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How to build the perfect shade structure every time! Part 2

How to build the perfect shade structure every time!

Spring has Sprung! Let’s get out in the great Aussie outdoors and enjoy some sun

There’s nothing better for us than being outdoors, blowing out the winter cobwebs, but as we come into the summer months, we need to remember the old saying “slip, slap, slop” - and seek Shade!

This leads us on to the next piece in the jigsaw puzzle, following on from last month’s issue of Step 1: Design and Engineering. If you missed it, read part 1. 

Part 1 

Steel Fabrication Spend the time to get that weld right!
Sandblasting It's all in the preparation!
Surface Coating at Ellis & Sons Pick the colour, apply it correctly, and they’ll look great for years to come.
Surface Coating at Ellis & Sons Pick the colour, apply it correctly, and they’ll look great for years to come.

Step 2: Steel Manufacturing & Pole Installation

This is the “boring” part of the project, however, probably the most crucial. Get these hidden details wrong at this point and the whole thing will fall over!

Have you ever seen a shade structure where the poles are rusty or the attachment points are broken? – or even worse - maybe the poles are even on a lean from the latest storm! This is where steel manufacturing and installation are so important when planning your sail. 

There is a very important process to follow, and we’ll keep this brief because while some of us are very involved with steel fabrication and site work, others of us would rather leave this to the professionals!  

So, here are a few key questions to ask when you are working through your next project: 

  1. Steel Shade Poles
    Are the shade poles being made from Grade 350 Steel?
    Does your supplier regularly have welds certified by a NATA-approved certifier?
  2. Painting and Powder Coating
    Are the steel members being sandblasted before coating? Sandblasting should achieve a recorded test result of 35 to 55 microns.
    Is the product receiving a minimum of 2 coats and achieving a minimum 200um thickness? 
  3. Pole Installation
    Is 20mPa concrete being used for poles cast into the pier, and 25mPa to 32mPa Concrete being used for all bolt-down footings?
    Is the soil achieving a minimum 100kPa Bearing Capacity?

I hope you haven’t tuned out already – maybe we’ll stop there!

But if you do take the time to ask the few questions noted above, you’ll be much more likely to get the quality you expect and deserve. And if you would like more details, please be free to contact us, and we can send you the full specification.

Heffron Park - Netball Courts
Heffron Park - Netball Courts
Inverell Pool – Steel Structures

On-Site Installation

After all the work in our factory, everything happens on-site...

So there you have it, the “Behind the Scenes” – the unsung heroes that get it all together! When installing your next shade, use this information to ensure that the steel manufacture and installation of your shade sail is completed professionally, and your shade will last for years to come.

We hope you found these tips useful. It's just something we like to provide to our clients to help. Look out for our next issue, where we will share the 3rd and final crucial feature of a successful shade structure!

All the best… until next time!

Seeking a solution for an area that needs shade? Contact our friendly team at Ellis & Sons Group. 

Contact1800 808 769

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