Diy Shade eBook

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DIY Shade – Shadesails Made Easy

© 2012 www.diyshade.com.au Page 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Disclaimer

Whilst every attempt has been made to provide accurate information it must be understood that shadesails should only be installed by suitably capable and qualified persons.

Safe working methods must be adhered to at all times. Such methods may be dictated by specificonsite circumstances which are outside the scope of this book. It is incumbent on the reader to

familiarize themself with such methods and to apply them at all times.

If you do not have the necessary experience or ability in this area it is recommended that a buildingprofessional be engaged to install your shade sail and you use the information in this book to act as a

supervisor or consultant to the project.

All information in this document is provided as general guide only. Specific site considerations mustalways be taken into account. It is incumbent upon the person reading this book to make all

necessary safety checks and take all necessary precautions and preparations regarding their ownsafety and that of others. It is recommended that for specific engineering and installation matters that

suitably qualified professionals be engaged or consulted. The author of this book does not acceptany liability whatsoever for the way in which this information is used or applied. Furthermore, allliability for damage, loss, injury or expense whether direct or indirect arising from the use of this

information is expressly excluded to the full extent of exclusions under Federal and state law. No

warranties are extended to any works carried out by any persons using information in this book. Nopromises are made as to any end result any one person may or may-not achieve from reading and/oremploying any information covered in this book. It should be noted that this book must be read onlyupon acceptance of these stated terms. Should any person not accept these terms in their entiretythey should immediately contact Shade Australia within 5 days of purchase of this book whereupon

they will be supplied with a full refund.





Do It Yourself Shade

Shadesails Made Easy

by Andy McLeod

About the Author

Andy McLeod founded his company Shade Australia in the summer of 2000 believing that asthe hottest country on earth with the highest rate of preventable skin cancer in the world,Australia should be the leader in the provision of high quality shade for outdoor activities.

Andy has been involved in the design, manufacture and installation of thousands ofshadesails and this book is a compilation of the knowledge he has gained over that time.

If you;• are either planning to design and install a shadesail yourself or you want be able to

direct and manage tradespeople to do the job for you

• wish to save yourself some money

• want to understand what you should be paying• want to achieve a safe, strong structure

• want to make sure the shade is cast where you want it

then this book has been written for you!

Shade Australia supplies shadesails to customers across Australia and around the world.The company has customers in New Zealand, Greece, Italy, Canada (yes really), UnitedKingdom, USA, South Africa, France and beyond.

Important Note: This edition of DIY Shade is written from a Southern Hemisphereperspective. All measurements are metric.





Chapter 1: Introduction To Shadesails

Over recent years, shadesails have becomeincreasingly popular. In many public spaces suchas schools and parks, the provision of shade isnow a statutory requirement. This isunderstandable when it can take just 11 minutesof exposure to mild UV radiation for the skin toexhibit the first signs of sunburn. Shadesails todayare sophisticated structures that are designed andengineered to look great and be safe in a varietyof conditions. They are made from advancedpolymers (usually polyethylene with UV inhibitors)and are designed to withstand the suns UV rays

for up to a decade. Of course, this has not alwaysbeen the case and shade sails in some form havebeen around for thousands of years. Theshadesails today are essentially an evolution of theancient Bedouin tents. These tents wereconstructed using wooden columns with a canvascanopy stretched over them and held secure byguy ropes. Like this one many had sides and wereused as living quarters. Shadesails today typicallydon’t have sides, they only have the roof structureand are installed more to provide safe UV zones for

short-stay outdoor activities.

Shadesails have become popular as they;

• are a cost effective way to span large areas

• look aesthetically pleasing

• are a proven system for blocking UV Radiation

• are infinitely flexible in size, shape and design• are relatively easy (once you know how) to install

Commonly referred to as ‘tension membrane structures’ the types of shadesails we discussin this book are quite sophisticated. They use the latest technology in shading materials and

rely on engineer certified columns and fittings to create striking structures that not only lookspectacular but also provide high levels of UV protection. In fact, it is recommended that theshades today provide a minimum level of at least 94% UV protection.

Why install a Shadesail

The simple fact is, most Summer outdoor activitiesthese days require us to protect ourselves from UVradiation (UVR). Whether it’s sunscreen, shade orprotective clothing, the provision of some UVprotective during the hotter months of the year isnow mandatory. The provision of high quality shade

in outdoor areas where people congregate is

Why We Love Shade

Think about it, the hotter it getsthe harder it works, it runs forfree, it’s 100% environmentallyfriendly and without a doubtquality shade is the safestsunscreen ever invented.





arguably the safest form of protection there is.

In fact, according to a leading specialist in this area, Architect, John Greenwood;

“The provision of quality shade is the single most important way [people] can protect

themselves from the increasing levels of UV radiation.”

Shadesails are a cost effective way to cover large areas. The main reasons for installing ashadesail would be:

• to provide protection from the sun and dangerous UV radiation

• to create cool outdoor areas where people can safely congregate

• to provide aesthetically pleasing structures to make areas look modern and inviting

Shadesails are installed in a vast range of situations. Some of the most common areaswhere shadesails are installed include;

•

Swimming pools• Courtyards

• Cafes, Restaurants and outdoor dining areas

• As awnings or verandas

• In agricultural applications to provide shade to animals including sheep and cattle,horses, aquaculture, horticultural

• Car parks

What is and What is Not a Shadesail

Before we get too far along, let’s define what is and what is not a shadesail. Firstly we’retalking about Shade Cloth Sails, we’re not talking about

waterproof sails which are made from a different materialand have different characteristics.

This is a shadesail. It has three or four (or more) outerattachment points but no internal structure. The tensionis achieved by pulling outwards at the corners. Cable orwebbing stitched into a perimeter hem of the sail istightened and the fabric sail takes shape. Nothing isholding it up in the middle, only the tension exerted on itfrom the corners. This is why shadesails are oftenreferred to as “tension membrane structures.”

This is not a shadesail. Although it has four (or more)outer posts and the canopy is made from shade fabric,the difference is that this structure has internal supportsover which the fabric is suspended. This frame supportsthe fabric as opposed to a shadesail where there is nointernal frame. What we are looking at here is a ShadeStructure, (or a hip and ridge structure) not a shadesail.

This is not a shadesail. This is a shade canopy. It hasregularly spaced eyelets punched into its perimetersimilar to a tarpaulin. It is then laced onto a supportingouter frame. Shadesails do not require an outersupporting frame.





UVR Facts

The by-product of installing a shadesail is the creation of cool shaded areas which areinviting for people to use during the heat.

Looking at a typical UV index chart we can see that UV radiation is normally highest duringthe middle of the day, mainly between 10am and 2pm. However, on a hot Summer day wecan see that there is UV radiation present at dangerous levels from before 9am through tomid or even late in the afternoon.

UV radiation is the invisible light whichcomes from the sun. It is directly linked asthe main cause of melanoma. Even todaymany people are unaware of just howinsidious UVR really is. They are unawarefor instance that the first signs of sunburncan occur in children in as little as five

minutes exposure to high UVR.

Samantha Conias of The Australian Collegeof Dermatologists advises “Studies haveshown that as little as six sunburns can double the risk of melanoma.”

In Summary

The provision of UV Protective shade in our outdoor areas today is no longer a luxury, it’s anecessity. The purpose of this book is to give you the information you need to consider, todesign and install a professional quality shadesail which will look great and last for years. Ifafter reading this information you decide that the installation part of the job is beyond your

abilities you will be well educated to engage a contractor and be able to give them clearinstruction as to exactly what your requirements are and how the job should be done. Youwill be knowledgeable about the best types of shade cloth to use and how to position theshadesail itself so that it provides the coverage you need at the time of day you need it.

This book will also save you a great deal of money by using the right materials and havingthem installed to the correct specifications.

In fact, I dare say, by the end of this book you will know as much, if not more about installingshadesails than some of the shade industry contractors who do this for a living.





Chapter 2: Planning for a Shadesail

There are a number of important things we need to go over before we start. Let’s addressthem one at a time.

Do I need a permit or local planning permission?

The answer is you should check. My experience over the years has been that virtually everydistrict has slightly different regulations. For instance some council areas stipulate that ifyou are installing any form of structure with an area greater than 10m2 you require councilapproval. In other areas it can be 15m2 or larger. Some councils don’t class shadesails aspermanent structures because they are fabric, and unlike a metal roof, can be removed.Others do because the posts are concreted into the ground and this constitutes “apermanent installation.”

I am not able to prove you specific advice on your local area in this book and even if I did,your local planning authority might just as easily change it’s regulations next month and theadvice would be out of date.

Accordingly, you should contact your local authority and seek advice1. I can confirm,however, that in our experience the following general guidelines apply:

If the shadesail is to be installed in a public area such as park or pool then you will almostcertainly require local planning permission.

Most people who install shadesails in their home will seek council approval if the shade sail;

a) casts shade onto a neighbouring areab) blocks or interferes with a neighbours viewc) is within one metre of a neighbours boundaryd) alters the streetscapee) can easily be seen by anyone

Can I do it myself?

Hopefully with everything you learn here the answer is YES but of course only you cananswer this question. This book gives you the information

you need to make that assessment.

Even if you can’t, or choose not to do the job yourself, byusing the information in this book you will be informedabout exactly what needs to happen and will give you amuch better chance of getting the end result you want ata fair price rather than hoping you are getting goodadvice from tradespeople.

1 Included in the back of the book is an example Local Council Shadesail Requirements Documentwhich will give you an indication as to what documentation a Local Council might need you to supply.





Is a shadesail really the right option?

Good Question! Shadesails have proven highly effect in many locations and applicationsbut not all. I recommend before you push ahead with your plans to install a new shadesail

that you pause for a few moments and consider their benefits and pitfalls. I’ve done a short“For and Against” table below (warts and all ) which you can go through in the context of yourarea and what you what to achieve. At the end of the day, we all want you to end up withbest possible solution and if you decide from reading this book that a shadesail isn’t right foryou then your research will have been worth it.

For Against

• Excellent for creating cool UV protectiveareas for short term activities such asswimming

•

Work best when the area is relativelysymmetrical e.g., 6 x 7 metres.

• Their dramatic architectural look cancreate drama and interest to the area.

• Can be cost effective over large areas.

• They are very low maintenance.

• Flexible shapes and custom shapes canbe made to fit irregular areas.

• Available in a great colour range to blendinto an area or to stand out and make astatement.

• They can be removed during the wintermonths if you want to get the sun atthose times.

• Although high wind areas are notrecommended for shadesails they aresignificantly more wind tolerant thanmany other options such as Folding Arm

Awnings.

• Can not be moved around like acantilever umbrella to cast the shadewhere you want it as the sun movesacross the sky so careful planning is

required for effective protection frommorning and late afternoon sun.

• They are not waterproof.

• They are often more expensive than firstanticipated, especially when having acontractor do the entire job.

• Require firm natural ground for thecolumns.

•

Not really suitable for long narrow areaseg 3 x 8 metres.

• On rooftops and balconies achievingappropriate and secure attachmentpoints can be very difficult.

• A lot of coverage is lost due to thecurvature of the edges

• Further coverage is lost at the outercorners where the tensioning devices(e.g. turnbuckles) are fitted

• They typically don’t have sides leavingthe area underneath open to theelements.

• Typically shade cloth is a flammablematerial. FR (Flame Resistant) fabric isexpensive and can be difficult to source.





What equipment will be required?

To install a professional quality shadesail requires quite a bit of work and some basicequipment. If you do not own everything on this list do not worry – most of it can easily be

hired. Let’s run through the basics of what’s required.

Basic equipment includes:

• compass (or accurate knowledge of where North is located on your property)• long tape measure

• ladder

• drill

• string for string lines

• spirit level• knowledge of the structure of your house

For in ground columns

• Vehicle which can carry lengths of steel (such as a ute or roof racks)

• Wheelbarrow

• Shovel

• Auger• Strong flat piece of timber approximately 30cm wide x 1.5m long

• Underground services plans including knowledge of location of conduits through existingconcrete slabs, Telstra cables etc

Deciding on the position of the columns

You must plan to install the columns further out than the area of the shadesail itself. This isbecause the corners of the shadesail do not come right up to the columns. Most shadesailsrequire a tensioning device such as a turnbuckle at the outer corners. What this means isthat you lose around 30cm of actual coverage at each corner so in order to compensate, youhave to install the attachment points further apart.

