How to Create Outdoor Shade

August 12th, 2020 · Published to Shade Solutions

Outdoor shade is a necessity; whether it’s a backyard, alfresco café, beer garden, sporting ground, or any outdoor space where people congregate. Without shade, an outdoor space can be uncomfortable, unusable and unserviceable, and simply bad for health.

You need only read the Cancer Council’s Guidelines to Shade to understand just how important outdoor shade is. For example, did you know that at least 2 in 3 people who have grown up in Australia will be diagnosed with skin cancer? Or that the Australian health system spends more money on the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer than on any other cancer? And, the cause of skin cancer is… exposure to UV radiation from the sun.

A quality outdoor shade structure is one of the easiest ways to create outdoor shade, and it can offer as much as 99% UV-R protection.

Whether you’re a parent wanting to protect your children, a business owner looking to provide shade for patrons, or otherwise; outdoor shade is a necessity.

At Global Shade, we manufacture outdoor shade solutions on a daily basis. We create shade for homes, hotels, pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes, schools, parks, shopping centres, sporting complexes, and more. Therefore, I am well equipped to advise on the topic of shade and how to create it.

Continue reading as I share with you some of the most common and easiest ways to create shade.

Plant A Tree

It goes without saying, the easiest and quickest way to create outdoor shade is by planting trees. Trees provide instant shade. However, only if they are of a decent size. A small shrub won’t offer shade, and large trees can be costly. So unless you have years to wait for the trees to mature, this may be an expensive option.

Get an Outdoor Umbrella

Second to planting trees to create outdoor shade is to get an outdoor umbrella. Outdoor umbrellas are affordable, easy to install and provide instant shade. However, they do not provide shade to large areas; a standard 2m market umbrella will provide just 4m coverage. You can, of course, get cantilever umbrellas, and multi-mask umbrellas, which are lager and will offer greater coverage, but they start to become quite costly then.

Install Shade Sails

Shade sails are a fantastic outdoor shade solution, and I’m not just saying that because I manufacture them! If you look at the affordability, shade coverage, and ease of installation, they offer fantastic value for money! Moreover, waterproof shade sails are available, so you can have sun shade and rain protection, just like an umbrella. You can also get high-quality DIY shade sails, such as those in our range, starting around the three hundred dollar mark or you can also have custom shade sails made to cover vast areas.

Get an Awning

Awnings are another great option for creating outdoor shade. They come in a range of sizes and types, but must be affixed to an existing structure. This means they’re perferct for shading baclkyard entertainment areas and café alfresco areas, but no good for shading playgrounds, sporting fields, and other outdoor spaces.

Invest in a Custom Canopy

My last suggestion for creating shade is to invest in a custom canopy. A custom canopy takes the humble shade sail a step further to produce shade for any area, any space, and any size. With a canopy, as with shade sails, you have the option of having shade or all-weather (waterproof) protection. They are the ultimate outdoor shade solution for commercial applications, but are also the most expensive.

Conclusion

Creating outdoor shade is easy, and is often very affordable – it really just spends on the application and the size of the space you need to shade. The top outdoor shade options including planting a tree, getting an outdoor umbrella, installing a shade sail, getting an awning and investing in a custom canopy.

If you feel a shade sail, awning or custom canonpy will provide you adequate outdoor shade for your requirements, then don’t hesitate to get in touch! We are the outdoor shade specialists, and will endevour to provie you with the most cost effective solution for your needs.