Life is better under a Shazeebo

Life is better under a Shazeebo

A word from our founder. I love shade sails! A well-designed outdoor space with shade sails floating above can be very inviting. You get the feeling that you are supposed to be there, that this area was put together just for you to relax, hang out and enjoy being alive. When it comes time to leave the space it s like a movie that you don t want to end, you stay in your seat for a few extra minutes soaking it all in not wanting to head back out into the real world. My favorite space of all time was built over a horse corral at a resort in Tucson, Arizona. It s massive with huge steel posts and cables. Overlapping triangles provide complete shading over the seating area while allowing a view of the sky through the center ring. The project works as intended offering protection from the sun in an attractive package but also offers a special bonus. The angle and placement of the shade sails filter the sun so that it casts a giant shade flower on the arena floor. For me this was the project that made me fall in love with shade sails. I hope that this guide gives you the inspiration and confidence to tackle your own shade sail project. Thumb through the pages taking note of things you like or don t like. Imagine your outdoor space and how nice it would be to have people over without baking in the hot sun. A friend once said to me regarding cooking, Sometimes you want to use all of your skill and talent to make a great meal and sometimes you re just hungry. The same can be said of shade sails. A small 12x12x17 triangle may be just the ticket for your space or you may be ready to push the envelope and create something great. Have fun, Patrick Howe,CEO

Designing a Shade Sail Begin with the end in mind and make sure to avoid the 3 most common mistakes 1. It doesn t shade where we wanted it. The sun s path across the sky, time of day, time of year and attachment point heights must all be considered to get the shade just right. 2. I wish we would have made it bigger. Plan for your sail to be about 25% larger than you think is necessary to account for the curved edges and attachment hardware. 3. I wish we would have put more twist in it. Flat sails are boring, they move more in the wind and show sagging more than a sail with height differences. If your sail will not have any twist, try to at least add some slope to the installation.

Step 1 Where do you want shade? Think about how you spend time in your outdoor space. Do you primarily hang out around the same area or do you move from place to place? Would you like to shade a door or window as well as part of the patio? How many people do you want to provide shade for? Are there any areas where you don t want shade? Taking a few minutes early in the process to clearly describe where you want shade will help you make better decisions throughout the process.

Step 2 The angle of the sun will change throughout the day so think of a 4 to 6 hour block of time that is most important. If you are planning shade for a preschool then you probably want shade in the middle of the day from 10 am to 4 pm. In this case you want the sail above and slightly to the south of the area to be shaded. 10:00 A.M. If you often use the BBQ to cook dinner then you want late afternoon shade from 2 pm to dusk. In this case you want your low attachment points towards the West and higher points towards the East. 12:00 NOON 2:00 P.M. What time of day do you want shade?

Step 3 Determine the best attachment point locations. Don t force fit a shade sail into your backyard. Let the details of your house and your yard guide you in planning the attachment points. Imagine pulling your attachment point with 2000 pounds of force, If you don t think it will stand up to that amount of force then keep looking. If you are not sure that your house can support a shade sail then you should consult an engineer who is familiar with your local conditions. Corners are a very strong place to put a bracket. Make note of the corners that might be good attachment point locations. Rafters are another location that can support a bracket. If your area has exposed rafters then you have good potential attachment point locations. Headers over doors and windows might also make good attachment points for wall plates. Brick and hollow block are not good locations to mount a bracket Block that has been filled in with concrete can sometimes work. Existing concrete pads can usually support a Z bracket and post. Visit the Shazeebo website for details on installing a Z bracket. If you must put a post in the ground, look for areas where the digging and dirt removal will be easiest. Make sure to contact your local underground utility locator before you dig! If you are not sure who to call search online for Underground utility locator and select the free public locator service for your area.

Step 4 Determine how BIG to make your sail. We recommend to install a shade sail that is 25% larger than you think you need. Factors like the curved edges and length of attachment hardware affect how much shade is cast by the sail. The most expensive part of a sail project is usually setting steel posts into concrete footings. Moving your post out 2 or 3 feet more than you think you need will add a significant amount of extra shade and only a small percentage to the cost of your project.

Step 5 What shape do you like best? A triangle is the least efficient shape for a shade sail while a square is the most efficient. For example if you shade a 20 x20 area with 2 triangles you get about 272 square feet of shade. The same 20 x20 area covered with a square sail gets about 338 square feet of shade. If you love the triangular look of shade sails don t worry, you can get the triangular appearance from a square shade sail by having different attachment point heights. In fact the ideal shape for a shade sail is the saddle or HyPar shape using a square with 2 high points and 2 low points. When viewed from almost any angle this style has the classic triangular appearance.