Digging the holes

This is probably the hardest part. The bigger the shadesail you plan to install, the deeperthe holes need to be. As a general guide, even with a small shadesail the holes will need tobe 1/3 in the ground, 2/3 out – ie, a least 1 metre or 3’3’’ deep. If the ground is hard you

may need to hire an auger from a local hire shop to get the job done.If you are installing a large shadesail, the holes need to be deeper than this and it isn’tpractical to dig the holes by hand. In this instance you may need to hire a mini-digger or geta contractor in to do this part of the job for you.

When we talk about the hole diameter and depth we are always assuming “ firm naturalground”. Typically what that means soil which hasn’t previously been disturbed. Backfill forinstance in a garden bed will not provide a firm support for the columns and as soon astension is applied, the columns will shift.





Installing the columns

We recommend using metal columns and they are heavy. Usually your local steel merchantcan cut them to length and deliver them. They can be heavy to lift into the holes and this isthe point you might need some extra manpower on hand.

Mixing and pouring the concrete

Once the steel columns are in the holes they need to be concreted in. A typical hole mightbe 50cm wide x 1.2 metres deep. This requires .03 of a cubic metre of concrete2 or abouttwo to three wheelbarrows full. This is quite a bit of mixing on site but it can be done. Usinga concrete mixer makes it easier or what makes it easier still is having the entire load ofconcrete delivered in a Mini-mix truck.

Having the concrete delivered makes a tough job easy and it also allows you to specify thestrength of concrete you need rather than just guessing.3

Fitting the shadesail

This is the fun bit. It does, however, require working on ladders to reach up and hook theshadesail onto the eyebolts for tensioning. If you’re not confident and experienced atworking on ladders this might be something you choose to outsource.

You might decide to get in a tradesperson for some parts of the job such as digging theholes whilst doing other parts yourself such as fitting the shadesail.

How do I ensure that I will end up with a quality job?

That is the purpose of this book. We cover all the information you will need and alert you tothe most common mistakes people typically make when they decide they are going todesign and install a shadesail by themselves. Two of the most common mistakes that

people make which by reading this book you will most certainly avoid are;

1. using columns which are too light / and not making your footings big enough. Boththese things are common causes of shadesails sagging, looking amateur andsubsequently failing.

2. Not understanding the curvature of shadesails and thus not getting adequate shadewhen the job is complete.

2 We show you how to calculate the amount of concrete you will need in a later section. 3 Note: A minimum of 20mpa strength concrete is required.





Permanent or Temporary

As a general rule, a shadesail of the kind and quality we are discussing here should beconsidered a permanent installation. Using high quality fabrics, cables and attachments theshadesails should be able to withstand most conditions. Having said this, shadesails are not

designed to withstand extreme weather events and very high winds. Although taking ashadesail down on a regular basis isn’t recommended (or if the job is done correctly, notrequired), when forecasts predict strong weather events approaching, it would be wise toorganise for your shadesail to be taken down and stored until conditions are back to normal.

Often times many people install shadesails in courtyard areas where they need protectionfrom the heat and sun during the hotter months but in the winter they want use of the area toenjoy the milder sun. This isn’t a problem as there are a number of simple ways shadesailcan be installed so they are relatively easy to take down and put back up as the seasonrequires.

Movement of the Sun

The sun is constantly moving – it rises in the east and sets in the west.

One very important thing you should consider when planning your new shadesail is thisapparent movement and its effect on where the shade falls. My experience is that it’s fairlycommon for people to forget to take this into account when planning their shadesail and theend result is that the shade doesn’t fall where they need it. A bit of forethought and planninghere will mean the difference between a great result and a disappointing one.

Typically what happens is that most people fit the shadesail directly over the area (e.g. anoutdoor table) they want to cover. This works well at certain times of the day but poorly atother times. Shadow planning is quite complex and other than to provide a general overview

it is beyond the scope of this book, however, if you have a general understanding of theprinciples and follow some simple rules you’ll end up with a much better result.

Firstly, if you want the shade to cover a certain area in the middle of the day then fit the sailmore-or-less directly over the area you want to shade. If you want the shade in theafternoon then you need to install the shadesail more toward the setting sun. What happensthen is as the sun begins to get lower in the sky, it casts the shade back to the area youneed it. Likewise, if the most important time you need the shade is in the morning theninstall the shadesail more toward the direction of the rising sun.

Let’s review the following three shadow diagrams to get a better understanding of this.





Diagram 1 below shows a shadesail installed over an outdoor seating area. This exampleshows the shadow pattern on a typical mid-morning (as viewed from the north). As you cansee, the shade is casting well out to the side, away from the sun. If it was important in thissituation that the seating area be completely shaded in the mid-morning period, then theshadesail should have been installed more toward the east or morning sun.

Diagram 2 shows the same shadesail on a typical mid summers day. Quite clearly theshade is right over the seating area. If a well shaded area was required for an earlylunchtime, this would be perfect.

Diagram 3 shows the opposite of diagram 1. The shade is casting out to the eastern sideaway from the setting sun (as viewed from the north). If the shade for this area was neededfor mid-afternoon activities then this would be a poor design. Instead the shadesail shouldhave been installed further to the west such that in the afternoon the shade would cast backto where it was required.





The diagram below4 shows the difference in the Altitude of the sun between summer andwinter. It references the angles of the mid-day sun for Melbourne Australia and contraststhe altitude of the winter sun which reaches only 28.5° on the winter solstice (i.e. the shortestday of the year, 21st June) with the altitude of the sun on the summer solstice (i.e. thelongest day of the year 22nd December) as it reaches 75.5° above the horizon.

This of course has a dramatic impact on where the shade falls at different times of the dayand at different dates in the year.

From a DIY Shade Installers perspective, it’s important that when you’re planning yourshade project that you’re aware of the following:

•

The direction of True North.

• In summer in the middle of the day the shadows will be short and the shade will fallclose beneath the object casting it. (Remember: High Sun = Short Shadows whichcast close in beneath the shadesail.)

• In the morning and afternoon the sun is relatively low in the sky and it will cut inunder the shadesail causing the shade to cast out to the opposite side. (Remember:Low Sun = Long Shadows that do not fall directly beneath the shadesail)

• In winter, the sun never gets very high in the sky therefore the shade never reallyfalls directly beneath the shadesail. Typically winter isn’t as important for shade

planning because the suns intensity and the resultant UVR are not as great.If you’re not sure about all this ‘theory’ on sun angles and shade projections and wish to takea more ‘practical’ approach then I can make two recommendations.

1. Take some time to do a little bit of your own shadow modelling. Watch where thesun comes up and where the shadows are cast during the day and take notes ormark the ground with chalk. I once visited a customer who was doing his own scale-model of where the shade would fall at certain times of the day using a table. He’dcarried a table out to the area that he was planning to shade and over a period oftime he watched and recorded where the shade fell at certain times of the day.

4 http://museumvictoria.com.au/discoverycentre/infosheets/planets/the-sun-and-the-seasons/





After a while he had a pretty good idea of where he needed to build his shadesail toget the best shade for his purposes, he was able to scale-up his model into an actualshadesail, confident that the shade would fall exactly where he needed it at theappropriate times of day.

2. If you are really serious about getting it exactly right then you might want to havedetailed shadow projections done for you. This isn’t as hard or expensive as itsounds. All you need is a plan of your area with a sketch of the shadesail whereyou’re planning to install it. Indicate on the plan the heights of the posts and wherenorth is and the rest can be done for you. I’ve included the contact details at theback of companies we have used to do this for various clients.

Having some Visual Representation Plans (VR Plans) prepared can also be a useful tool ingetting a clearer idea of what the final job is going to look like. We do this a lot for bigger

jobs or if we’re exploring various concepts and wanting to give the client some options. It’snot overly expensive and can be a really useful tool to use yourself if you’re not sure how thefinal job will look. Of course VR Plans are also useful to accompany plans to council orwhen you’re part of a committee and you want to make sure everything turns out exactly asplanned.

The CAD (Computer Aided Design) Diagram below was prepared from a hand-sketch wesent to the Shade Modeller. They provided us with these visuals which we sent to the client.The client was able to get a clearer idea of exactly what they were going to end up with. Asyou can see from the subsequent photos, the CAD diagrams were a pretty accuraterepresentation of the final job and everyone was happy.





The actual shadesail we installed as represented by the VR Plans we had done.

The client was delighted with this installation as it was exactly what they had expected.





Useful Definitions and Dates

Azimuth: Refers to the angle of the sun measured clockwise from north. Think of it like

this, if you point the 12 on a wristwatch toward the north then if the sun was directly behindyou it would be at an azimuth of 180°.

Altitude: Refers here to the height or angle of the sun above the horizon. For example inMelbourne Australia, the highest the sun gets in the sky is an altitude angle of 75.5.° If youwere standing on the equator at the exact same time, the sun would be directly overhead orhave an altitude of 90°.

Zenith: Refers here to the highest point of the sun on a given day.

Solstice: Refers to two occasions of the year known as the summer and winter solstice. Inthe southern hemisphere the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and the summer

solstice is the longest. The winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere occurs about June21 whilst the summer solstice occurs about December 22. The summer solstice is aroundJune 21 in the Northern Hemisphere with the winter solstice occurring around December 22.





Chapter 3: Shadesail Design

How Shadesails are made

When designing a shadesail it is useful for you to understand the basic principles used inmanufacture.

A shadesail is a large piece of fabric manufactured in such a way as to allow it to betensioned up between columns or other attachment points. In order that a shadesail fitstightly and does not flap, the edges of the shadesail are curved. The technical term for thisis the “cutinary edge” (meaning: cut-in-edge). It is also referred to as “scalloping” or just“curvature”. Along this curve, a hem is sewn and into that a strong webbing or steel cable isfitted. On each corner of the shadesail a strong ring is fitted.

When tension is applied from the corners, this internal cable is pulled tight. As it gets tighterit tries to straighten thus pulling against the edge of the fabric and causing the ‘belly’ of theshadesail to also become tight.

Many people ask why shadesails have curved edges and this is the reason. If the shadesailwas just a square piece of fabric with no “cutinary edge” there would be no way to applyeven tension across the entire surface of the fabric. This would lead to;

1. the belly or centre of the shadesail sagging2. the overall shadesail not being tight3. The sail flapping in the wind

If a shadesail isn’t tight, it will flap and in a short period of time will rip out the stitching andflap itself apart.

Typically a shadesail is made with a cutinary edge of between 5-8%.

Cutinary edges on shadesails are necessary. Yes, you dolose overall coverage but without the curved edge the sailwill not tension up correctly.

On this example, if the length of the shadesail was 6metres and the cutinary was 5%, the scallop or curvature

at the deepest point would be 30cm.

Formula: 6000mm x 5% = 300mm

When I first started in the industry, most shadesailswere laid out on the floor and cut with shears. Today,modern technology allows the whole thing to be doneon a plotter-cutter. The fabric isn’t touched by humanhands.

Curved Edge of a Shadesail With a 5% cutinary

Nominal straight edge

6 metres





The corner of the shadesail will not start directly at the attachment point as there must be a‘Tensioning Allowance’. This is because shadesails need a tensioning device which linksthem to the attachment point (e.g. the eyebolt on the post). The most common way toachieve this is to use a turnbuckle and we will talk more about this further on. The‘Tensioning Allowance’ is mentioned here to bring it to your attention at the design phase ofthe project.

There are occasions when shadesails can be attached directly tothe eyebolt in one or more corners. My preference is to avoid thisas much as possible. The reason is that it does not allow anyroom for error. Shadesails are fabric structures and although themanufacturing of them today is quite accurate, they still vary fromtime to time in terms of the amount of stretch etc. If the shadesailis slightly too big then there is no room for adjustment leaving noway to take up the slack. I recommend, particularly as a DIY’erthat you include a turnbuckle at each corner.

Ready Made VS Custom Made

Ready-made shadesails seldom give a professional endresult. The reason is that it is nearly impossible topurchase a standard size sail and fit it perfectly into anexisting space. I’ve seen it dozens of times where peoplepurchase a standard size shadesail, say 5 metres x 5metres square. They then go and put their posts in atspacing’s of 5 metres apart. What they’ve forgotten is toallow adequate room for tensioning. What they end upwith is a sagging and very amateur looking shadesail.

Also common is when people install a standard sized shadesail but for some reason theycan’t install one of the attachment points in exactly the correct position. What happens thenis that the sails pulls crookedly causing bunching andwrinkling at one or more corners.

I will emphasise here that as with most things you really doget what you pay for when it comes to shadesails.Standard sized, ready made shadesails purchased from ahardware store are all imported. Most are maximum 90%UV. The difference in quality between these hardwarestore sails and an Australian made product is exponential.

