Patio Shade Sails
10:54 PM
Our patio is nothing fancy. When we moved, it seemed the previous owners had tried to make it a cage.
So for a while we lived like this, and it was OK, but we really didn't use the patio, because it felt small and closed off.
So I got out my husband's drill and took off all the vinyl lattice.
With the pressure treated 4x4 posts still standing, I planned my next move, to make shade sails for the patio.
After a lot of online research, I found the most affordable place to purchase shade cloth.
WHAT IS SHADE CLOTH?
It's a tightly woven mesh that is mold, tear, fray, and weather resistant fabric. Mine was 90% UV proof.
I bought my shade cloth HERE at Home Depot, they also carry wheat, black, and dark green. This is the best price anywhere. It was $20 for a roll 6'x15'. What surprised me the most, to ship 2 rolls, it was only $7.00. Other sites charge me that much to ship 2 measly yards of fabric!
So my shade fabric came, and I decided these babies needed to be temporary, so I can take them down in the winter, or in the case of a really bad wind storm or something.
So to the hardware:
EYE SCREWS
$0.63 small
$0.97 large
In the top of each post, I drilled a pilot hole
Then twisted the eye screws in
For the hardware to attach my sails to the roof, I had to find the truss.
Just like finding a stud, I found a seam where I knew one would be, then measured 16" down the row, to where I wanted the screws. I also drilled a pilot hole, and knew then it was in fact in the truss of the roof, then screwed in the large eye screws.
The fabric corners hold the sails in place. I sewed each corner around a large D-ring. You can find them in the craft store near buttons/buckles.
Then to attach the sail to the screw/ post, I used carabiners.
This makes them easy to take down and put up.
Another little detail I included was sewing ribbon along as I hemmed all the outside edges.
These serve as ties to hold up LED christmas lights for evenings on the patio.
So here is my patio with the shade sails.
I found the best use of my fabric in being 2 triangular shapes that met in the center. There are 2 seams in each sail, and I used french seams for durability. Then I just roll hemmed all the outer edges.
This fabric is a tight weave, so cutting it was fine, it didn't unravel or anything, making sewing and piecing my triangles pretty easy.
It really opens up the space so we can enjoy coming and going, and makes the patio feel like a room, kind of like a tent/ canopy.
The best thing, is the fact it provides some much needed shade to play under since we have no trees in the backyard.
At night we've enjoyed having dessert with the lights on as the sun sets.
I'd like to get some hanging lit lanterns maybe, also nice dining patio set (which probably won't happen).
There is the hole in the center between my 2 triangle shaped sails. I think I have enough fabric left to piece a mini sail to cover that hole. So maybe more updates to come.
Also, the weather latticed poles. I thought about painting them. But I have a trumpet vine and wisteria planted at the base of the outside poles, so hopefully we'll have flowers and greenery growing up the poles in a while, and so painting them won't matter, although they'd look better now. I may get to that.
Anyway, we're liking the shade sails a lot better than the white lattice cage so far, and hopefully the whole patio will only look better from here.
(I have some more projects planned)
19 comments
you are so ridiculously handy. i need to borrow you for a week or so :O)
ReplyDeletethey look great- perfect touch with the lights!
Love the lights with the sails. It really is way more open, but still has the private feel. Do you have your own fix it show?
ReplyDeletewow that looks great! I've been thinking about doing sails like that.. thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeletevery good idea, now much more will enjoy the garden, both during the day, as on summer nights. Roser
ReplyDeletegreat idea and turned out really cute!
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are the champ.
ReplyDeleteThis looks great! Good job!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool! It looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteLove the thoughtful details on the sails (carbiners, ties for lights). Have you thought about staining your cement slabs to make them look like stone?
ReplyDeleteShould I say that your patio looked gorgeous after you added that shade sails :) The makeover really looks awesome!
ReplyDeletehow much to the shades catch in the wind? i live near boise id and when we get wind here, it really whips through. that said, i love this idea and tried something similar that was a complete failure because my fabric (even with slits cut in it) just caught in the wind and seemed too dangerous.
ReplyDeleteid really love to know how they have held up. :)
Thanks so much! I've been wondering about how to do something like this for our patio for a while.
ReplyDeleteThat's great！I like your lights idea! I want to add some lights to my shade saill now!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for this Christmas. I needed to install some shade sails and this would save me some bucks. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThere are a couple of easy-peasy planting benches on pinterest (I threw together one in a couple of hours, so I'm pretty sure you could have one done in 15 min) that would be precious against the wall to use as a buffet. Made from pallets, so the price is right. I don't know why I am telling you this, since I'm sure you have ample plenty of great future ideas for this space.:-)
ReplyDeleteThere are a couple of easy-peasy planting benches on pinterest (I threw together one in a couple of hours, so I'm pretty sure you could have one done in 15 min) that would be precious against the wall to use as a buffet. Made from pallets, so the price is right. I don't know why I am telling you this, since I'm sure you have ample plenty of great future ideas for this space.:-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your great information. It will be very helpful for me...
ReplyDeleteWindow awning in Chandigarh
I really like the look of shade sails, especially in the backyard. It's pretty amazing that you were able to install them yourself. It would make barbecues and parties a lot more fun. Plus, you have more places to put up lights and things. http://www.shadesofblueshadesails.com.au
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by, we love to hear from you!