Shade Sails – The Drawbacks

Despite the many advantages offered by shade sails, they also have drawbacks. However, do not be easily discouraged from buying one. The disadvantages of shades sails have minimal effect on their usefulness.

Some shade sails sag in the middle

If your shade sail is not properly installed, it would most likely sag in the middle. If this happens, your shade sail would not be able to provide you with maximum protection from the sun, wind, and rain. A sagging shade sail also tends to accumulate water, leaves, bird's nest, and other foreign materials. It can fall apart when it becomes heavy.

A shade sail made of cloth is usually prone to this disadvantage. If your sail is made from this material, make sure it id waterproof, has sufficient pitch, and makes use of stainless steel cables. A shade sail should have at least one meter of pitch so that water can spill over the side when it rains. Stainless steel cables, on the other hand, can help stop the shade sail from excessively sagging under its own weight. They are often used for large shade sails. Stainless Steel cables provide enough adjustment especially when the cloth material stretches with age.

With the right design, appropriate choice of material, and right installation, your shade sail should not sag no matter what the condition is.

Most shade sails cannot withstand severe wind storms

A shade sail is designed to bear up against the sun, rain, and wind. However, most shade sails cannot endure the severity of wind storms and other extreme weather conditions. A wind storm can easily damage, tear apart, and break down a shade sail. It doesn’t matter how securely tied it is to posts or trees because such an extreme weather condition can still destroy it.

To avoid this problem, choose a shade sail designed for quick and easy removal, so that whenever a windstorm, cyclone, or any destructive weather condition should happen, you can easily uninstall it. This type of shade sail is lightweight, small, and measuring less than 500 square meters.

Other drawbacks of shade sails

Some shade sails are not fire retardant. They can easily burn and cause fire to quickly spread to the house or nearby establishments. These sails are not suitable for commercial building use.

Most cheap shade sails are susceptible to abrasions, tears, and scratches. It is recommended to buy a more expensive shade sail so you would be assured of its durability and quality.

In areas without surrounding posts or trees, it is difficult to install a triangular or square shade sail. A triangular shade sail needs at least three existing structures, while a square or rectangular shade sail requires at least four existing structures before it can be installed and used properly.