Types of ShadesailsEssentially there are three main methods that are used to make shadesails and they have todo with how the perimeter of the sail is made.

1. Webbing Perimeter: Typically a webbing perimeter(similar to seatbelt material) is used for smaller shadesails.It can be sewn either into the hem or directly onto the edgeof the fabric to act as the hem itself. Webbing shadesailswork well in situations where the shadesail is intended to beput up and taken down on a regular basis. The shadesailsdon’t require as much tension to get them tight, they arelighter in weight and the webbing is easy to fold into a bagor box.

IMPORTANT NOTE

The best (and correct) way toensure the shadesail fitsperfectly is to install the

attachment points first and then take the measurements, not the

other way around.





2. Continuous Cable: This is where a hem is sewn around theentire perimeter of the shadesail and then a cable is threadedall the way through. At one corner both ends of the cableoverlap. Here there are two wire-rope grips. As theshadesail is tensioned, the cable slides around and finds itsown natural position. Before any amount of tension isapplied, the wire-rope grips are locked off and the tension isthen transferred onto the perimeter cable. This is a verygood system and is widely used. The downside is that forthe DIY installer, it adds another level of difficulty,recognising the right moment to lock off the wire-rope grips.

3. Pre-Swagged Shadesails: ‘Swaging’ simply meanspressing a metal clamp to form a loop at the end of a cable.Before shadesails were patterned by computer, it was almost

impossible to pre-swage or lock off each corner of theinternal cable because it was hard to match the stretch of thefabric to the length of the cable. Today, with moderntechnology this is possible and in fact is how my companymakes almost all of our shadesails. The cable runningaround the perimeter is locked off at each corner. The greatbenefit of this apart from its inherent strength is the ease of installation particularly forthe DIY installer.

Things to look for when ordering a shadesail

There are a few key factors you should be across when considering who to order your newshadesail from. These include:

1. The Fabric: What type of fabric is the shadesail made from. Later on I’ve listedsome of the more widely used fabrics. Essentially you need to be using a fabricwhich is designed for a tension application. Certain fabrics are made specifically forshadesails, however, many are not.

2. The Stitching: Consider what type of stitchingis used. The stitching is one of the mostcommon areas that a shadesail fails. Wefrequently get people bringing in cheap qualityshadesails to ask if we can restitch the

perimeter. When commissioning your newshadesail you should consider if themanufacturer is using a PTFE5 quality threadsuch as Tenara. Although using this high strength, long life type of stitching addsconsiderably to the overall price, it is almost certainly worth it. You don’t want to betaking your shadesail down and back to the factory for restitching after just a fewyears. Personally I’d insist on the sail being made with a UV stabilised thread.

5 Polytetrafluoroethylene





3. The Corners: If you know what you’re looking for you can really tell if you’re gettinga high quality shadesail or not. The corners are a very important part of the sail itselfas they take the majority of the load. The perimeter cables or webbing will come tosome sort of ring at the corner. This ring should be heavy duty and should bestainless steel. Supporting the ring there should be a webbing strap which is sewnback into the fabric. This keeps the ring straight as well as giving additional support.One thing we’ve done with all our shadesails is to build in what we call “CyclonicCorners”. This type of corner has an additional layer of fabric sewn into the corner(called “Doublers”) with extra stitching to stiffen the corner up and make it reallystrong. If the stitching is inadequate or the corner isn’t reinforced, you’re almost

certainly going to get a failure in strong winds.

Pre-Swaged Corner

This photo shows the stainless steel wire in the hem and themechanical swage. The swage is pressed onto the wire cableand locked place. Pre-swaged shadesails are very strong andvery easy for the DIY’er to fit. Before shadesails were plottedon computers it wasn’t possible to cut the wire and lock it off inexactly the correct position.

Shadesail Corner

The corner is the place where everything comes together in ashadesail and where you are able to really assess the

workmanship of a good quality sail. Look for:

• A heavy-duty stainless steel ring

• Webbing which has been doubled holding the ring tothe sail

• Additional stitching at the corner to make it strong.

• Two lines of stitching around the hem of the sail

• A heavy-duty stainless steel wire rope sewn into thehem

• Overall neat workmanship

Here are some other important features you should look for whenordering a new shadesail.

Shape

Shadesails work best when they are a relatively symmetrical shape.For example a six metre by seven metre sail is relativelysymmetrical and works really well whereas one which is say sevenmetres x three metres is asymmetrical and doesn’t work so well.The reason for this is the curved edges.

TAKE NOTE

The rule ofthumb is a

shadesail shouldbe at least halfas wide as it is

long.





In a symmetrical sail the curvature of the sail is minimized across its entire shape. On a sailwhich is long and narrow, the curved edges on the long side are greatly accentuated and theend result is a long sail with a narrow centre.

One way to overcome this is to add additional attachment points. If for instance the area

you wished to cover was seven metres by three metres you could add an additionalattachment point mid-way along the seven metre side to minimise the curvature. This wouldresult in two smaller scallops rather than one deep one.

The downside of this is that it makesmanufacture and installation morecomplicated. If you look at the measuringguide in the appendices for a six point sailyou will see that you need to take a set of 15individual measurements (instead of six for astandard four point sail). If even one ofthese measurements is wrong the sail can’tbe made and you will need to go through thetime-consuming process of remeasuring.Also, adding additional attachment pointsadds extra cost to the sail due to theadditional processes involved inmanufacture.

Size

As a DIY shadesail installer we would recommend that you don’t tackle a shadesail anybigger than 10 x 10 metres. The main reasons for this are:

1. Firstly, because the bigger the shadesail the deeper the holes, the heavier thecolumns and the harder it will be to tension the shadesail.2. Big shadesails can be quite difficult to fit. Often times a small block and tackle is

required to get them tight and most DIY’ers don’t usually have this kind of equipment.

Shade cloth Fabric

Shadesails, also known as shade cloth sails are made from an advanced polymer materialcalled Polyethylene. The type of fabric which is suitable for tensioning applications is aknitted (not woven) construction. Thin strands called monofilaments, a bit like fishing line,are knitted together on large machines to create a very strong mesh. Depending on thebrand and application, sometimes a flat tape is knitted into the fabric which is designed toincrease the shade factor of the cloth whilst minimising the GSM (grams per square metre)or weight of the fabric. Each strand of the fabric is treated with UV stabilizing agents so thatthe material is impervious to the harsh UV rays it will be exposed to.

Over the last decade great advances have been made with the pigmentation of the materialso that it remains colour fast for its entire lifespan. Not so long ago if you installed a blackshadesail within just a few years it you would look up to see that it was now a motely shadeof elephant grey. With most of the leading fabrics today, this won’t happen. If you buy ablack shadesail, after a decade, it will still be black. Some fabrics are further treated with fireretardant agents.

Below is a summary of some of the most widely used brands of commercial shadeclothsuitable for shadesails and when you are looking to install your own shadesail the brand you

choose should be well proven in the market place.

Long shadesail with mid-attachment point





You’ll notice that most shade cloth fabrics today extend a 10 Year Pro-Rata warranty. Thissimply means that if after nine years the fabric fails and you make a warranty claim, themanufacturer will make an assessment and if deemed a legitimate warranty claim will credityou back one years value only.

Brand UVDegradation

Warranty

General Comments

Synthesis 10 yr. Prorata

Gale Pacific manufactures the Synthesis Range ofshadecloth. The Synthesis Shadecloth Range utilises thelatest technologies to combine High Density Polyethylene,advanced Ultra Violet (UV) stabilisers and pigments and thelatest manufacturing techniques to produce a broad range ofshadecloth for a number of applications. Included in therange are:Synthesis AF-230 A lighter weight shadecloth for smaller

projectsCommercial 95: A heavy duty, high shade factor fabric thatcontinues to perform in the hot Australian sun. It featureshigh shade factors of 95% (depending on colour) making itwidely suitable to applications such as playground shade.AF-350: Gale Pacific’s extra heavy duty shadecloth built forlarge shade applicationshttp://www.synthesisfabrics.com

Monotec 10 year UVWarranty

Australian made, the Monotec 370 series is a very highstrength shade cloth. Stiff and heavy to touch with littlestretch this fabric offers an extensive range of coloursincluding many very bright colours such as lime, orange etc. It

ranges in shade factors from 50% to a maximum of 90%.http://www.monotec.com.au

RainbowZ16

10 Year Prorata

A widely used fabric that has proven itself over decades ofuse. Extensive range of colours. Best suited to small tomedium shadesails as it can stretch in some high wind orlarger applications. It has been rated up to 99% UV blockhttp://www.rainbowshade.com.au

Coolaroo Usually 5Year Pro rata

This is Gale Pacific’s retail or domestic shadecloth brand. Itis primarily used for shadecloth blinds, pergola covers etc.Smaller ready made (imported) shadesails are available inthe material. The UV rating is usually a maximum 90% in alimited colour range.

http://www.coolaroo.com PolyFab 10 Year Pro

rataPolyfab supplies a range of high quality shadeclothsincluding:Architec 400: An extremely strong product made for verylarge shadesail jobsComshade: A heavy duty knitted shadecloth designed forcommercial and heavy duty shade applicationsFR Comshade: A shadecloth with fire retardant propertiesPolyFX: A knitted shadecloth suited to smaller shadesailapplications such as covering pools and courtyards.http://www.polyfab.com.au





UVR Block VS Shade Factor

Shade cloth is rated by both its UVR Block and its Shade Factor and these terms can beconfusing.

Shade factor refers to the amount of shade being cast. For instance a solid brick wallwould cast a 100% shade factor (a shadow) where as say a vine over a trellis might onlycast a 50% shade factor. You can roughly gauge the shade factor by looking at theshade/shadow on the ground. If you stood in the shadow of a brick wall, your shadow wouldbe invisible as it would blend into the complete shadow of the wall.

In the picture below, photo A shows a person standing in complete sunlight and theirshadow is crisp and clear. In photo B they are standing under a shadesail. Their shadow isnow obscured by the shadecloth. The shade factor of the cloth is high (maybe 90%) but notabsolute. In photo C they are standing almost in complete shade – their shadow is barelyvisible. The shade factor in Photo C would be the highest.

A high Shade Factor is important when selecting which shadecloth to use for a shadesail. Amaterial with a high shade factor creates a cool and welcoming shade area. Shade factor,however, doesn’t directly relate to Ultraviolet Radiation Block or UVR Block.

UVR Block is a measure of how much potentially harmful radiation is reduced, or blocked bya fabric or cloth. UVR block is an important measurement to understand when it comes toshade cloth because it is UV radiation which leads to sunburn, skin damage and increasesthe risk of developing skin cancer. A UVR rating of 94% is the recommended minimum UVRblock you should be looking for when choosing the brand of shadecloth for your shadesail.

The table below shows the technical data of Synthesis Commercial 95 Shadecloth. This is

one of the main reasons why my business has continued using it for all these years. Look atthe column to the far right and you can see that the tested % of UVR Block for most coloursis very high. Most of the colours test above the 94% level meaning that in test conditionsthis was the percentage of Ultra Violet Radiation (in the 290nm – 400nm spectrum range)which was absorbed or blocked by the shadecloth.





Shadesail Colours

Shadesails today come in virtually every popular colour. Different manufacturers havedifferent colour ranges so if you are after a specific colour you can advise your shadesailmanufacturer or do some research online yourself by visiting some of the fabricmanufacturers’ websites. This chart shows a selection of the common colours available inRainbow Z16.

I’ve found over the years that very light colours including White, Champagne, Natural canproduce glare, especially over pale coloured paved areas or around swimming pools. Also,some of the Champagne / Natural colours can look more yellow than anticipated.

Without a doubt, the most popular colour is Desert Sand. It is a neutral colour which blendsin with most surroundings. It has a high UV rating and doesn’t show the dirt like some

colours. Most of the colours are fade-proof although I have noticed over the years that Redcan fade more than any other colour.





Shadesail Designs

The Hypar Design

The most widely used design for shadesails is to have diagonally opposite high and lowposts. This creates a 3-D twist in the sail or what is commonly known as a “hypar6”. On theexample sail here you can see how this is achieved. PostsA and C are the high posts whilst Posts B and D are thelow. This diagonally opposite installation method is thesimple yet effective way that shadesails achieve such aninteresting architectural effect.

This twist creates a kind of 3-D effect and apart from theobviously striking visual appeal, it achieves several otherimportant outcomes.

1. It allows the sail to be more evenly tensioned2. It disperses water in heavy downpours3. It allows the low points to be positioned toward the

direction of the sun and thus cast the shade back intothe area it is required at the time it is most needed.

