How to Make Garden Sail Shades
Garden sail shades can give a modern feeling to any outdoor space. Placed over a pool, garden spot or a patio area, they block ultraviolet light and change a too hot space into a cool area. Shades are triangular or rectangular shape. They can be purchased but making one saves you a lot of money.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Outdoor fabric
- 1 yard contrast outdoor fabric (optional)
- Grommet kit with 3 to 4 grommets
- Sewing machine
- Iron
- Scissors
- Cardboard
- Nylon rope
- Fasteners such as S hooks, D shackles or double U bolts
- Turnbuckles
- 3/16-inch galvanized chain (optional)
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Making the Sail Fabric
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1
Examine at the area you want to cover. Sail shades can be anchored to a sturdy tree, wooden or metal post, patio columns or the side of a house. Also, notice what direction the sunlight's coming from. This way you can plan what shape the sail will take, how many sails you need and whether you must to build a post as an additional anchor point.
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2
Cut the fabric into the square or triangle size that you need for your space. Most outdoor fabric comes in 58-inch wide sizes so you can to sew squares together to get the size you want. Sew the selvage edges together with a 1/2-inch seam. Then topstitch the seams for strength. Once you have the shape you want, sew all around the edges with a 1-inch double hem.
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3
Make a template of the corner reinforcements out of cardboard. Take one corner and put it on top of the cardboard. Mark a line on the cardboard at the point of the corner and on each side of the material that is 6 to 8 inches from the point of the sail's corner. Remove the fabric and finish drawing the triangle created by these three points.
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4
Place the cardboard template on the fabric to cut out two triangles for each corner of your sail. You'll have 6 or 8 triangles. This can be cut from the same fabric or a contrasting fabric.
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5
Put two triangles right sides together and sew closed along two ends. Trim the excess fabric near the seam and then turn the triangle inside out. Iron it flat. Repeat this step for the other triangles. You'll have one slip-over triangle piece for each corner. These pieces give added strength to the corners of the shade sail.
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6
Slip the triangle cover over one corner of the sail. Sew all around the triangle thus attaching the triangle corner to the sail. Repeat this step for all the corners.
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7
Use the grommet kit to attach the grommets to each corner of the sail shade.
Erecting Sail Shades
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1
Put in a post made out of either treated lumber, cedar or metal as an anchor point if needed. Embed the post in cement.
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2
Attach a connector to each corner of the sail and then tie a rope to the connector. Add a turnbuckle to the end of the rope to help with tensioning later. Then attach the rope by some means to the anchor points in your garden or patio. If needed, you can use a chain along with or in place of the rope.
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3
Hoist the sail up into place. Pull the ropes so that the fabric's taunt with no wrinkles or creases. Be careful not to overtighten. Use the turnbuckles to help with the final tightening. Once tightened, the sail shouldn't flap in the breeze.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Use the leftover fabric to make matching outdoor decorations such as tablecloths, seat pillows and cushions.
Over time, the sail will loosen a little. Use the turnbuckles to keep it tight.
When planning your shade space, avoid erecting a sail over or near a grill or barbecue pit. It's a fire hazard.
Check with your housing group's or city's building regulations before installing your shade sail.
