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Shade Sails Canada FAQs

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Detailed Guides

Read our detailed guides covering the most common use-cases and how to install our products

Fabric Information

Product Questions

Are the sides of a shade sail straight or curved?

The sides of a shade sail are curved to ensure proper tensioning. The amount of the curve (catenary curve) depends on the shape of the shade sail a...

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Shade Fabric

One of the elements that distinguish a high-quality shade sail over a cheaper low-quality one is the fabric. At Shade Sails Canada we use a range o...

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Shade sail corner construction

Our shade sails corners use double stitched, triple-layered fabric to ensure maximum life expectancy and safety out of your shade sail. Please see ...

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Stainless steel cable

We use stainless steel cable for a couple of uses. Primarily, it is used in the seam of your shade sail to ensure even tensioning. You can also use...

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Shade sails shapes – Triangle vs 4-Point

As a general rule, we always suggest a four-point shade sail to our customers over a triangle. While triangles can look great, especially when comb...

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Do we make custom sized products?

Absolutely! We make custom versions of almost all of our products. Custom sized products can be made to any specification, check out the following ...

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What is the UV rating of shade fabric

UV ratings range from 89.3% to 97.7% depending on the colour. Your colour choice will not noticeably affect the temperature under the sail. Note: t...

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Standard Size vs Custom Size Shade Sails

Custom Sized Shade Sails are made to fit your specifications exactly, eliminating the need to calculate attachment points on your own. With a ...

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Are shade sails waterproof?

Most shade sails are not waterproof unless you are using a waterproof fabric, however, one of the reasons we suggest varying the heights of your po...

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Planning Questions

Should I vary the height of my posts?

Height variance is the difference in height between your attachment points, whether you’re using posts or attaching to the side of an existin...

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Safety Considerations

Safety is paramount when installing and using your shade sail. We recommend using two people when installing and taking down your shade sail, howev...

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Post Hardware

We strongly recommend using welded hardware to avoid the metal pulling apart under tension, more information on post hardware can be found in the v...

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Can I fly a shade sail on a balcony, dock or deck?

An important consideration when flying a shade sail in any of these settings are the post footings. In this video we cover what you’ll want t...

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Post footings, materials & finish

We recommend a minimum of 6×6″ timber post or 5.5″ outside diameter Steel post with a 1/4″ wall.  Your posts should have a footing of a minimum 18″...

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Hardware kits – what’s included?

Please note – The hardware you will receive depends on the product you purchased; standard and custom shade sails are supplied with different...

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How much should I slope my shade sail?

We suggest a high amount of slope, a minimum of 30% between points. A large slope looks great, giving the appearance of multiple sails in some case...

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How high should my posts/attachment points be?

There is no hard rule on this and depends entirely on what is practical for your space. In most cases your average person must be able to walk unde...

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Install & Shipping Questions

Where should I position my Cable Clamps?

Cable clamps are included with your hardware to secure the cable that runs along the perimeter of the shade sail. The number of cable clamps will d...

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Tightening Your Turnbuckles

Ensuring your turnbuckles are tightened properly is one of the most important elements to ensuring your shade sails are flown safely and maintain p...

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Using a pulley system to install your shade sail

You can use the pulley system in several instances; when attaching the final corners of your shade sail to your attachment points or when installin...

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Installing Non-Continuously Cabled (custom) Corners

There are certain elements that are unique to a custom shade sail, such as non-continuous corners, the following video covers how to install custom...

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How do I install my Cable?

If you haven’t used our Ready to Fly service when purchasing your shade sail, you will need to install your perimeter cable when you receive ...

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How do I install my Hardware?

The following video gives an overview of how to install your Shade Sails hardware. If you would like to see a more detailed video of the entire ins...

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How tight should my shade sail be?

We say tighten until you think it is tight then tighten some more! The sail should have no sag or droop and you should pretty much be able to hang ...

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When will I receive my order?

The vast majority of our products are made right here in Revelstoke, BC. We aim to have these to you within two weeks, but during the summer months...

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Install PDFs

Maintenance Questions

Shade Sails Warranty

Our Shade Sails warranty lasts for a period of 12 months from the date of purchase, against defects or damages caused to the product due to faulty ...

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Hardware Maintenance

Particularly at the beginning and end of the season, there are several steps you can take to ensure the longevity of your hardware, we cover these ...

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Should I take my Shade Sail down in a storm?

Shade sails can withstand heavy winds, however, we do recommend taking them down in extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes. Always check you...

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How do I clean and store my Shade Sail

Cleaning of your Shades Sails can be done by hosing down with a garden hose while in place or taken down and scrubbed with a mild detergent. Shade ...

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Are shade sails taken down in winter?

Yes, shade sails are not rated for snow loading and must come down in snow load areas. Failure to take your shade sails down in snowy conditions ca...

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