When planning to install a hypar sail there are a number ofsteps to follow to achieve a great result.

The place to startis to decide theheight aboveground of the low

columns. This canvary greatlydepending on what you are covering but as ageneral rule, the low posts should be set as lowas practical. This goes to creating maximumshade efficiency. The lower the posts, the lesssunlight is allowed to get in and the bettercoverage you will achieve. It is usually notrecommended to set the posts any lower than 2.1metres. In some council areas this is a necessaryregulation but in practical terms, 2.2 metres is a

good height for the low posts of a shadesail. It caters well for even very tall people whilst notseeming to be too low when you are under it.

The next step is to decide in which configuration you are going to orient the sail. If it isimportant to you to have shade in the mornings then set one of the low points toward theeast7. That way you minimize the morning sun cutting under the edge of the sail.

Next we need to determine the heights of the high posts. There is quite a simple formula fordoing this.

6 Hyper is short for Hyperbolic Parabola which is essentially a twisted effect7 southern hemisphere

TAKE NOTE

A flat sail is a poor design.It will be hard to tension,

look unprofessional,collect debris and in a hailstorm may collect a large

quantity of hail puttingpressure on attachmentpoints. Always designyour shadesail with at

least one point higher thanthe rest.





Calculating the Hypar

Take the length of the longest side of the shadesail and multiply it by 15%.

For example, if you are installing a shadesail and the longest side is 7 metres:

7000mm x 15% = 1050mm

You now just add the answer to the height of your low post.

2200mm + 1050mm = 3250mm

You now know that if you set your low posts at 2.2 metres high you should set your highposts at 3.25 metres high.

This formula is geared to achieve a striking but not overly dramatic hypar effect. It is perfect

for use in most domestic situations as it balances shade efficiency with aesthetic effect. Ifyou want to achieve a more dramatic effect they you can increase the variance in heightfrom 15% to say 20%. Using the same size sail as above is would be the difference:

7000 x 20% = 1400

2.2m +1.4m = 3.6m

The following example photos contrast this effect and give you a good idea of how thefinished sails differ.

This sail give a good example of a gentle hypar withroughly a 15% variance in height between the high andlow posts. It still achieves the 3-D twisted effect withoutthe high posts being to high and letting to much sun in.

This is a photo of a shadesail with a more dramatic

hypar. The high and low posts are considerablydifferent in height. The design brief from the director ofthis childcare facility was to install something that wasvery visually striking.

Gentle Hypar

Dramatic Hypar





Other Designs

High Point Sails

Another common design which works well is the High Point Sail. This works by installingone tall column (or attachment point) and three low points. There are several benefits tothis:

1. The sail is very shade efficient as it minimises the areas where the sun can cut underthe edge of the sail

2. It still maintains an interesting visual effect3. The high point directs a run-off of heavy rain or even hail which will minimise the

likelihood of water pooling in the middle and causing the sail to sag which can lead tostructural failure (i.e. the attachment points failing, the sail ripping or the postsbending)

High Point Sail

Awning or Skillion Design

As opposed to a hypar design where the high and low posts are diagonally opposite eachother, an Awning design is simply where the high posts are set together at one end and thelow posts at the other end. The example below show a shadesail with two high pointsattached back to the building stretching out to two lower columns in the driveway.

Skillion or Awning Design





This design still achieves the necessary fall across the length of the shadesail. Many peoplewould consider this not as visually striking as a Hypar design but in some situations such asthe one shown, it is simply the most practical.

Triangular Shadesails

This is it - the biggest, or at least in our experience, the most common mistake peoplemake when installing a shadesail for the first time. They think they should install a

triangular or multiple triangular shadesails that cross-over. Read on and see why thisis a recipe for disappointment.

If this book could achieve only one thing it would be to dissuade you from installing atriangular shadesail. The fact is, triangular shadesails don’t work. When I say that theydon’t work, I mean that in the context of providing adequate shade. If you are looking for apurely visual effect then you might want to consider installing one but if your goal is to createa quality shade area for a pool or outdoor entertaining area, I strongly recommend that youdo not install a triangular shadesail. I will tell you why.

As we’ve discussed, shadesails are made with curved or cutinary edges. This is necessaryto ensure they tension up correctly. Naturally, triangular shadesails are also made withcurved edges. This curvature cuts deeply into the shade area of the triangle. The loss ofshade area is particularly bad in shadesails which have sides of markedly different lengths.What tends to happen is you are left with a long narrow strip of fabric which provides virtuallyno usable shade. In the industry this is often referred to as the G-String effect. Theexamples below clearly demonstrate thispoint.

The first example is of a shadesail that Ipersonally installed but did not design.

The posts were installed by a builder whothought he knew everything there was toknow about shadesails. He sent me themeasurements and although I mentionedto him that he wasn’t going to get a greatresult, he persisted with his design. Hisobjective here was to provide shade tothis outdoor table which you can seehere. After I’d fitted the sail for him (andwhile he was having a lie down havingmade such a big mistake) I climbed up on his roof and took this photo. It is a good exampleof a very bad example of shadesail design and one I am doing my best to help you avoid.

Many people plan is to install two triangular shadesails instead of a single rectangular sail asthey ‘just like the look’ of the triangles. The truth is they don’t know what disaster they areactually planning. The photo below shows an installation where four columns have beeninstalled and rather than installing a normal hypar sail which would have done a really nice

job, the person has chosen to get a bit clever and install two triangular shadesails to give amore interesting effect. Not only are two triangles significantly more expensive than onerectangle, notice the big gap between the two sails where the sun will stream straightthrough. Notice also the long narrow strips of fabric as the sails taper toward the pointcreating almost zero shade.





Below is another example where the ‘designer’ needed to cover a large outdoor space withshade and instead of installing a series of hypar sails, he chose to install a series of largetriangles. The glaring issue I see here is of course the large gaps between the sails createdby the cutinary edges.





Reasons not to install a triangle shadesail:

• You will get minimal shade coverage especially if the sides are of different lengths(i.e., a long narrow triangle)

• Triangular shadesails are relatively expensive. For a minor incremental increase incost you achieve significantly greater shade with a rectangular shape.

• They require considerable more tension to get them tight

Another thing I’ve noticed overthe years is that when peoplesee shadesails similar to thebeautiful courtyard hypar sailin this photo, the actually thinkthat it is two triangles when infact it is simply a single hyparsail.

I think you can clearly see thatthis shadesail has manyadvantages over two triangleshadesails. Let me restatethem:

• It is less expensivethan two triangularsails

• It requires less tensionon the attachment points to get it installed tight

• It gives a lot more shade coverage than two triangular shadesail would

• It doesn’t allow light to come into the central area where the shade is needed most

• It still achieves the architectural hypar look which so many people desire

This sail below was originally going tobe a triangle. The owners of this homehad small children and they wanted toprovide shade in the courtyard wherethe children spent quite a bit of timeplaying. After quite a bit of convincingwe agreed to add a 4 th attachmentpoint. Even though the sail is quite

narrow at the end nearest the whitedoor, you can see how much bettervalue they achieved by putting in thisextra attachment point. I know, and bynow I think you do as well, that if theyhad in fact gone with their original idea

of a triangle, they would have been bitterly disappointed.

As a final comment on triangular shadesails I would say that they are acceptable if thetriangle is equilateral - that is all sides are the same length. In this instance the cutinary isminimised and a portion of usable coverage is maintained.





Other Shadesail Designs

So far we’ve talked about standard four point shadesails. These are the best and easiest forDIY shade sail installers to start with because if you follow the clear guidelines given hereyou are going to end up with a great result. Many people, however, want to get a bit more

technical or their site may require some of the more advanced options available withshadesails. Here we will cover some of those techniques.

Sail-track Edges

Sail-track is commonly used on smaller sails where astraight edge along a wall is required. The sail-track is fittedonto the wall creating a long straight groove. When theshadesail is made a rope or “Kedar” edge is stitched intoone hem of the sail. This allows it to slide into the sail-trackand create a straight side.

Sail-track edge sails can serve a useful function in somesituations as they do away with one of the curved edges ofthe sail. Generally they aren’t suited to sails that have anextension (i.e. extend out from the wall) much greater than4-5 metres as the track isn’t strong enough to hold the sailin place. Sails with sail-track edges also require greatertensioning than sails without as they are lacking onecutinary edge and thus the other three edges have to takeup the slack. Not all walls are suited to having this extratension applied to them.

Five Point Sails

In instances where the sail is going to be quite long andnarrow, say seven metres long by only three metres wide,additional attachment points (over the standard fourcorners) are a good way to minimise the curvature of thesail. In this example we added an additional attachmentpoint to the side along the house. This helped spread theload on the wall as well as minimise the curvature alongthat side giving greater coverage. What works best is tomake the middle attachment point some half a metre higher than the outer attachments.This helps with tensioning and also improves to the visual effect of the sail.

Six Point Sails

Six point sails can also work really well and are aneffective shadesail design. They work best where thearea to cover is relatively long and narrow. installingthem as hypar design such as in this photo works wellwhere the posts are alternatively high and low along thelength of the sail. Alternatively, making the central poststhe two high columns also works well with the lowercolumns on the outer edges. What I like to do with 6 pointsails is to make the two central posts direct attach, that is,I don’t use a turnbuckle at these two points but rather just

two extended shackles. When fitting the sail I recommend first fitting the two central pointsand then tensioning out to the edges afterwards.





Sails with More than Six Points

Sometimes, the best way to get the job done is to install ashadesail with even more than six points of attachment.Right is an illustration of an eight point sail I put into a

Dog Boarding Kennel. Due to the design of the dog-runsthe owner wanted to cover all of them with a single sail.The sail itself ended up being 6 metres wide by 24 metreslong. It was particularly tricky to install (due to barbedwire fences between each of the dog runs) but in the endit came up beautifully. I did it as a single sail in order togive the most coverage possible to the area.

The sail was done as a multiple hypar, that is high andlow points opposite each other all way along. The benefit of doing a sail like this is to bestmaximum coverage. The downside is a very detailed process to actually measure-up for theshadesail. I would strongly recommend against this kind of design for a first time installation.

Double or Cross-Over Shadesails

Lots of people I speak with love the look of cross-over orone shadesail on top of another. Granted this can lookgreat, especially if the colours of the sails arecontrasted. If you’re planning to do something alongthese lines you need to be aware that there is someadditional planning required.

Playground Shadesails

I make a point here of discussing some very poorlydesigned playground shadesails I have seen over the years and make particular note of acommonly used design which simply doesn’t deliver.

Playground sails are by their naturedesigned to achieve two mainobjectives;

1. Provide quality shade to thechildren (and adults) using thearea

2. Look spectacular and create a

visually inviting play space.My observation is that most peopleinvolved in the planning process oftenforget about point 1 and focus on point2. It is my contention that this is amistake. Function must takeprecedence over form in this situation.The objective is to protect youngsensitive skins from harsh UV radiationand the use of style over substance lets the entire shade industry down.





The design I refer to which is particularly guilty of achieving “pretty” over “practical” is this;where a tall post is installed in the centre with a ring of lower outer posts set around it. Thecentral post acts as the attachment for multiple triangles which are tensioned out to thelower posts set around it.

The photo above is an example of what I’m talking about. Here we have an elaboratechildren’s playground area which has had some very ineffectual (and very expensive) shadesails installed. Observe the massive gaps between the shadesails where the light can enter.Walking up close to the central column where the triangle sails come to their narrowest pointthere is virtually no usable shade what-so-ever. Granted this is a visually striking design butas far as providing useable shade are for children to safely play under on hot days, it is allbut useless.

Side-shades

So far we’ve discussed shadesails asbeing overhead but this does not

necessarily need to be the case.Vertical or side shades can workperfectly well and look great as well.Sometimes, a side or vertical shadeis a better solution than an overheadshade. This design is particularlyuseful where you need to block themorning or afternoon sun and wherea horizontal or overhead shade justisn’t going to get the job done.

The principles of designing and

installing side shades are more orless the same as those of overhead shadesails. The main caveat I would offer here is to

ensure everything is made very strong, particularlythe footings or foundations. This is of coursebecause side shades catch a lot more wind thanoverhead shades, essentially acting in a notdissimilar fashion as a sail on a yacht. If a smallsail and a light breeze can pull a boat along thencertainly there is a great deal of force exertedacross the sheet and strength is imperative. Thissails has a column on one side and on the other itis anchored back to a building. Personally I wouldnot be to comfortable anchoring a sail of this designto a building without independent engineer

certification. It is difficult to gauge the suitability and strength of an existing building orstructure, however, you can easily identify the strength and capacity of steel posts concretedinto the ground.8

8 Although I don’t have any specific engineering for this type of sail, my rule of thumb is always make them

freestanding (i.e. columns in holes as opposed to attaching to existing structures such as walls) and whenreferencing the size of the posts and the footings, always beef them up by going to the engineering specificationabove what is recommended for a an overhead shadesail.





