How to Make Outdoor Shade
Entertaining outside is ideal, but not if you subject guests to long periods of time in the hot sun. One way to create outside shade is to hang a shade sail across the patio or entertaining area. Before installing the shade sail, think about the ideal place to hang it based on the sun direction, where the barbecues or fire pits are located and common wind direction. Since the sun moves east to west, you will want to adjust your sail so that it blocks hot afternoon and evening sun. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 4 inch thick fascia boards (length will vary)
- Post digger
- 8 lag bolts
- Crushed gravel
- Level
- Concrete
- Trowel
- Drill
- 4 eye lag screws
- Pliers
- 4 turnbuckles
Instructions
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1
Determine the location for the shade sail. Typical shade sails are 108 inches in length and width, but for an ample amount of tension to keep the sail from sagging you will need to place posts in a perimeter of 120 inches. No matter what size your shade sail is, there needs to be at least 12 inches of space between the post and the sail corner to allow for ideal tension.
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2
Cut the 4 inch fascia posts to a desired length. To create a high-low profile, use two 15 foot posts and two posts 6 feet in height.
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3
Dig the holes for the fascia posts. According to Backyard City (see References) the footing depth for your post holes should be one-half of the total length of the post you plan on exposing. For example, to have a post exposed 10 feet high, you will need a 15 foot post buried at least 5 feet down. For a low-profile post exposed 4 feet high, you will need a 6 foot posts.
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4
Pour crushed gravel into the bottom of the hole to create a layer 4 inches deep. Partially screw lag bolts into the bottom of the posts which will allow for anchoring, and place the posts into the hole. Use a level to make sure they are plumb, and have a partner hold them in place.
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5
Mix the concrete according to package instructions, and pour into the hole until it becomes packed and slightly above the hole surface. Use a trowel to slope the concrete down and away from the post to improve drainage during inclement weather or watering. Check with the level to ensure each post is still plumb. Allow to dry for at least 48 hours.
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6
Drill a hole into the top of each post, approximately 4 to 5 inches from the top of the fascia. Fasten an eye lag screw into the hole, and tighten with a pliers.
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7
Secure one end of a turnbuckle onto a corner of the sail, and hook the opposite end into the eye lag screw. Do this with all four corners. Do not tighten until all are installed in order to determine which side will need extra tension.
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8
Tighten the sail as needed by turning the buckle on each turnbuckle to create the desired tension on the corners. The correct tension is indicated when the sail is taut, with no creases in the surface.
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Tips & Warnings
Never place a shade sail over an area that will have open flames, like a barbecue.
Avoid pulling too tight on the sail, which may cause damage to the posts or sail itself.
References
- Photo Credit Sun image by KPICKS from Fotolia.com
