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Shade sails have become part of the Australian landscape. Frontier™ Custom made shade sails represent the very best in style and function. They are made using advanced computer aided design and robotic plotter cutters. The stated goal is to deliver A Professional quality sail for DIY installation. If you’re planning to install a shade sail over your pool or outdoor area talk to us first to ensure that all the attachment points are adequately secure so that when your new shade sail arrives, it will go up easily and stay up for year to come.
What is a shade sail? 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 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. Shade sails are not waterproof.
“The new shade sail us up and it looks terrific. My 12 year old son put it up before I got home from work yesterday. Thank you Shade Australia for all your help, we’re delighted.”
-Allan M.
Pricing
Custom made shade sail are priced by their perimeter metres. Once we have your measurements we can give you an exact quotation. For us to provide a written quotation we will need your exact point-to-point measurements. When we draw up your sail in our computer program and all the measurements are accurate, we are then able to provide you with a written quotation.
Important Note: Frontier Custom-made shade sails represent an investment in a sun-safe outdoor lifestyle. They are made using the highest quality fabrics and fittings by highly experienced craftsmen and women in an Australian owned ISO 9001 Quality Assured Factory. This system ensures perfect fit and guaranteed quality. Some other companies manufacture their shade sails overseas and use cheaper fabrics and fittings so of course their price will be cheaper. Frontier™ Shade sails by Shade Australia represent the best in shade sail design and manufacture. Their price may be higher than some other companies but we can guarantee that so is the quality.
Shapes & Sizes
The beauty of custom made shade sails is that they can be virtually any shape or size. However:
- For the DIY installer we recommend going no larger than a sail which is 10 x 10 metres. Any bigger than this and specialised equipment is needed to tension the sail.
- For the DIY installer we recommend having no more than 6 attachment points on your sail. The reason is that the actual measuring of the sail becomes quite complex.
Design & Installation Guidance
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.
Important Considerations include;
- The stability of your sail will depend upon the strength of your attachment points. If you’re not sure how big your poles should be then you should talk to us first. We will provide you with engineering to ensure that your poles and holes are suitably strong for the job.
- Be very careful attaching to walls and other existing structures. Shade sails generate high lateral loads which can result in damage and even injury.
- Choose only commercial grade shade cloth fabrics. The Cancer Council recommends using a shade cloth which blocks at least 94 % of UVR.
- Ensure your shade sail is installed on an angle. The industry standard design is called a ‘hypar’ design. This is where the high and low points are installed diagonally opposite. Under the Tech Specs Tab you’ll find a document Called Hypar Shade sails.pdf which will explain how to do this.
- Choose the right fittings for the job. For example, if you’re installing a shade sail with an 8 metre side, you need to ensure that the eyebolts and turnbuckles you select are strong enough to withstand these loads. We can do all this for you so that you get the right fittings for the job.
Features
Our Favourite Feature: The pre-swagged corners which make it easy for the DIY installer to fit a professional quality shade sail.
Other features:
- Frontier shade sails made to ISO 9001 Quality Assurance Standards
- Each sail hand sewn in Australia by highly experienced operators
- Shade sails check for accuracy using two separate computer programs
- Stainless steel wire rope sewn into the entire perimeter
- Each corner mechanically swagged
- Cyclonic corners with 3 layers of fabric
- Cyclonic D-rings on each corner
- Tenara PTFE thread with a 10 Year Warranty
- Synthesis C95 Shade cloth
- 95%+ UV Protection
- 10 year* Fabric Warranty
- 3 Year Workmanship Warranty
Why Frontier™ Shade sails by Shade Australia?
10 years ago we wrote a detailed specification of how we wanted our shade sails to be made. Things that were important to us included;
- The shade sail should fit perfectly every single time
- It should look great and last for at least a decade
- It should be very strong able to hand high winds
- It should have a very high UV rating
- It should be 100% Australian made
- It should be easy for the DIY installer to fit
Before this time, it wasn’t possible to make a sail where the corners were pre-swagged. Instead, shade sails used floating corners which meant that the DIY installer had a much more difficult job of firstly tensioning and locking off the internal cable before they could tension with sail. With the advent of advance computer aided design, we have now been able to take this step forward. When your shade sail is drawn up in AutoCAD, the computer gives us the exact length (to the mm) of cable for each side. This can then be threaded into the sail and locked off ensuring that the sail will tension up perfectly every single time.
Fabric
Synthesis Commercial 95 is the shade cloth we have been using for our Frontier shade sails now for well over a decade. In that entire time, we have never had a single warranty claim for UV break down or colour fading. Synthesis C95 is a heavy duty professional grade architectural shade fabric of tensioned shade structure and sails. We believe it is the best fabric on the market for mid to large size shade sails. Here are some of the features we think you will appreciate;
- Suitable for high tension architectural applications
- Made from UV stabilised HDPE monofilament and tape yarns
- Constructed to block up to 98.8% of harmful UV rays
- Heat set for ease of fabrication and to limit shrinkage
- Recyclable base materials
- Tear resistant, will not crack, fade or rot
- 10 Year manufacturers warranty against UV degradation
- Great range of contemporary colours
| Specialised lockstitch knit creates raised air channels which catch and pull air underneath while providing the ultimate in strength and durability |  |
Colours
- Synthesis C95 comes in 17 Fade resistant colours.
 |  |  |  |  |
| Natural | Desert Sand | Cedar | Yellow | Cherry Red |
 |  |  |  |  |
| Cayenne | Deep Ochre | Sky Blue | Aquatic Blue | Navy Blue |
 |  |  |  |  |
| Rivergum | Turquoise | Brunswick Green | Steel Grey | Gun Metal |
 |  | |||
| Charcoal | Black |
Method of Manufacture
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. Cables are measured, cut (a 1mm tolerance is allowed) and mechanically locked off at each corner. 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:
- It will fit perfectly - GUARANTEED!!