Waterproof Shadesails

Waterproof shadesails are difficult and present many traps for DIY’ers. The bottom-line is ifyou’ve never installed a shadesail before, then a waterproof shadesail is not the place tostart. Let’s address some of the reasons why:

• Unlike shadesails, waterproof shadesails are made from a solid type of fabric, usuallya PVC material. PVC is much heavier than shadecloth therefore it requiresconsiderably greater tensioning.

• PVC is a solid fabric with no give or stretch therefore to get a vinyl sail measured andinstalled without any wrinkles requires much greater skill than shade cloth.

• The most common mistake with waterproof shadesails is not allowing adequate fallacross the surface of the sail. I recommended a 15% variance in height for a shadecloth shadesail as an effective standard. With a waterproof shadesail, this would bethe minimum you would need. The reason of course is that without adequate fall,water will quickly pool in the middle or around the lip turning it from a sail into asump. This loads up the attachment points causing dangerous and dramatic failuresof columns, walls or any other fixture. Also, once stretched PVC fabric remainsstretched and will not go back to the original shape like shadecloth.

• Waterproof shadesails, unlike shadecloth sails do not allow wind to pass through andtherefore even a slight breeze is transferred into a strong force against the sail.

• That means that the attachment points must be much more strongly engineered thatfor a normal shadecloth sail.

• As mentioned earlier, PVC is a much heavier material than shadecloth and thereforerequires greater tension. This is achieved in several ways

o Stronger attachment pointso Stronger tensioning equipment (chains, turnbuckles etc.)o A requirement for a greater cutinary edge. Unlike with shadecloth sail, the

cutinary can be as little as 4-5%, with a PVC sail this should be increased toat least double that. This results in (surprisingly) less overall coverage

o Waterproof shadesails are much more expensive overall. I’ve quoted out jobs where the cost of installing a PVC sail was double that of a shadeclothsail.

In summary, this book does not cover waterproof shadesail as they are a specialised type ofwork. My experience is that if you really want the area to be waterproof and you really wantit to be a shadesail then you should contact a very experienced company in your area andget them to do the job for you.





Other Design Ideas

Following are just a few more for shapes and design ideas that you might also find useful.

Different shapes and installation patterns. A series of sails in an interesting pattern

Concept plan for a double layered shadesail installation using contrasting colours.





Chapter 4: Installing the Attachment Points

The attachment points provide the structural foundation for the shadesail and as such are

equally as important as the shadesail itself. More than any other factor, this is where mostDIY shadesail installers come unstuck – they simply under specify the strength of theirattachment points and the overall job fails to live up to their expectations.

In a perfect world shadesails work best when theattachment points are poles in holes where you havefull control of how deep the hole and how strong thecolumn is. However, you may want to considerattaching at least one corner to and existing structuresuch as your roof, wall or fascia. We’ll discuss whenand where to do this and when and where not to.We’ll also look at a selection if innovative shadesail

attachment points that people have used and discussthe relative merits and drawbacks of each.

Poles in Holes

We recommend using steel columns and not timber. It is almostimpossible to gauge the strength of a timber post as not all timberis created equal. Timber posts bend, bow, flex and, eventuallyBREAK. For any decent sized shadesail, unless you’re thinkingabout using something the size of a telegraph column, you aregoing to run into trouble.

Steel posts can be measured and the strength assessedaccording to set specifications. Below you will see a table youcan use to select the correct size column to match the size of theshadesail you are planning. Most people are greatly surprisedwhen we tell them just how big the columns need to be and howdeep the holes need to be in order to safely support theshadesail. Without this knowledge the layman takes a guess atthe size of his columnsand depth of his holesand invariably,underestimates and afterthe first strong wind the

columns move and thesail sags.

What you need to knowabout Steel Columns

Let’s quickly discuss a bitof industry jargon so thatwhen you go to orderyour posts you get it right.

The timber posts bent andbroke on this smallshadesail after only acouple of months.

1. !"#$ !&'()*+,-). "/--/0

!"#$%&' 2. !"#$ !&'()*+' ",**,- #.(/&,0 3. !"!# !%&'!" $%&&%' (")*+%,

4. !"# !%&'()* "%+,

!" !" !"

!"





Definitions

SHS = Square Hollow Section

CHS = Circular Hollow Section

RHS = Round Hollow Section

OD = Outside Diameter

NB = Nominal Bore or internal diameter

Grade: 350 Grade steel is recommended as it is considered to be structural grade steel.250 Grade steel is less expensive but it does not have the strength of 350

Column Detail

This chart shows the basiccolumn detail. The eyeboltshould be set down approx.40mm from the top. A knock-oncap should be fitted to seal thecolumn. Approximately 30cmfrom the bottom of the column,drill a hole through and fit apiece of reo-bar or galvanised12mm dia rod. This help anchorthe column into the concrete.Place a paver in the bottom ofthe hole to prevent the columnsinking.

After pouring the concreteorientate the eyebolt toward itsdiagonal opposite. I alsorecommend tilting the columnback just a fraction. That way,when the tension is on it and thetop of the column flexes inslightly if you’ve set it back, the

job will come into plumb. If youdon’t do this it can look like thecolumn slants inwards whichdoesn’t look good.

My preference is to use circular steel columns. The reason is because CHS pipe is readilyavailable and because when installed, I think they look the most impressive. The followingchart will guide you in selecting the correct size columns for the size of the sail you areintending to install. My experience is that engineers talk in OD whilst steel merchants talk inNB so it’s important that you know which is which and what you’re getting.

Eyebolt40mm from top

Diameter

Steel column

Size as specified

Knock-on

Metal Cap

ConcreteFooting

Paver to stop

sinking

Anti-twist Anti-lift bar

Depth

Height

Column Detail

Column setback

2°- 4° from Vertical





Structural Engineering Detail

The following chart is a simple easy to follow ready-reckoner for you to use. All the steelsizes are industry standard and should be readily available.9

Reading the Chart

To use the chart firstly determine how long the longest side of your shadesail is going to be.Then, reading across, check the column size you will need. If for example you are installinga shadesail which is 6 x 7 metres you will need columns which are 114.3 x 4.5 CHS. 114.3refers to the outside diameter of the pipe. 4.5 refers to the wall thickness. Next check thefooting for hole size you need to dig. In this instance the diameter of the hole would be400mm and the depth would be 1350. Finally check to see what the maximum allowableheight of the high column can be.

STRUCTURAL DETAIL CHART

COLUMN SIZE FOR SHADECLOTH SAILS – CIRCULAR STEEL POSTS

Square/Rectangularshadecloth sail withthe longest side up

to:

Column Size Footing SizeDia x Depth in mm

Maximum ColumnHeight above

ground in metres

4 metres 101.6 x 4.0 CHS 400 x 1050 2.8m7 metres 114.3 x 4.5 CHS 400 x 1350 3.25m

10 metres 139.7 x 5.0 CHS 500 x 1500 4.0m12 metres 165.1 x 5.0 CHS 600 x 1700 4.4m

**Notes on Column & Footing Sizes:

• All columns to be of C350 grade Circular Hollow Sections (pipes).

• All columns should be galvanised steel.• Typically the low post will be set at 2.2m AGL (above ground level)

• Engineering is for W30 wind regions. Typically this is suburban regions not incyclone areas and not located in exposed area or hills.

• Footing detail assumes firm natural ground. If digging into backfill or uncompactedsoil, the footing sizes will need to be increased

• Columns supporting double connections should be increased to the next size columnand the diameter of the hole should be increased by 100mm.

9 If you require specific engineering details to submit to Council contact: [email protected]





If you would prefer to use square columns (SHS) instead of round columns (CHS) refer tothe chart below. The same constraints as the previous chart apply.

STRUCTURAL DETAIL CHART

COLUMN SIZE FOR SHADECLOTH SAILS – SQUARE HOLLOW SECTION

Square/Rectangularshadecloth sail withthe longest side up

to:

Column Size Footing SizeDia x Depth in mm

Maximum ColumnHeight above

ground in metres

5 metres 75 x 75 x 5 SHS 400 x 1050 2.8m8 metres 100 x 100 x 5 SHS 400 x 1350 3.3m

10 metres 125 x 125 x 5 SHS 500 x 1500 4.0m

**Notes on Column & Footing Sizes:

• All columns to be of 350 grade Square Hollow Sections (SHS).• All columns should be galvanised steel.

• Typically the low post will be set at 2.2m AGL (above ground level)

• Engineering is for W30 wind regions. Typically this is suburban regions not incyclone areas and not located in exposed area or hills.

• Footing detail assumes firm natural ground. If digging into backfill or uncompactedsoil, the footing sizes will need to be increased

• Columns supporting double connections should be increased to the next size columnand the diameter of the hole should be increased by 100mm.

Important Safety Note: Shadesails are not designed to be installed in areas whereextreme weather events such as very high winds, snow or hail are likely to occur. Suchcircumstances can cause structural failure as well as irreparable damage to the shadesailitself. In the instance where an extreme weather event is likely or predicted, the shadesailshould be removed ahead of time

Ordering The Columns

The best way to do this is to contact a steel merchant in your area and have them cut thecolumns to the length you require. Order the knock-on metal caps from the same steelmerchant.

If you are happy to go with just galvanised steel columns you can arrange for the steelmerchant to deliver them directly to you. If however you would prefer to match the colour ofthe columns to say the existing fencing then you’re probably going to want to considergetting them powdercoated.

Powdercoating is a process where by an electrical charge is applies to the metal and then apowder is sprayed onto the steel and baked on. It give a long lasting result and also makesthe whole job look better.

In this instance, you will need to co-ordinate with the steel merchant to deliver the columnsto the powdercoater. Make sure your columns are drilled before they are powdercoated(refer below). Once the Powdercoating has been done you will then need to have the

powdercoater deliver the finished columns to the job-site. Not all powdercoaters offer adelivery service.





Equipping the Columns

The final thing to do in readiness for installing the columns is to fit orequip the columns with the eyebolts and anti-twist/anti lift bars and topcaps.

The easiest way for the DIY’er to fit the eyebolt is to use an “Eyeboltwith Collar” assembly. Drill a hole approximately 40mm from the topthrough one face of the column and fit the eyebolt. You can now fitthe knock-on cap.

Refer to the Turnbuckle and Hardware Table further on to select the appropriate sizes.

The anti-twist/anti lift bar is important because it helps lock the steel column into theconcrete itself. Drill a hole approx. 300mm from the bottom of the column and insert the rod.Use a heavy duty rod of at least 12mm dia galvanised steel here. Make sure the rod is tightin the hole and doesn’t fall out when you’re lowering the column into the hole.

Digging the Holes

Before even starting to dig the holes, it is absolutely imperative that you determine if thereare any underground services in the area. This can include sewerage lines and other pipesas well as telephone and electrical cables.

WARNING: NEVER DIG BEFORE ENSURING THE AREA IS CLEAR OF CABLES ANDPIPES

There are a number of ways to check this.

•

Do a visual check. Follow any pipes, cables or conduits and see if it looks like theyare going to be in the vicinity of where you want to dig.

• Review the plans of the property. Often times they clearly mark where the pipes andservices are.

• Contact “Dial Before you Dig” 1100.com.au10. This is a free service and can be auseful tool to check where underground services are located.

• Contact an underground detection service company. They use sonar and otherdevices to locate where pipes and cables may be located. This is a paid service butif you are in any doubt as to the location of cables or pipes it is well worth it.

At the end of the day, exercise extreme caution when digging into the ground. Not allservices give accurate readings and cables and pipes tend to be in the most

unexpected places.

Getting the holes wrong for their columns is theprobably the second most common mistake peoplemake and the main reason that amateur shadesailinstallers end up with wonky columns and saggingsails. They simply don’t realise how much forceshadesails actually generate, especially when it’swindy. I’ve see it so many times where the

10 Relevant to Australia only. Other countries will have different organisations to perform thesefunctions.





shadesail has become lose because the columns have moved in the ground. When I ask,“How deep did you make the footings?” they typically say to me, (and this includesexperienced builders), “Oh about 50cm – that should have been deep enough, shouldn’t it?”The answer is “no” and you’ll have noticed in the Structural Detail Charts on previous pagesthat even a small shadesail needs the columns to be dug in at least one metre. Let meemphasis this point here again because it will save you a whole lot of trouble later on tryingto dig down the side and add more concrete – Don’t try and shortcut by digging shallowholes for your columns.

