Cotton sheets as shade cloth? anyone?

skeetsh00ter · Post by **skeetsh00ter** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 4:50 pm

I've been thinking alot about different shade materials. does anyone have experience using cotton sheets? i feel like they would work pretty well...air would flow pretty easily and well, they are cheap. plus they can be easily dyed different colors to make things a little more exciting. thanks for the input.

Ron · Post by **Ron** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 4:54 pm

Yeah, we used 'em back in 2004 to augment the cameo netting. Short answer is that they tear too easily and you'd be *amazed* at how much sunlight the lighter (color) ones let through. As memory serves we had a layer of cameo netting, a layer of sheets, and folk were still shading their eyes while they lounged on the grass.

Agricultural shade material is the absolute best stuff, IME. It's what's used in center camp and it rocks.

Ron

phil · Post by **phil** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 8:32 pm

Depending on the weather, the issue for me is infrared. If any sunlight at all is visible through the material, infrared is getting through, and it makes me _hot_! UV is what burns you, but IR is what makes you hot. Sheets are not opaque, and they let both UV and IR through.

skeetsh00ter · Post by **skeetsh00ter** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 9:31 pm

hmm, seems like sheets might not be a good idea after all...damn.

pinemom · Post by **pinemom** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 5:49 am

crap, I was starting to think of sheets...well wonder if a layer of uv agricultural on top and east side with the sheets over that??????
double shade? I know it sounds like double the work, but with having to come up with 200 yrds of Flesh toned material. Might be es'pensive!
But truley want the B(O)(O)by's to be cooler during the day!

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 5:59 am

I'm buying into the black truck tarps..They are fine net/screen..Still bringing the tryed and true just in case.

EspressoDude · Post by **EspressoDude** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 6:19 am

shade cloth available at
http://www.gothicarchgreenhouses.com/shade_knitted.htm

this is not advertising, but a place to get shade cloth in flesh color(TAN)
the tan is 75% shade... $0.23 sqft.....head math 200 yds...about $420

(order before it gets HOT and you will get it quicker)

other colors too, black,white,green,blue,PURPLE/violet..&Aluminet

call, talk to Nicole, and have her send you some samples...

pinemom · Post by **pinemom** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 6:55 am

Titwi is going to call nicole and get some samples....and Im doing some math on the sheet& UV liner....

skeetsh00ter · Post by **skeetsh00ter** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 10:31 am

thanks for the website edude, that 80% black might be what i end up doing. Anyone know if the big box home improvement stores carry anything similar?

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 10:43 am

skeetsh00ter wrote:thanks for the website edude, that 80% black might be what i end up doing. Anyone know if the big box home improvement stores carry anything similar?

/\
Some are made up for truck tarps so the load don't blow aroound..Harbor Frieght has a couple sizes..

Steven bradford · Post by **Steven bradford** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 10:12 pm

Here's what cheap cotton sheets from the thrift stores are good for... general ground/playa cover. Used these last year all over our camp. Really kept the dust, not annoying to walk on the way tarps are. Just stake them down with cheapo thin stakes right through the sheet. We mainly used them under our shade structures, but some out in the open. We thought we might burn them, but they pack so flat I took em back and shook them out.

MikeVDS · Post by **MikeVDS** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 7:56 am

If any sunlight at all is visible through the material, infrared is getting through, and it makes me _hot_! UV is what burns you, but IR is what makes you hot.

This is true. I've seen some thick mesh materials work well because of this. It is opaque except for small holes. Through those holes it let's the whole spectrum through, but it blocks out all of 90% of the light. As long as you're letting wind through, blocking out some light is always better than none.