- It will be easy to install
- It will look amazing
- It will last for many years to come
- It will provide great (95%+) shade
- It will transform your outdoor area
For Seams that Last a Fabric's Lifetime
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.
In contrast, GORE™ Tenara® sewing thread is a thread you can really rely on. It does not deteriorate from exposure to the elements – not even when exposed to UV radiation!
Sewn on state-of-the-art double needle industrial sewing machines.
GORE™ TENARA® Sewing Thread resists UV sunlight, chemicals, salt water, extreme weather, and acid rain. It is ideal for outdoor applications.
Manufactured from 100% expanded PTFE (PolyTetraFlouroEthylene) expanded PTFE is two to three times stronger than conventional threads and is guaranteed to outlast the life of the fabric on which its used.
Measuring for your new shade sail
Once the points of attachment have been installed, your job is to take the measurements for your shade sail. Under the Brochures Tab, you will find the appropriate measuring sheet for you shade sail (e.g., 3 point, 4 point etc.) print this off and using a suitably long tape measure, take the point to point measurements as measured from the inside edge of each eyebolt. We require accurate point to point measurements including diagonal measurements and the heights of each attachment point. Fax or scan and email these measurements to us. We will draw up your sail in our CAD program and send you the drawing showing you what the sail will look like along with a written quotation for us to manufacture and deliver your shade sail.
QUICK NOTE: If you don’t have a long enough tape measure, just give us a call and you can borrow ours.
We take your measurements and draw up your Frontier Custom Shade sail in our custom CAD program. If your measurements are wrong the sail will not draw up and we can manufacture it. This heads off potential problems and ensures that your sail will be easy to install and it will fit every time.
You tell us which corner you want the tag. When you remove your shade sail from its box you simply orient it using the tag then put the sail up.
You may need some mechanical advantage to get the final corner stretched out enough to reach the turnbuckle. Refer to Corner tension.pdf under the Tech Specs Tab for a simply way to do this. We supply you with the required tensioning hardware including turnbuckles or chain.
Installation
Your new shade sail will arrive in a box ready to fit. Inside the box will be any additional fittings such as Turnbuckles or shackles that you've ordered with your sail.
- Carefull remove the sail from the box and unfold it.
- Identify the Tagged Corner and match it with the Attached Plan showing which cornert the tag goes to.
- Make sure that you check to see if your sail has been made with the hems on the underside or the top side.
- Clear the area so that there are no sharp object which could snag the fabric while it is being layed out.
- Extend the turnbuckles fully making sure that they have been well lubricated before use.
- Starting at the high points, connect the sail to the attachment points.
- The final point of the sail may be hard to attach. You may need a strap or winch to get it to reach the turnbuckle or attachment point. This is normal.
- Once all the corners are attached, work in rotation tensioning the sail a little bit at each point as you work your way around. Note: Aim to finish on the low points.
- When the sail is taught you can then lock of the turnbuckles and the job is done. Never over tension your sail.
- We suggest that after 2-4 weeks depending on wind and weather that you retension your sail as it may have settled in and a retension will be needed.
Safety Warning: 
Always take great care when working on ladders. Never install a shade sail in windy conditions. Always use safe work practices when installing shade sails and working at heights.
Lead Time
It takes approximately 2 weeks from sign-off for us to manufacture your shade
Final Comments
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.
Customer Reviews
- Great quality - good knowledge Review by Matthew Dosset
Came in just for information on shade sails, spoke with Mark and ended up getting myself a shadesail ordered on the day.Product Information Overall Value Ease of Ordering
Could not say no to the ease of having all the hardware sorted for a reasonable price. (Posted on 7/14/2017)
Write Your Own Review
Can I install a shade sail myself?
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.
What is the hardest part of installing a shade sail?
Probably digging the holes. Even for a moderately sized shade sail, the holes need to be around 1.2 metres deep.
How do I know how deep to make the holes and how big to make the poles?
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.
Do I need council permission?
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.
What are the most common mistakes people make with shade sails?
- Not talking to a professional company before they start. We get lots of call from people who have installed shade sail poles which are way to small for the job. A simple call to us before hand could have saved a great deal of trouble (and money).
- Installing shade sails which are to long and narrow. A shade sail should not be twice as long as it is wide.
- Installing triangular shade sails which give very little shade.
- Not digging the holes deep enough which cause them to move when the first wind come along.
Can I attach to the side of my house?
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.
Can I attach a bracket to my roof?
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.
How long with these shade sails last?
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.
Can you come out and install my shade sail for me?
Unfortunately, Shade Australia does not offer a Measure, Quote and Installation Service.
How much does a shade sail cost?
Once we know the size of your shade sail we can give you a written quotation.
What are your payment terms?
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.
How long does it take for a shade sail to be made?
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.
What if it doesn’t fit?
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.
Is the shade sail fire proof?
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.
What is the warranty of Frontier Shade Sails?
Fabric: 10 Years Pro rata against UV degradation.
Stitching thread: 10 Years Pro rata against UV degradation.
Workmanship: 3 Years Workmanship warranty
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.
- Your Shade sail tagged at your nominated corner
- A fitting guide and warranty card
- Any hardware you ordered