An important point to plan for is also what you intend to do with the soil that you dig out ofthe holes. Sometimes it can be disposed of on-site by spreading it around a garden bed etc.but usually the soil which comes out of the holes has a high content of clay and some rocks.If you don’t have anywhere to get rid of it, you’re going to need to think of another solution.Hiring a skip bin is a simple way to deal with this issue.

You can dig the holes by hand with ashovel and crowbar although that’spretty hard work. I’ve used the augersthat you can hire from Hire Shops butthey require two people to manage andif the auger gets snagged on a tree-rootthey tend to spin the handle out of yourgrip and can be quite dangerous. Theeasiest way is to hire a contractor withmini-digger to come in and get the job

done for you. “Dingo” is a well known brand and if youGoogle “dingo hire” or “hire mini digger” your likely to find someone who’ll be happy to comeand do the job for you. Once the holes have been dug they can also remove the auger and

put the bucket on and clean up all the soil as well.Note: If you’ve dug the holes ahead of time it is wise to cover them if you think it’s going torain. If the columns fill with water it not only makes the job much messier but it canadversely affect the curing of the concrete.

Standing The Columns

Once the eyebolts, anti-twist anti -lift bars and caps have been fitted, the columns are readyto stand. The steel columns are heavy so it helps to have plenty of manpower onsite when

this is being done. Carry the columns into positionand using a timber plank as shown, slide thecolumns into the vertical position.

Once the columns are in position, you’re nowready to pour the concrete. Many people confusethe terms “concrete” and “cement”.

Cement, along with water and aggregate (gravel)is an ingredient of concrete.

It’s concrete that you need to fill the holes with, notcement. If you’re purchasing bagged product froma hardware supplier you can buy pre-mixedconcrete (minus the water) for the job. If you’re

ordering in ready-mixed then you should orderminimum 20mpa strength. Many people ask if it’s

Handy Tip: When you’re putting thecolumn into the hole, position a plank so

that column can slide down it rather thanthe edge of the hole. This just preventsscraping soil into the bottom of the hole.





ok to use quick set or rapid set concrete and for this application we recommend against it.This is mainly because it lacks strength.

Calculating Volume of Concrete Required

To calculate the volume of concrete you are going to need I work it out as though the holewas a square not round. It works out to give you a little extra concrete but sometimes thatbit extra really helps.

Say the hole you dug was 50cm dia and 1.5m deep.

To calculate how much concrete to order

0.5 x 0.5 x 1.5 = 0.375m3

If you have 4 holes you need 0.375m3 x 4 which means you need to order 1.5 cubic metresof concrete.

Pouring the Concrete

The concrete goes straight in and moulds around the steelcolumn sitting in the hole. It can be mixed by hand using awheelbarrow or it can be order in ready-mixed. Even if it is notpossible to back the truck right up to the hole, barrowing it fromthe truck to the hole is usually much easier than mixing theconcrete yourself by hand.

Once the concrete has been poured into each hole you shouldstand and orient the column. Using a spirit level ensure thecolumn is perfectly vertical. Orient the eyebolt toward the

diagonal opposite column as this will be the direction of pullfrom the tensioned shadesail. It is always a good idea oncethe column is in this position just to angle it back about 2-4°degrees. The reason for this is that if you set it perfectlyvertical, once the shadesail is tensioned, the top of the columncan flex inwards and it will

look like you have set it out of plumb. It always looksbetter to have the column leaning back a bit than to haveit leaning forward. You can angle it back further if you like

– just be aware that if you angle a column back to far itcan become hazard for people to walk into.

Usually, the mass of the wet concrete is adequate to holdthe column in position. If however it is a windy day or theconcrete is not firm enough to hold the column verticalyou may need to brace it in position so it can’t move. Thiswill become more necessary when the holes are bigger.

Other Types Of Attachment Points

The end goal must be a structurally sound attachment point onto which you can attach andtension the shadesail. Here are some other common ways of achieving this.

Don't fill concrete to the very top.Leave space to put soil back inand re-grow grass.





Bolt-down Columns

Often columns are bolted to an existing concrete slab rather than being dug into the ground.This is generally not recommended. Concrete slabs such as driveways are designed to bearheavy loads but not to have the pulling forces of something like a shadesail column. The

likely result would be that the concrete would crack out or the bolts holding the column wouldfail and the whole structure would fail. Unless you seek advice from an engineer regardingthe suitability of your specific concrete slab for this purpose, bolting down the column for ashadesail should not be done. It is preferable to core drill through the existing column slab.The cost of a core drill is usually less than the cost and problem of sourcing a bolt downbase plate, gussets and welding to manufacture a bolt down column.

Wall plates

It is very common for people to think that a brickwall makes a solid and suitable attachment pointfor a shadesail. The fact is, this isn’t the case.

Brick walls are built to carry loads from above,they are not designed to withstand pullingloads from side-on. Damage to the wall, andpotential injury can occur when shadesails arebolted onto brick walls.

Having said that, it is common for shadesailattachment points to be anchored to brick walls.The things which will minimise the risks in thissituation include;

• Using a large plate which spans multiple bricks

• Only using small shadesails in this area• Removing the shadesail when not in use or in times of high wind

• Not over tensioning the shadesail

• Check to ensure the brickwork is adequately secured to the stud frame of the house

• Not attaching to close to the top of a brick wall but rather ensuring that there aremultiple courses of bricks above the attachment point

Internal Corner BracketOther ways to attach toexisting walls or structuresinclude Corner brackets. Onthe left is a internal cornerbracket which fits into a 90° corner. On the right is anexternal corner bracketwhich fits onto the outsidecorner where two walls meet.Because you are getting thestrength of where the walls

join corner brackets areconsidered more secureattachments than wall platesbut again, they are only forsmall sails in sheltered

areas.

External Corner Bracket





Posts onto Walls

It is reasonably common

to see posts attached towalls. In these examplesthe installer has usedsteel posts affixed atmultiple locations up thewall. This theoreticallyspreads the load evenmore than a wall-plate.

Warning: Unless youhave had the wall certified strong enough by a structural engineer, this method is notrecommended. The danger is that the entire wall could collapse causing damage and

potential serious injury.

Roof Mounting

There are numerous type of brackets which can beaffixed into a roof to create strong attachment points.The one shown here on the left is called a ShadesailExtenda Bracket. It is not suitable for large shadesailsbut is handy for smallercourtyard shadesails.

The bracket shown here

to the right is a simplerafter mast. It bolts ontothe rafter and the mastextends up through theroofline creating aconvenient attachment point.

Mounting onto the Fascia

The fascia board is the timber strip that typically runsaround the outside of a house, usually beneath thegutters. Although the fascia board itself is not strong

enough to mount a shadesail to, by getting in behind itand bracing it up you can create a pretty strongattachment point. A timber beam is placed in betweentwo rafters and butted up against the inside of thefascia. Once secured into position an attachmentpoint such as an eyebolt can be attached to the fasciaboard onto which you can secure a small shadesail.

This bracket can be bolted along an internal rafter andthe thread can protrude out through the fascia tocreate an attachment point.

Note: It is never strong enough just to screw aneyebolt through the fascia board and into the end of rafter, no matter what size the sail.

Timber Brace

Fascia Board

Fascia bracket fitted with coach bolts

Fitting TipsAcc

ess

intern

al timber

fram

e

by lifting

small section

of roo

fline

( ie tiles )

.

Measure

a

nd cut t

imberbrace so that it fits neatly between rafters. Mark holes so they line-up with pre-drilled holes in

metal elbow brackets and drill using a 7 mm drill bit. Screw coach bolts into place as shown.

Replace roofing. Fit fascia plate in position and drill through fascia board into timber brace.

Attach fascia bracket using coach bolts. Attach shadesail to fascia bracket using appropriate fitt ing

Copyright Shade Australia Pty Ltd 2002. Reproduction prohibited without written consent from Shade Australia.

Not shown to scale





Multiple Sails or Cross Over sails

If you are going to simply have one sail

on top of the other then the lower sailcan simply mirror the one above, that is,all the attachment points should be aneven distance below the attachmentpoints of the sail above. With thedouble sails I’ve done I have allowed200mm between the attachment pointsof the sails. This distance is needed toallow for the movement of the sails inthe wind. It is important that the sails donot touch each other at any time. Thiswill cause rubbing and fatigue.

For these more straightforward doublesails the method we use to get the attachment points in the correct positions is to use aseries of stringlines. Tension the lower stringline into the plane where the lower shadesail sitand tie it off. Next do the same for the higher sail. You can now see clearly if you are goingto have any problems. Typically the issues occur where the sails curve and cross-over. Thestringlines will be a clear visual guide to show you if the sails are going to touch. At everypoint there should be at least 200mm clearance between the stringlines (i.e. the shadesails).Make the necessary adjustment to your stringlines.Once you are happy that you have adequate clearance between the sails, you can fit theattachment points and measure up for the sails themselves.

If you are planning something more elaborate such as a cross-over design which calls fordeep cutinary edges such as the two sails above then you need to work carefully with thesail-maker to plan the curvature. This can be quite complicated and is beyond the scope ofthis book to cover all the design criteria you need to consider. By now I think you knowenough to make your first step finding an experienced sail-maker who is capable of doingmore advanced designs and working with them right from the very start – well before anyattachment points are installed! Together you can work-out the design using VR Plans andCAD diagrams.

Columns & Footings

When two sails come off a single column then the size and strength of that column and its

footings need to be increased. If for example Structural Detail Chart says that you need a114.5 x 5 CHS column for a single sail attachment and the footing needs to be 500mm dia. x1400mm deep then if it was now supporting two sails instead of one would it need to beincreased up to 139.5 x 5.0 CHS and the diameter of the footing will need to be increasedout by 100mm to 600mm in dia.

Important Note: The content of this book is prepared for the DIY’er and can really onlycover the more standard designs and installations. More advanced designs are beyond it’sscope and require job-specific engineering, certification and design.





Chapter 5: Measuring Up for the Shadesail

Taking accurate measurements for your new shadesail is critical if it is to fit correctly. In

order to get the correct measurements we’ve included measuring guides at the end of thismanual. Use the one which is relevant to you and send it to the company you are getting tomanufacture your shadesail. They then transfer your measurements into their system and ifone or more of the measurements is incorrect (i.e., if it does not draw up) they will adviseyou before they go ahead and manufacture your sail.

How to Measure

Select the appropriatemeasuring sheet (i.e. a threepoint sail, four point sail, fivepoint sail, or six point sail).

Measuring for a shadesailrequires at least two peopleand a tape measure longenough to span the longestdiagonal.

Start by designating one of theattachment points to be PointA. Work around in aclockwise direction allocation the remaining pointsas Point B, C D and so on.

For a simple four pointrectangular shadesail you simply need to take the point-to-point perimeter measurementsbetween each attachment point. Once this is done, you will need to measure the diagonals.

One person holds the end of the tape measure against the outside edge of the eyebolt. Theother person pulls the tape taut and measure from/to the inner edge of the eyebolt. Record

the measurement on the measuring sheet. Repeat untilall measurements are complete.

Next you will need to indicate the post heights (measuredto the eyebolt). This is because a shadesail is made as a3 Dimensional form. As the heights vary, the fabric needs

to vary also. A Hypar shadesail is not like a flat piece offabric, it must be patterned and this is why it is importantto specify the heights.

Sometimes measuring the heights can be difficult to do because the ground is sloping.What you can do in this situation is to get a string line and run it around the posts. Use aspirit level to ensure it is level. Then measure from the string line to the eyebolt. What we’rereally after here is the variance in the heights and not the actual heights themselves. Forinstance, if point A was 2.2 metres and points B,C and D were all 3 metres high, you couldindicate on the measuring sheet that point A was 0 and points B, C and D were all 80cm.

Finally, indicate which point you want to have the tag sewn onto. This is important because

when you receive the sail and go to fit it, having a tag at a nominated point makes it quickand easy to orient the sail.

Measure from the inside

edge of the eyebolt





Fold Direction of the Hems

Typically, the hems of a shadesail face down. That is where the fabric is folded over and

sewn. Some people like to have the hems on the top-side of the sail as they prefer not to see the stitchingfrom underneath. The downside of having the hem onthe top-side is that as dirt etc. settles on the sail fromabove it tends to collect along the hem-line and after atime a dark mark appears.

