Shade Comforts

A tensioned fabric shade canopy is a multi-column structure with an upper steel frame that shapes shade cloth into various roof styles (i.e. pyramids, hips, kites, hexagons, octagons, etc.).  Shade sails structures, by contrast, don't have upper frames.

                (Sacramento Car Wash Detailing Canopy)                   

These membrane structures differ from awnings in that they have columns, steel cable and shade cloth.  This enables them to be much larger than awnings.  They can stand-alone or attach to buildings, whereas awnings always attach to buildings.

          (San Jose Pool Bleachers Shade Cover)

These permanent shade canopies can have full or partially cantilevered beams.  This minimizes the number of columns and enables them to be placed where they won’t interfere with traffic or present visual barriers.   Examples include carports, porte-cocheres and bleachers.

(Bakersfield Pool Patio Canopy)                 

                     (Concessions Area Canopy)

See tension structure design styles or DSA shade structures for canopies on property owned by California K-12 public schools and junior colleges.

(San Jose Playground Fabric Structure)