These Australian-Made shade sails represent an investment in hand crafted quality. Thousands installed with a perfect fit Guarantee!
Frontier Shade sails are hand-made using the highest quality shade-cloth fabrics, sewing thread and stainless-steel fittings. Custom made to your exact specifications, each sail will look great and last a lifetime.
New for the 2021-22 Summer Season we’re offering an even wider range of manufacturing options and fabrics. There is simply no better option available anywhere for a custom-made shade sail. Check out the options below then call us on 1800 155 233 or email us for a Free consultation with one of our shade specialists.
Shade Australia have been making shade sails for over 2 decades and over that time we've learnt a thing or two about how to make a shade sail that looks great, fits perfectly and will last for years. One thing we know is that when we make a custom-made shade, customers expect us to use the highest quality fabrics and sewing threads. They expect their shade sail to withstand years of sun and rain and still maintain their shape, strength and high shade factors. Frontier shade sails will not stretch or fade and most importantly, when we custom make your shade sail, it’s guaranteed to fit perfectly!
Please note: If you would like to get a quote for us to custom-make a shade sail for you, you need to have the posts/attachment points already installed. If you don’t have these points already installed, we are unable to provide a quotation to you at this stage.
Shade sails are also known as tension membranes. What happens is that a number of attachment points are installed, typically 4, wherein the fabric is tensioned. Shade sails are made with curved edges, called cutinary (literally meaning; “cut–in” edges). As tension is applied, the cable (or webbing) sewn into the curved edge tightens and thus the load is transferred from the fabric to the cable. This is how shade sails stay tight.
Frontier shade sails are made from a tightly knitted commercial grade shade cloth. This fabric tends to run some water off, but they are not technically classed as waterproof. Commercial shade cloth is porous allowing heat to rise. Some shade sails are waterproof however they have very different characteristics from shade-cloth sails and we do not recommend they for the DIY shade installer.
This season we’re manufacturing shade sails using 3 Distinct methods. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Here is a brief overview of the options.
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Continuous Cable Design This is how most professionals do shade sails. Sewn into the hem of the shade sail is a stainless-steel cable. This cable isn’t locked off at any single point. The method of installation is to fit the shade sail, then tension the continuous cable and lock it off with wire rope grips. |
Pros: Gives more flexibility to get the shade sail to fit perfectly. Requires less turnbuckles therefore giving a greater area of shade. |  |
| Cons: Requires a greater level of skill to get the shade sail installed. Can involve some trial and error in getting the internal cable correctly tensioned. This is typically our most expensive shade sail design. | ||
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Pre-Swagged Cable Design This method involves locking (or swagging) the internal wire rope at each corner |
Pros: Makes installing the shade sail much easier for the DIY installer. All the work is done at the factory so the installer simply has to hook the shade sail up and tension it with turnbuckles. |  |
| Cons: If the cable is not locked off to the exact millimetre there can be some small wrinkling in the shade sail. | ||
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Webbing Perimeter Design This is the easiest type of shade sail to install. A very strong seatbelt-type webbing is stitched to the perimeter of the shade sail and looped around the D-ring at each corner |
Pros: this is the easiest type of shade sail for the DIY installer to fit. The webbing is more supple than the wire-rope and is easier to work with. The webbing is very strong and UV stabilised, so it lasts a long time. This is also the least expensive method of manufacture making this style of shade sail less expensive that the stainless-steel wire rope design. |  |
| Cons: Some people simply prefer cable over webbing. Typically, we don’t recommend doing webbing shade sails for sails much over about 36 square metres or where the longest side is greater than 6 metres. |
We offer our Frontier Premium Shade Sails in the "Synthesis" Range of shade-cloth manufactured by Gale Pacific, an Australian company. For over 20 years we have used Synthesis Commercial 95 and have never had a single problem or warranty claim so we think when you’re on a good thing, stick to it!
This year we are offering our proven Synthesis C95 in three exciting styles:
A premium quality shade cloth fabric with a tape & monofilament construction suitable for small, medium and large shade sails. C95 has a 10 Year pro-rata warranty against fading and UV degradation.
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| Natural | Desert Sand | Cedar | Yellow | Cherry Red |
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| Cayenne | Deep Ochre | Sky Blue | Aquatic Blue | Navy Blue |
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| Rivergum | Turquoise | Brunswick Green | Steel Grey | Gun Metal |
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| Charcoal | Black | Brown | Bright Green | Orange |
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| Purple | White |
Many applications require that the shade cloth sails are fire retardant and C95 FR meets the most stringent Fire standards for shad fabric including CSFM 1237.1 & NFPA 7-1.
C95 FR has all the same characteristic as Synthesis C95 just with the added benefit of flame retardancy.
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| Natural | Desert Sand | Cedar | Yellow | Cherry Red |
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| Cayenne | Deep Ochre | Sky Blue | Aquatic Blue | Navy Blue |
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| Rivergum | Turquoise | Steel Grey | Gun Metal | |
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| Charcoal | Black | Brown | Bright Green | Orange |
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| Purple | White | Brunswick Green |
Dual Shade is the newest most innovative shade cloth on the market today. Maintaining all the proven features of C95, DualShade 350 uses a patented knit pattern to create a shade cloth with different colours top and bottom. Make a statement with this award winning fabric.