It’s up to you to check with your manufacturer as towhich side they typically sew the hems and if you havea specific preference to advise them at the time yousupply the measurements.

You should receive from the shadesail supplier adiagram something like this. Here you can see the

various characteristics of the shadesail. You will note in this example that the errormeasurement is 0.748%. This is because the CAD (Computer Aided Design) program weuse to manufacture shadesails allows for only 0.05 or half of one percent error.





Take-Offs

One thing which is important to understand is the Take-off Length. This is the length that themanufacturer takes off the measurementsyou have supplied in order to tension the

shadesail. Normally this is not somethingyou need to calculate yourself. There arenormal take-offs which most manufacturerswork out for you.

Typically, shadesails have a turnbuckle ortensioning device fitted to each of the fourcorners. If there are more than four pointsof attachment then these additional pointscan be directly attached with a shackle tothe eyebolt. There are occasions whereyou may wish to have one of the points

directly attached to the eyebolt and you should specify this to your manufacturer.

Tensioning Your Shadesail

If your shadesail isn’t correctly tensioned it will sag, flap and fatigue. The most common wayto tension a shadesail with the aid of turnbuckles. As a turnbuckle is unscrewed it getslonger. This allows it to extend and to hook loosely onto the corner of the shadesail and theeyebolt. Then, as it is screwed in again it becomes shorter applying tension the shadesail.

Turnbuckles come in many different configurations and materials. Here we talk specificallyabout turnbuckles in three main types.

Hook - HookThe hook is the weakest part and under high stress (such asstrong winds) can open up. We use these for smaller sails.They are also useful in getting the sail close to the attachmentpoint without using a shackle.

Hook – EyeObviously the eye is stronger than the hook. That is why weuse a shackle through the eye onto the attachment point. Ifthere is a failure, the first thing to give will be the hook endwhich is attached to the sail. If the hook straightens the sail willfall harmlessly at that corner whilst the turnbuckle will remainsafely attached to the eyebolt.

Jaw – JawThese are the strongest configuration of turnbuckles and arefitted with spring-clips which prevent the pins from coming loseover time.

ALWAYS REMEMBER WHEN USING STAINLESS STEEL TURNBUCKLES TOLUBRICATE THE THREADS BEFORE TENSIONING. AS STAINLESS STEEL ISTENSIONED IT HEATS UP AND IF NO LUBRICATION HAS BEEN APPLIED, THETHREAD WILL FUSE TO THE BODY OF THE TURNBUCKLE, A PROCESS CALLED“THREAD GALLING” RENDERING IT USELESS.





Turnbuckle & Hardware Selection

It is important to match the correct hardware, that is the shackles, turnbuckles and eyeboltassemblies to the size of the shadesail you are installing. When ordering hardware for your

shadesail refer to this chart to make the appropriate selection.


Domestic Situation

Sail Size Turnbuckles & Shackles Eye Collar Nuts

Sails with the longest side upto 6 metres

8mm Hook/HookTurnbuckles

M10 Eyebolts with Collar

Sails with the longest side up 8metres

10mm Hook/HookTurnbuckles



12mm Jaw/Jaw Turnbuckles M12 Eyebolts with Collar


Commercial Situation

Sail Size Turnbuckles & Shackles Eye Collar Nuts


8mm Hook/Eye Turnbuckles+ 8mm D Shackles



10mm Hook/EyeTurnbuckles + 10mm D

Shackles



12mm Jaw/Jaw Turnbuckles M16 Eyebolts with Collar

Sails with longest side up to 12metres

12mm stainless steel chain+ 16mm D shackles

Heavy duty steel lug to bewelded onto steel column (SWL

to exceed 4500kN)

**Notes about this chart

• It is assumed that domestic situations are more sheltered than commercial situations andthus the wind loadings are slightly less. If in doubtalways go up to the next size hardware. The onlydownside of this is the sail will slightly furtheraway from the attachment point.

• The Chart refers to the Eyebolts with Collar Assembly (shown here) which are able towithstand greater loads than standard “weldedeyebolts” or “Eye nut bolts”.

• The chart is based on locally sourced 316 marinegrade stainless steel hardware. Hardwaresupplies purchased from other suppliers my not have the same strength loadings.





Important Rigging Note regarding the configurationwhen using HOOK/EYE turnbuckles and a D-Shackle.The D-shackle attaches to the eyebolt on the column andthrough the eye of the turnbuckle. It’s the hook of theturnbuckle that attaches to the shadesail itself. If there isever a failure the hook of the turnbuckle will straightenallowing a corner of the shadesail to harmlessly dropwhilst the turnbuckle will fall safely back against the post.I have seen it done the other way around and a flappingshadesail corner with a turnbuckle attached is potentiallydangerous and destructive.

Hardware Guide

We’ve talked about Turnbuckles previously. This chart gives a quick overview of somecommonly used hardware in the shade industry. As a general rule stainless steel hardwareis mostly used, firstly because it is easy to check its breaking strains and also because it

really sets the finished job off and gives it a professional look.

Image & Name General Description

Welded Eyebolt A general purpose eyebolt forgeneral applications. They lackthe strength of Eye Collar Nutsbut can still be useful in a rangeof applications.

Eye Nut Bolts General purpose attachmentpoints. Again not as strong as

Eye Collar Nuts but still veryuseful.

Eye Bolts withCollars

Very useful as attachment forsteel columns. Requirement todrill through one face of thecolumn only and the bolt is insidethe column hidden away.

Eye Nuts Typically used with threaded rodwhere a extended length islength of attachment is required.

Oblong Plates Make attractive attachmentpoints for smaller sails and canbe screwed onto suitable existingstructures such as timber beams.

D-Shackles Widely used in the shadeindustry for rigging shadesails.





Bow Shackles Widely used in the shadeindustry for rigging shadesails,they have a more elegant shapethan D-Shackles. Similar loadratings to equivalent D Shackles

Extended D-Shackles

Useful when directly attaching ashadesail and extra length isneeded. Similar load ratings toequivalent D Shackles

Twist Shackles Useful for directly attaching a 5th attachment point of a shadesailor where the attachment point ishorizontal not vertical. Similarload ratings to equivalent DShackles

Wall Plate Useful for creating an attachment

point to suitable existing walls.

Stainless SteelChain

With very high working loads thisstainless steel chain is used torig larger shadesails.

Rafter Mast Suitable for installation to raftersto create an attachment point

which sits up above a roofline.

Long Trace Wires

Sometimes it isn’t practical, or possible toextend the corner of the shadesail all the way tothe point of attachment and you may wish to runa trace-wire or extend a chain across this

distance. Unless this is really necessary Irecommend against it. The main reason is thatit allows the shadesail to flap more than itordinarily would if it was attached close to theeyebolt with a turnbuckle.

If this is something you need to do, make sureyou get the manufacturer to scale it back for

you. Specify when you send in your measurements that you want the shadesail to start [1.2metres] back from the eyebolt at corner B. Don’t you take the measurement 1.2 metresback from the eyebolt yourself – you will most certainly run into difficulties. Most shadesailmanufacturers today use computers to pattern the final shape of the fabric and this ensures

that the correct angles are calculated.





Chapter 6: Fitting The Shadesail

This is the fun bit and its what you’ve done all the proceeding work for. You should have

your shadesail up and in position within an hour or so of starting work. Even after all theseyears I still get a thrill when fitting a shadesail and pulling it up so that it tensions justperfectly. Immediately the whole landscape around that area is transformed and you’vecreated something architectural, beautiful and functional.

Before we get too carried away however, we need to follow the steps here.

Carefully remove the sail from the packaging. Do not open a box with a Stanley Knife asyou may inadvertently cut the shadecloth fabric. Before laying the sail out on the groundclear away all dirt or debris which may mark the fabric. Check that there are no sharpobjects or edges which could snag the fabric and cause it to pull.

Orient the sail using by taking the corner tag to the point of the sail that you specified.

Make sure that the hem of the shadesail is underneath (of if you specified it to be on topthen make sure it’s to the sky).

Assuming you’re using turnbuckles for tensioning andthese should now be fully extended and the threadsshould be well lubricated to avoid thread galling.

Using correctly maintained safety equipment and/or aladder, work to the high point(s) first. Attach theturnbuckle(s) to the attachment point(s) and then ontothe sail corner(s). Next attach the fully extended turnbuckle(s) to the low attachment points

and onto the edge ring(s) of the shade-sail.

Usually, the lastattachment point willbe tight and you willneed some form of

mechanicaladvantage such as astrap or rope to bringthe edge of the sailto the hook of theturnbuckle. With

smaller sails a lacing works well where you simply run athin strong cord between the eyebolt and the ring on the shadesail a few times. Thisessentially acts like a block and tackle and allows you to get 3 to 4 times the pulling power topull the corner up close enough to attach the turnbuckle.

It’s quite common for this lacing to be left in position instead of using a turnbuckle at all.This method is widely used in cyclone prone areas because it makes is really quick toremove the sails – you just cut the lacing! If you’re planning to leave the lacing in place itshould be be UV stabilised. For smaller sails I’ve used a 3.0mm ‘nylon starter cord’ (used toreplace lawnmower starter ropes I think) that I picked up from a hardware store but has onlylasted a couple of years before deteriorating.

Stainless Steel turnbuckles mustalways be lubricated before use.If they are not lubricated as soonas the tension is applied they canheat up and seize.

USEFUL TIP

It’s common to use thelacing itself instead to secure

the sail instead of evenfitting a turnbuckle. It allowsthe corner of the sail to get

even closer to theattachment point as well asmaking it very quick to take

the sail down if need be.





Tensioning Larger Shadesails

With larger shadesails pulling up the final corners can take considerably more force. In thisinstance you may need to bring in some more serioushardware. ‘Cum-a-long’ winch units like this one are

commonly used by professional shadesail installers totension up bigger sails. Usually how it’s done is astrong wire rope is fed up from the ground and throughthe eyebolt of the column (or through a pulley attachedto the eyebolt). This end is attached to the corner ofthe sail whilst the other end is attached to the cum-a-

long. The cum-a-long itself is then anchoredto a solid object (such as a car or thediagonally opposite column) and the sail isslowly and carefully cranked into position.

In this example you can see we’ve attached a

pulley to the eyebolt and are using a wire ropeattached to the sail corner, back through thepulley and onto the cum-a-long. The cum-a-long is anchored to the diagonally oppositepost. We very slowly and very carefully crank the shadesail corner up close enough toattach it onto the eyebolt.

Whether it’s a small or large shadesail, it is usually going to be tight to fit the first time andthis is quite normal. The industry adage is “No fight – not tight .” When I’m fittingshadesails that are tight I like to take it very slowly, crank it up a bit, let the fabric relax andstretch into place and then crank it a bit more until it’s where it needs to be. Obviously if it is

too tight and you think something is going to break or give-way, STOP and contact themanufacturer for further instruction. Having said that, a lot of DIY’ers underestimate howtight the sail will be at the firstinstallation.

Once all turnbuckles arehooked onto the sail, slowlyscrew them in moving aroundthe sail and doing a little at atime at each corner. The job willbe complete when the sail istaut across is entire surface and

the edges are tight and springback into position when flicked.

Lock off all the turnbuckle nutsand give the sail a final check.I’ve been in the habit of gettinga piece of light wire andthreading it through the eyebolt of any D-shackles I use just to stop them ever coming lose.

Check that all attachment points are secure and the job is done.





Chapter 7: Shadesail Maintenance

One of the great things about shadesails is that they are very low maintenance onceinstalled. Like anything, however, doing some simple routine maintenance will ensure youthe best value and longest life from your shadesail.

Here is a list of things I would recommend you do to get the best out of your shadesail:

• About a month (shorter if it’s been windy) after you’ve installed your shadesails youshould carefully inspect it to see if it needs additional tension. This is normal. Thefabric is very tight when it is first installed and as you will have found out, it requiresconsiderable tensioning to get it right the first time. After a month of wind, rain andsun however, the material will have loosened up bit and will most probably benefitfrom a small bit of additional tension. This shouldn’t be a big job but it is important

and ensuring the sail is always taut will not only make it look better, it will significantlyincrease the lifespan.

• Every now and again it is a good idea to inspect all the attachment points. Checkthat the turnbuckles are tight, that the pins of the shackles are still securely in placeand that any plates or brackets are in good order. Inspect the columns to see thatthere has been no movement. All these things are important both from an aestheticand a safety perspective.

• This photo is of a D-Shackle I removed from ashadesail in a schoolyard and as you can see it isalmost worn through to the point of failure. Theshadesail had been in-situ for around 10 years I wastold but had never had any maintenance. Although

it was only a medium sized sail (about 6 x 6 metres),over time it had become quite lose and I suspect theflapping of the sail caused the excess rubbing of theshackle pin.

