Two tips for homeowners who want to install shade sails in their gardens

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If you're thinking about having a shade sail installed in your garden, here are a couple of tips that you may find helpful.

Make sure it suits the aesthetic of your house exterior

Shade sails are semi-permanent fixtures; unlike a garden parasol, they are usually left in place all year round.

As such, your shade sail will have a long-term impact on the overall appearance of your property. Because of this, it's important to make sure that the one you choose suits the aesthetic of your house exterior.

For example, whilst it does not necessarily have to match the colour of your home's external walls, it should be in the same colour 'family'. If for instance, your house exterior is made up of deep-red bricks, it would be best to opt for a warm-toned shade sail.

Similarly, if the walls are brown or grey, a shade sail made from a neutral-coloured fabric would probably blend in nicely with your property exterior.

You can also opt for complementary colours, or colours that pop well with your exterior. 

You should also think carefully about whether or not to opt for a patterned shade sail; generally speaking, these look best when attached to plain concrete walls that do not have any panelling or other ornate designs. If you fit a shade sail with a detailed pattern onto an ornately-designed wall, it can end up looking overly 'busy'.

Think about your lifestyle when deciding what size of shade sail to buy

Shade sails come in a huge range of sizes. It's vital to ensure that you choose a size which is suitable for your household's specific requirements.

For example, if you live on your own and want a shade sail so that you can sit on your patio furniture set and enjoy a meal or read a book without being exposed to too much sunlight, a small shade that just covers the width of your patio should suffice.

Conversely, if you have young children who routinely run around and play in the garden on warm summer days, and you're concerned about them getting sunburnt or developing heatstroke as a result of this, it would be wise to install an extra large shade sail which extends across the length of the garden, as this will offer them protection from both UV rays and heat no matter which part of your property's outdoor area they spend time in.

This, in turn, will spare you from having to constantly monitor them and remind them to re-apply their sunscreen whilst they are playing outside.


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