This revolutionary shade cloth fabric blends colour combinations together to enhance the design of any out door space from a school playground to an office buioding, hospital sports complex or your home.
(NOTE THE DIFFERENT COLOURS TOP AND BOTTOM)
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| Amazonia | Chameleon | Capri | Citrus | Cobblestone |
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| Gold Rush | Macaw | Maldives | Santorini | Savanna |
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| Sunburst | Topaz |
To install a professional quality shade sail there are some very important points to remember. We’ve written a book called DIY Shade; Shade Sails Made Easy! The book is available in hard copy or PDF. It gives very good detail for the DIY shade sail installer and if you go ahead and purchase a copy, we will refund you 100% of the purchase price when you purchase your shade sail from us.
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| Morning Shade | Noon Shade | Afternoon Shade |
Planning where you want the shade at certain time of the day can make a huge difference. This information is covered in our book DIY Shade. Alternatively, give us a call on 1800 155 233 and we'll help you plan your shade sail so you get the shade where you want it and the time that you need it
Once we receive your measurements each sail is carefully plotted in 3 dimensions to ensure all measurements are accurate. Measurements are then electronically sent to a robotic plotter which marks out the cut-lines on the fabric. Once cut, the sail is hand sewn using large double needle industrial sewing machines. Shade sails are made with curved edges (called "Cutinary" edges) which is a necessary design feature required to allow the sail to tension evenly.
What all this means to you is that when you order your sail you can be sure:
GORE™ TENARA® Sewing Thread is a long-lasting thread which enhances the life of the outdoor and marine products in which it is used. Conventional seam threads on awnings and other outdoor fabric products suffer from exposure to wind and weather. After a few years they can become brittle and break.
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Custom made shade sails are an investment in quality and Australian manufacturing. We calculate the cost of a shade sail based on a number of factors including size, shape, type of fabric and method of manufacture (e.g cable edge). If you’d like to get a quote please use this form and we’ll provide you with an obligation free quotation.
Please note: If you would like to get a quote for us to custom-make a shade sail for you, you need to have the posts/attachment points already installed. If you don’t have these points already installed, we are unable to provide a quotation to you at this stage.
A Frontier Custom made shade sail is an investment in your outdoor lifestyle. We put every effort into making a shade sails of the very highest quality using premium quality fittings and fabrics. We use an advanced computer program to check all the measurements and ensure that the shade sail is exactly the right size to fit your area. We stand behind our shade sails and guarantee that they will look great and last for years to come. We have delivered many thousands of shade sails to customer right across Australia and around the world. We would love the opportunity to discuss your shade sail project.
Give us a call today on 1800 155 233 to discuss your shade sail project.
We acknowledge that installing a shade sail isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. If you’re not a handy person or you don’t like digging holes or working on a ladder then we suggest that installing a DIY shade sails probably isn’t for you. If however you’re reasonable handy and don’t mind a bit of work then you should have no problem installing one of these shade sails. We recommend you pick up a copy of our book DIY Shade, Shade sails Made Easy (100% refund when you purchase your sail) and read it before you start your project. It will help you avoid most of the common mistakes people make when installing their own shade sail.
Probably digging the holes. Even for a moderately sized shade sail, the holes need to be around 1.2 metres deep.
Once you know how big you want your shade sail to be, contact us and we will give you engineering details on exactly how big to make the footings and what size the poles need to be.
Typically Yes but all local councils have different regulations and you should definitely check with them before proceeding. Having said that, most people who we supply shade sails for in their homes choose not to seek council approval.
You need to be very careful here. Many people do attach shade sails to their houses but they do-so with out any engineer certification. Brick walls are designed for bearing loads – i.e. pressing down, not lateral loads, i.e., pulling out. If the shade sail exerts to much pressure on a brick wall it can pull out bricks or even pull the wall down resulting in serious damage and perhaps even serious injury. For this reason, we recommend that shade sails should be installed with ‘poles in holes’. That way we can control the loadings and ensure everything will be safe and secure.
Yes but with care and caution. We sell different types of rafter brackets for attaching shade sails to houses but care must be exercised as excess loadings can damage roof structures. The rule of thumb here is that small shade sails in sheltered areas can be attached to roof structures using brackets and fittings which are certified for the job.
Shade sails made from Synthesis C95 come with a 10 year manufacturers warranty on the fabric. The thread we use also has a 10 year warranty. Cheaper shade sails use cheaper sewing threads and this is where they fall apart. We extend a 3 Year workmanship warranty on our shade sails.
Unfortunately, Shade Australia does not offer a Measure, Quote and Installation Service.
Once we know the size of your shade sail we can give you a written quotation.
On all custom made and made to order products we request a 50% part payment to get the job started with the balance payable once the item has been manufactured and before dispatch.
You should allow 2-3 weeks from sign-off of your shade sail until delivery. This is often longer during the busy summer months and shorter during winter.