• If you are in a leafy area it’s a good idea to regularlyclean the leaves off the top of the shadesail. If youdon’t remove debris the fabric will stain resulting in dark marks across your sail whichcan spoil its effect. Likewise, any sticks or branches which fall onto the sail shouldbe immediately removed.

• Shadesails can get dirty over time particularly in areas prone to pollution from carsetc. If your sail begins to show these signs then you may want to consider cleaning

it. Beware – do not use any harsh or industrial chemicals as these can badlydamage the fabric. If you want to clean your shadesail I recommend taking it down,laying it on a lawn and using warm soapy water and a firm broom for brush. Thisworks well and brings a dirty shadesail virtually back to new (if you have not left it toolong!). This can be done whilst the shadesail is still in position however standingbeneath the sail and washing upwards is a pretty dirty job.

• Periodic re-tensioning is recommended. If you notice that the sail is a little looser ormoving in the wind more than it has in the past, a quick re-tension is recommended.

• Another warning: Experience has taught me that using a high pressure watercleaner will damage the shadesail. If too much pressure is applied to an older sail itcan result in significant damage. Over the years I’ve had quite a few people bringtheir sails back for restitching because they have used one of these devices and

ripped the threads away from the seams.





Appendices

1. Synthesis Commercial 95 Technical Specification Sheet

Rev.5 02/06

The above results are typical averages from independent testing and quali ty assurance testing and are not to be taken as a minimum specification nor as forming any co ntractbetween Gale Pacific and another party. Due to continuous product improvement, Product Profiles are subject to alteration without notice.Notice: As the use and disposal of this product are beyond Gale Pacific’s control, regardless of any assistance provided without charge, Gale Pacific assumes no obligation orliability for the suitability of its products in any specific end use application. It is the customer’s responsibility to determine whether Gale Pacifi c’s products are appropriate forthe specific application and complies with any legal & patent regulations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION – PLEASE CONTACT:

Australia Gale Pacific Ltd. PO Box 892, Braeside, Victoria, 3195 Phone +61 3 9518 3399 Fax +61 3 9518 3398

NZ Gale Pacific (NZ) Ltd. PO Box 15118 Aranui, Christchurch Phone +64 3 373 9500 Fax +64 3 373 9501

UAE Gale Pacific FZE. PO Box 17696, Jebel Ali, Dubai Phone +971 4 881 7114 Fax +971 4 881 7167

USA Gale Pacific Inc. PO Box 951509, Lake Mary, Florida, 32795-1509 Phone +1 407 333 1038 Fax +1 407 333 7716

Commercial 95™ !"#$%&' !"#)*+, -./$,&+#'. 0/12,

Product Description

Commercial 95™ is a high quality knitted shadefabric supplied in bulk rolls, designed for tensionstructures, awnings and shade covers specificallyfor commercial architectural applications.

Performance

Tensile Strength - Warp 737 N/50mmTensile Strength - Weft 1592 N/50mm

(AS 2001.2.3.1)Wing Tear – Warp (mean) 143 NWing Tear – Weft (mean) 203 N(AS 2001.2.10) Bursting Pressure (mean) 3200 kPa(AS 2001.2.4)Bursting Force (mean) 1758 N(AS 2001.2.19)

Flammability

(AS 1530.2)Flammability Index (range 0-100) 17AS 1530 Part 2 & 3 certificates available on request

Material

Yarn UV stabilised HDPE

Construction Monofilament & tapePattern Lock-stitch knittedTemperature range -30°C to +75°C

Properties

Nominal fabric mass 340 gsm ± 20(AS 2001.2.13)Approximate thickness 1.6 mm

Usage Instructions

Do not use against flames.Contact with organic solvents, halogens or highlyacidic substances may reduce the service life ofthe fabric and void the warranty.Biaxial elastic material properties available on

request.

Features

Strong HDPE fabric won’t rot or absorb moisture.Stentered (heat-set) to reduce shrinkage and forease of fabrication.10 year UV degradation warranty on fabric.Engineered in Australia to meet the harsh climate.

Colour

Aquatic BlueBlackBrunswick GreenCherry RedDesert SandNaturalNavy BlueOchre RedRivergum GreenSky BlueSteel GreyTurquoiseYellow

Code

308766415631308728415662308704308759308735415617308711415624415648308773415655

Nom.Width

3.00 m(folded)

Length

50 m

CoverFactor

96.7%95.9%97.4%94.9%96.5%94.5%96.4%95.4%95.7%95.2%97.3%97.6%94.6%

Av. %Transmis.

11.9%5.1%4.4%

19.0%15.8%21.1%

4.3%5.6%

14.2%5.3%8.1%

10.4%23.0%

ShadeFactor

88.294.995.681.084.278.995.794.485.894.791.989.677.0

Av. UVRTransmis.

5.8%4.9%3.1%9.0%5.2%4.9%3.2%3.3%7.0%3.2%3.3%4.6%6.7%

AV. PARTransmis.

13.8%5.1%4.8%

21.9%19.0%25.9%

4.7%6.2%

16.3%5.9%9.5%

12.2%27.7%

% UVRBlock

94.2%95.1%96.9%91.0%94.8%95.1%98.8%96.7%93.0%96.8%96.7%95.4%93.2%

Tested according to AS 4174 Synthetic ShadeclothAv. % Transmis. = Average % Transmission within the 290-770nm spectrumAv. UVR Transmis. = Average % Transmission within the 290-400nm spectrumAv. PAR Transmis. = Average % Transmission within the 408-770nm spectrum

Approx. roll weight: 55 kgApprox. roll diameter: 0.40 mCore diameter: 35 mm

Suggested Specification

Shadecloth fabric shall be compliant to Australianstandard AS 4174 and shall be SynthesisCommercial 95 knitted HDPE monofilament & tape

shade fabric offering a UV block up to 98.8%.





2. Shadesail Measuring Guides

















3. Rafter Bracket Fitting Guide

r e : upport-brac et es gne to be tte to eaves / ra ters o appropr ate t mber-truss structures support

shadecloth

sails

not

exceeding

5 metre

spans.

Rated

for

use

in moderate

wind

conditions

on

Kit Components1 x timber support brace 90 x 40 x 650 mm1 x steel fascia bracket - powdercoated2 x metal elbow brackets - pre-drilled11 x 70 mm coach bolts ( 1 spare )

Tools Required for fittingDrill with 7mm dia drill bitTimber sawShift ing spannerGeneral tools

Plan View

Metal Elbow

Coach bolts

R a f t e r

R a f t e r

Timber Brace

Fascia Board

Fascia bracket fitted with coach bolts

Fitting TipsAccess internal timber frame by lift ing small section of roofline ( ie tiles ). Measure and cut timberbrace so that it fits neatly between rafters. Mark holes so they line-up with pre-drilled holes inmetal elbow brackets and drill using a 7 mm drill bit. Screw coach bolts into place as shown.

Replace roofing. Fit fascia plate in position and drill through fascia board into timber brace.

Attach fasc

ia

brac

ket using

coach

bolts. Attac

h sha

desail t

o fasc

ia

brac

ket using

a

ppropriate fitting

s.

Copyright Shade Australia Pty Ltd 2002. Reproduction prohibited without written consent from Shade Australia.

Not shown to scale





Contacts & Useful Links

Webshade

Webshade.com.au

Excellent resource for shade planning. Planto have the shade cast exactly where youneed it when you need it there. ShadeAuditing resource.

Shade Australia

shadeaustralia.com.au

Experienced respected shadesail company.

ARPANSA.gov.au Homepage of Australian Radiation Protection

and Nuclear Safety Agency. Usefulinformation about UV protection

Bureau of Meteorology

Bom.com.au

An excellent resource for accessing date UVradiation readings

Shadecad

http://www.shadecad.com

[email protected]

+61 7 54481140

Great for doing shade planning and design.They can provide cost effective CADdiagrams and shadow plans. Very usefulwhen planning a big project or forsubmissions to council.





Example of a Local Council Shadesail Approval & Requirements

SHADE SAILS SHADE SAILS

Building Service Building Service

Information Sheet Information Sheet

Document No: BS-0025

Introduction

This information sheet explains the requirements for the approval and general requirements relatingto shade sails.

Shade sails are generally constructed with steel columns and shade cloth and can be connected tothe roof of a building. They are generally demountable so that they can be taken down in the event ofa cyclone.

Definitions A shade sail is an area covered by shade cloth or sail material that is water-permeable and issupported by columns and / or the roof of a building.

Information and Advice

The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1960 and the Building Regulations 1989require that a Building Licence be taken out for a building, prior to commencing any work on site. TheBuilding Code of Australia, the Residential Design Codes and the Town Planning Scheme set out theminimum requirements applicable to the location and construction of shade sails.

Is a Building Licence required for a shade sail? Yes. A Building Licence approval is required for all shadesails.

What plans and specifications do I need to submit with my application for a Building Licence? Two copies ofthe following plans and details are required:

! "A fully dimensioned site plan is to be submitted, showing the location of the shade sail, inrelation to the property boundaries and existing buildings on the property. This plan is to bedrawn to a minimum scale of 1:200;

!

"Structural details of all materials and fixings of the building are to be shown on the plans;





! "The heights of the sail are to be indicated on the plan also (Maximum height 3.30 metres).

! "Floor plan and elevations of the shade sail, drawn to a scale of 1:100 minimum, are to besubmitted with the Building Licence application. Who submits the application? Either theproperty owner or the party contracted to construct the shade sail must submit the

application. What materials must be used to construct a shade sail? A shade sail is to beconstructed to withstand Region D, Terrain Category 2 cyclonic conditions and, as such, adurable material must be used. Generally, for shade sails to comply with the structuralrequirements for cyclonic conditions, the supports are normally made from steelconstruction. Do I need a Structural Engineer’s design for the shade sail? Yes.

What is the maximum size Shade Sail that I can have?

! The maximum area of a shade sail permitted on a Residential property is 10% of the area of theproperty, up to a maximum of 120 m2. The maximum area is an aggregate of all outbuildings on theproperty.

How far from the boundary of a property can I locate a shade sail?

! "The shade sail must be located no closer to the boundary facing the primary street than1.5 metres, subject to a minimum of 5 metres being maintained from the shade sail to anycurrent or planned footpath.

! "The shade sail must be located a minimum of 1.5 metres from any secondary streetboundary.

! "The shade sail is to be located a minimum of 1 metre from the side or rear boundary, ifthe length of the shade sail or does not exceed 9 metres. Note 1 - The set backs mentionedabove are based on the shade sail posts not exceeding a height of 3.3 metres. Can I build the

Shade Sail as an Owner Builder? Yes, but you can only construct a building of this nature as an

Owner Builder if the value of construction is $20,000 or less. If the value exceeds thisamount, a registered builder will need to be engaged to obtain the Building Licence and carryout the work. Fees Refer to the Development Services Fees and Charges Information Sheetfor further information. Fines and Penalties Failure to obtain a Building Licence for a shade sailis an offence under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1960. The Shiremay choose to prosecute for failure to obtain a Building Licence. The maximum penalty forthis offence is $5000. The Shire may also serve a Notice on the owner or builder to removethe structure. If you object to the local government’s order you may have a right of review tothe State Administrative Tribunal. Additional Information For detailed advice about shade sails,please call the Shire of Roebourne Building Services on 9186 8569. Requirement Checklist

Notes

# "A Building Licence is required before commencing any work;

# "A Building Licence is required for all shade sails;

# "A Practicing Structural Engineer’s certified detail is required for the shade sailrelevant to Region D, Category 2 cyclonic wind conditions;

#

"A full site plan, drawn to a scale of 1:200 minimum, is to be submitted with theBuilding Licence Application, showing heights and setbacks of the shade sail posts;

# "A separate Planning Approval may be required if the property is zoned otherthan ‘Residential’.

#

"Floor plan and elevations of the shade sail, drawn to a scale of 1:100 minimum,

are to be submitted with the Building Licence application. Disclaimer This information




sheet is provided as generalised information. While we aim to keep the content of thisdocument current and accurate, we accept no responsibility or warranties for actionsbased on the information provided. The Shire of Roebourne encourages you to seekprofessional advice before acting on any information contained within this document.Please contact the Shire of Roebourne if you wish to comment on the forms provided

and information contained within. Any reported errors will be amended.

Last Reviewed: October 2008 Responsible Officer: Manager Building Services

Date post:	02-Mar-2016
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