to complete the job. Both options are described separately here.

CUSTOM MADE SHADE SAIL STRUCTURES
There are 5 steps in creating a custom made shade sail structure:
1. Planning your structure
2. Installing your fixing points (posts/brackets etc.)
3. Selecting your required shade sail construction
4. Measuring your area
5. Installing your shade sail
Follow these steps carefully and you will create a wonderful shade environment.

Step 1 – Planning Your Shade Sail Structure
There are many, very important considerations when planning your structure, and in fact, this is the single most important aspect of the whole process. Proper planning will ensure that your shade structure performs in the way it was intended.
You will already have an area in mind that you wish to cover with a shade sail. It may be a paved area, a courtyard, a deck, a pool; regardless, the area is known but the “how to” remains in doubt. There may be opportunities for creating attachment points for your sail on areas of existing structures, or you may need to install steel masts to create a totally free standing structure.

Here are a few of the key factors you must consider during the planning phase:

Movement of the Sun
The sun rises daily in the east and sets to the west. As the seasons progress, it also moves from low in the southern sky during the cooler months to high in the sky during summer. Your structure should be planned to provide maximum shade protection during the height of summer, or summer solstice, as this is when it will be needed most.

Sail Design & Architectural Twist
Rectangular or square sails work best when they are designed to have a “twist”, or hypar effect. This is can be accomplished using a 4-corner (or more) sail and where the fixing points, being steel posts or brackets, are created at different heights, such that the sail is then twisted in order to fit. A flat sail is harder to tension correctly, and in times of heavy downpour can catch and hold water for long periods of time, thus putting excess load pressure on the fixing points. Further, from an aesthetic perspective, they look boring. We recommend you install your fixing points with diagonally opposite high and low points, to avoid these problems and create a visual such as this:

When installing a triangle sail you should try and get some vertical slope to it, you will find it aesthetically more pleasing and it will also provide run-off for rain .

Sail Size
You may have noted in the pictures above that the sail is actually smaller than the area between the columns. In order to fully tension the shade sail, we require a space between the sail and fixing points for rigging tensioners, and also catenary curves in the sides of the sail. For larger sails, these tension gaps and catenary curves need to be quite large, to ensure maximum tension and thus maximum longevity of the sail. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you install your fixing points somewhat further apart from each other than the actual shaded area you desire. As a general rule, your sail will begin about 1’ away from the fixing point, although this varies depending on the size of your sail.

Fixing to Existing Structures
Caution is imperative when considering attaching to existing structures, such as your house. In instances of poor weather and strong winds, the loads placed on fixings by the sail are enormous, and should not be underestimated. To ensure that your existing structure is adequate to handle such loads, you may need to consult a local engineer or qualified builder. In our online store you will find a number of specialty brackets that are designed to attach sails to.

Masts - Steel vs. Timber
We recommend you use steel posts, and not timber posts, for your sail structure. Steel is stronger, will not overly deflect (i.e. bend from the ground up), and will not rot. To combat corrosion consider purchasing a steel mast from Australianshades.com which has been galvanized and powder-coated for long term corrosion resistance. We also recommend that where possible you angle the mast
away from the tension direction of the sail anywhere from 5-10º Once tension is applied to the sail the mast will deflect inward slightly but when the mast is on an angle you won’t notice it as much as when the mast is set plumb. Again, because the measuring occurs after the fixing points are installed you don’t need to be precise. If you’d like an even steeper angle just go ahead!