How to Make a Triangular Shade Sail

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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If you want to make your back yard more inviting in the summer sun, try a shade sail over a traditional arbor or awning. It's a worthy addition because you don't need the plants to grow for cover, and it's cheap and easy to put up and take down for whatever your current need.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Tape measure
Scissors
Canvas tarp
Thread
Sewing machine
Post-hole digger
3 metal poles
Water
Cement mix
Coupling hardware
Rope

Step1

Measure the area you want to cover with your sail shade. Calculate the square footage of the area and plan your covering. Cut a canvas tarp to cover that square footage. Hem the sides you've cut so it doesn't fray.

Step2

Dig holes at each of the three corners of your shaded area. Install one metal pole in each hole, mix the cement and fill the holes with it. Let the cement set and dry according to its instructions.

Step3

Install coupling hardware on the poles.

Step4

Run rope from the corners of the sail to the coupling hardware on the poles. Hoist the sail. Pull on the ropes to make the fabric taut and fasten them securely to the poles.

Tips & Warnings

If your shaded area is attached to your house, install coupling hardware directly to one of your walls, rather than trying to install a pole there.
You can patch together a different kind of fabric into your triangular shade sail. Go over the seams two or three times to make sure they're strong enough to hold when the sail is pulled tight.