Your shade sail will be very tight when you first go to fit it. This is normal. Over time the fabric will stretch a little and will require further tensioning. We guarantee that your shade sail will fit correctly.
No. Shade sails are made from a polyethylene material which is petroleum based. Typically, if a shade sail catches fire it will smoulder and burn with black smoke. If it is not fanned by wind, typically the flame will naturally extinguish. There are fire resistant brands of shade cloth and we can use this material to manufacture your shade sail if required.
Fabric: 10 Years Pro rata against UV degradation.
Stitching thread: 10 Years Pro rata against UV degradation.
Workmanship: 3 Years Workmanship warranty
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| Fabric: 10 Years Pro rata against UV degradation. | Stitching thread: 10 Years Pro rata against UV degradation. | Workmanship: 3 Years Workmanship warranty |
Shade Australia is proud to extend on behalf of the manufacturer a 10 Year Frame and Stitching Warranty. Manufacturers offer warranty as Pro rata meaning that it is a proportional warranty. If for example, your shade sail deteriorated after 9 years then the manufacturer, at their discretion, may reimburse you for one years loss of use.
Warranty covers the shade sail for use in normal conditions. Shade sails are not warranted for damage caused in excessively strong winds or cyclones. They are not covered for damage caused by falling braches or other accidents. The warranty does not cover damage caused by wind, modification or misuse. Should a warranty claim be made it is the responsibility of the customer to get the umbrella back to us or a repair depot which we designate. The condition of the shade sail. will be assessed and if it is a legitimate warranty claim, we will carry out the repairs at our cost and return the shade sail to you at our cost.
We can deliver your new Australia Wide and Internationally.
Your shade sails takes approximately 2 weeks to manufacture. Once we have the sail back from the factory we will contact you to arrange delivery. Once we dispatch your shade sail, we email you the Consignment Number. This allows you to log onto the couriers website (e.g. TNT) and track your delivery so you know when it is going to be delivered.
We do our best to ensure your shade sail is packaged securely and arrives safely.
The cost of delivery reflects the actual cost of preparing the item for shipment and the courier charges. Shipping for us is a service associated with getting your goods to you safely and smoothly. We do not charge any profit margin on shipping.
THIS IS A MADE TO ORDER PRODUCT
As this product is made to order to your specifications and colours we are unable to accept returns due to change of mind (including if the product does not fit due to incorrect measurements). Your satisfaction is of the utmost importance to us so please triple check all details before confirming your order.
Upon the arrival of your product, we encourage you to check and make sure that the product has been made to the measurements and colours that you specified as soon as possible without removing or throwing away any packaging.
If we shipped you an item that is incorrect or damaged, you will be eligible for an exchange. When requesting for the exchange, please be ready to provide customer service with photographs clearly showing the problem as soon as possible. If you believe your item was damaged during shipping, we will need photographs showing the damaged packaging as well.
Please note: Percieved colour differences due to the display settings on your computer monitor are not grounds for a refund or exchange. If you would like to view our colours please call 1800 155 233 and ask one of our customer service team for a fabric sample delivered to you free of charge.
Cancellation Policy
It is important to note that this product is made to order, whether you ordered a standard size or provided custom measurements and colours, materials cannot be reused once the manufacturing process has begun. The good news is that after placing your order there is still time to change your mind:
Shop with Confidence at Shade Australia.
At Shade Australia, your complete satisfaction is our number one priority.
Detailed information including measurements and other technical information is listed in each product page. If you require more information, call us on our Free-call Number: 1800 155 233 where our sales team will be happy to assist in answering any questions, no matter how small. Your satisfaction and experience purchasing from our website is paramount and that includes ensuring the colour and the product is fit for your purpose.
Our Returns Policy covers the common reasons you may wish to return something.
Change of Mind
This happens and we understand. Contact us within 30 days of receiving the items to organise return. Postage for returns due to change of mind is at the buyer’s expense. The items will be inspected upon return (refer to Refund note below).
It doesn’t fit
Contact us to arrange return for a refund or exchange. Postage for returns due to incorrect fit is at the buyer’s expense The items will be inspected upon return (refer to Refund note below).
Colour’s not right
Contact us and we’ll arrange to get it back. We’ll swap it over for the correct colour or refund you. Postage for returns due to incorrect colour is at the buyer’s expense. The items will be inspected upon return (refer to Refund note below).
The item arrives damaged
If possible, reject the delivery if the items are visibly damaged. Otherwise, contact us asap and we’ll arrange collection of the items and redelivery of a replacement.
We sent you the wrong item
Our sincerest apologies for this rare occurrence. We’ll arrange to pick it up at our cost and send you the correct item ASAP.
The item is faulty
This is a very frustrating experience, and your satisfaction is our priority. Contact us asap and we’ll arrange collection of the items and promptly organise repair, replacement, or refund of the item.
Important Points when returning items:
Our Returns Policy is created with you in mind, to give you full confidence with each transaction you make at Shade Australia. If you are unclear about any aspect of our Returns Policy please feel welcome to call us during business hours on Free-call 1800 155 233 or email info@shadeaustralia.com.au.