Step 6 Should you consider more than one sail? If your area has the room you should at least explore the options of more than one sail. If you can t decide between a triangle or square why not get both. A good compromise is to use a square sail to do most of the work of providing shade and add a triangle as an accent. You can choose a different color for the triangle and often share attachment points to save costs. At this point you should have a good idea of where your attachment points will go, how much shade you need and what colors and shapes you like best. You could stop here but why not go a little crazy, you can always dial it back before placing an order.

E ST P 7 GO A LI T T LE!!! Y CRAZ If you can DREAM IT we can probably MAKE IT into a shade sail. If two colors are not enough go with three or four. More height difference between attachment points means more drama. Going around that tree or spiral staircase is no problem. If you are proud of where you live then why not make a shade out of you state colors or even your state flag?

SHAZEEBO Q&A Q: Are shade sails right for me? A: Yes, regardless of the size of the project and the budget. Shazeebo has made it easy for anyone to have shade sails. We have many shade options to fit your space. We offer Ready-made shade sails, custom shade sails, Lace on panels, Slide wire and invisible frames. Q: Is a shade sail waterproof? A: Most shade sails are made with shade cloth which is a mesh. While it s not waterproof it will shed water in a light rain if there is a slope to the sail. Heavy rains will go through the fabric and any pooling of water will work it s way through the fabric within a few minutes of the rain stopping. You can get a waterproof sail but there is one very important factor to consider. You must allow enough slope for the water to run off! Unlike a rigid steel or shingle roof, fabric will stretch and pool water if there is not enough slope. Water is heavy and if allowed to build up will damage your sail, attachment points or even your structure. The minimum slope is 3 to 1. If your waterproof sail has a run of 9 feet you must\have a rise of 3 feet, a run of 18 feet requires a rise of 6 feet. Q: Can I put a sail over my BBQ? A: The rule of thumb is that a sail must be at least 5 away from the burner of a gas BBQ and not directly above the flame. You should never install a sail over a fire pit. Q: Can I install my shade sail or should I hire an installer? A: At Shazeebo we try to make it easy for the backyard DIYer to be able to install the shades by themselves. We have made many how to videos with step by step installation instructions. If you want to hire someone to install your shade sail we are happy to work with your handyman or contractor to get exceptly what you are looking for. Q: How do I measure for my custom shade sails? A: At Shazeebo we recommend you install your anchoring points first. Then measure from anchoring point to anchoring point. If the shade sail is a rectangle make sure you measure the diagonals to get the most accurate measurements. Q: Am I able to attach the shade sail directly to my house? A: Yes but when attaching anything to your home you want to make sure you are attaching to a something structurally sound enough to hold the strength of a shade sail. Each corner can pull up to 2000lbs in a storm and 400lbs at rest. Q: Should I leave my shade up all year or take it down? A: The weak link is the attachment point, not the shade sail. A shade sail is strong enough to bend steel posts and pull brackets out of walls. If you get snow or hurricanes you should plan on taking your sail down when you expect severe weather. Q: What is the difference between a standard sized sail and a custom sail? A: The biggest difference is the corner hardware. Our standard sized sails come with a stainless steel D ring and our custom sails include an upgraded stainless steel D ring thimble. Custom sails also use a heavier duty shade cloth and are made to your exact size. Both types of shade sail use lifetime warranty Tenara thread and carry a 10 year workmanship warranty.

PLANNING Design Checklist How much shade do I need? How many people do I want to provide shade for? Just shade the patio or are there doors and windows that would benefit? Do I stay in one spot or move around depending on what I m doing? What time of day is most important? What style do I like? One sail or multiple? One color or multiple? Hypar or triangle? Flat or dramatic? Are there any views that I don t want to block? Are there any views that I want to block? Are there any natural attachment point locations? Corners of structures? Solid wood beams or exposed rafters? Existing concrete deck? Good locations to dig a footing? Can I use off the shelf brackets or do I need custom? Do I need a removable post? Do I want an angled post or straight post or in between? Can I share an attachment point with 2 sails? DO S AND DON TS Do check with your home owners association and local building dept. for proper permits. Do call underground utility locator service and ensure that utilities have all been marked before digging. Do allow 3 feet of clearance between sails that overlap. Do design your project with as much height difference between attachment points as you can for long life and best appearance. Do lock down your attachment hardware to prevent the sail from coming undone in a storm. Do plan your sail to be 25% larger than you think you need. Do buy your shade sail from Shazeebo Don t install brackets or eye bolts in a single wooden stud or brick wall. Don t install your sail directly over a BBQ or Fire Pit. Don t install posts perfectly plumb, they must tip out slightly from the center of the sail for best appearance. Don t skimp on post footings.

PRODUCTS Webbing Perimeter Shade Sail Cable Perimeter Shade Sail Custom Made Shade Sails Lace on Panel Shade Sail Invisible Frame Shade Sail Slide Wire Canopy

The name Shazeebo comes from a combination of the words Shade Sail and Gazebo. The idea behind it all is to make high quality, American made shade sails easy and affordable. www.shazeebo.com