Waterproof shade sails · SydneyKeep the rain off the space you use.
A waterproof PVC membrane sheds rain, with the roof shape and drainage planned around your table, entry or working area.
Waterproof shade sails
The membrane is only part of rain cover.
Knitted shade cloth lets the rain through. A waterproof membrane runs it off to an edge or a drainage point instead. The structure underneath has to hold that shape under load, or the water finds a low spot and sits in it.
So start with the part of the space that has to stay usable in the wet. Open sides take wind-driven rain, and a narrow canopy will not keep a whole footprint dry. Width, fall and any side protection get settled together. The frames are engineered to the NSW wind codes, with certification available on request.
- Seams heat welded, so the join is part of the sheet.
- Fall and the discharge point drawn before anything is made.
- The frame checked against the roof you have chosen.
Selected work
Canopies in use.
Canopies we have made and installed around Sydney, from a backyard patio to a cafe front with clear blinds.
How it goes together
What we get right on a PVC job.
Build in the fall
A roof shape has to balance drainage against headroom. We set the high and low points before fabrication and check how the membrane sits under its design loads. Too flat and the water lingers.
Choose the discharge point
Water should leave clear of doors, paths and the neighbour's fence. The proposal needs to show where it goes and how that meets the drainage already on site.
Check existing supports
A frame built for knitted cloth may not suit a solid membrane, because cloth lets the wind straight through and PVC does not. Wind loads, connections, footings and drainage all get assessed before anyone promises a conversion.
Compare heat and light
PVC products differ in how much light they let through, and height, colour and ventilation change how the space feels underneath. Look at samples and at the actual product sheet. Do that especially where the cover runs up against windows or a closed wall.
Allow for maintenance
Think about how the roof and the outlets get reached for a look and a clean. Follow the membrane maker's method. Where you cannot get at something safely from the ground, bring in someone who can.
Good to know
Waterproof sails, answered.
Will the whole area stay dry in a storm?+
Overhead, yes. The floor is another matter, and how much of it stays dry comes down to the wind direction on the day and how far the roof reaches past the edge you care about. Where the weather arrives from one predictable side, clear blinds or a drop screen on that side do more for you than making the roof wider. Tell us which seats, doors or stock have to stay protected and we will work back from there.
Does PVC get hotter than shade cloth?+
It can. Cloth lets warm air out through its weave and PVC does not, so that air has to leave by the open sides. On a low canopy closed in on two or three sides, lifting the roof or leaving a gap at the high edge gives the hot air somewhere to go. Say if the space is tight and we will draw it that way.
How do I clean it?+
Use the cleaning instructions for the product you have. A gentle rinse and a mild approved cleaner suit most membranes; abrasive pads and whatever is under the sink do not. Stay off the roof itself and out of loaded fittings.
Do I need council approval for a waterproof roof?+
In our experience of ordinary home enquiries, almost never. What decides it is the size of the structure, its height, where it sits on the block and the land it stands on, and a solid roof over a patio is a bigger thing than a fabric sail. Our NSW council approval guide covers the checks to make before you order.
Would shade cloth suit me better?+
If summer shade is the point and you do not mind rain coming through the weave, then yes. Our guide to shade cloth and waterproof PVC puts the two side by side.
Who we are, and how a job runs from the first visit to the last tension.
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Council approval · NSW shade sails
Almost never, for an ordinary home sail. What decides it is the size, the height, where it sits on the block and the land, with links to the NSW rules.
What needs to stay covered when it rains?
Book a free measure and quote. We will look at the footprint, open sides and drainage with you.