Shade structure height

[spm248]

I am making a stretch shade cloth EMT (electrical conduit) framed shade structure and as most of you may know the tubing comes in 10 ft lengths with is generally no problem. Do you leave your vertical supports at 10ft or do you lower the ceiling a bit from that? I am not sure if I am going to put the poles into the ground (a 3/4 in auger bit) or use the foot pieces that I have with nails. In both cases I am using ratchet straps as tie-downs. So 10 ft height or 8ft?

Thanks.

[theCryptofishist]

More height is not a problem. Especially if you're putting your tent in it. It just means more air circulation.

[FIGJAM]

I would say it depends on how big the shade is going to be.

[mudpuppy000]

I think all our camp structures use 8' legs. Not sure why, but they are easier to put the tarps on than if it was 10'. Another thing, you can angle 10x10 tarps off the side and get angled side shade/wind breaks.

[spm248]

Thanks guys/gals! Yeah it's not super big its a 2 x 1 system with two 10ft x 10ft shade tarps in horizontal orientation and two coming off the back at 45 degrees to make a lean-to style setup. Which now that I am speaking it I realize wont actually work unless the lean-to tarps don't reach all the way to the ground, hmmm.

Thanks for the thoughts. Any preference for footings? Rebar inside poles, drilling into playa or using the footings?

[stopgo]

Thanks guys/gals! Yeah it's not super big its a 2 x 1 system with two 10ft x 10ft shade tarps in horizontal orientation and two coming off the back at 45 degrees to make a lean-to style setup. Which now that I am speaking it I realize wont actually work unless the lean-to tarps don't reach all the way to the ground, hmmm.

Thanks for the thoughts. Any preference for footings? Rebar inside poles, drilling into playa or using the footings?

I am curious as to peoples preferred method of securing emt structures to the playa as well. Anyone feel like sharing their desert shelter wisdom?

[danibel]

One of my campmates has a 7ft high EMT shade structure. He uses the feet. Two pieces of rebar per foot, plus for extra safety a few tie downs to rebar at the corners. If you can drill and weld you could do something similar to the structure I bought from black rock hardware. It has set screws about 5-6 inches up from the bottom of the pole. I pound rebar in for each leg and slip them over, then tighten the screws. We did use extra tie downs as well, but they weren't really needed as an exact copy of our shade was just fine without them. I like the rebar inside the pole. Less possibility of an injury.

[BBadger]

Feet are awesome. I use plywood feet on my carport to secure them to the playa. Something similar could be used for EMT.

[theCryptofishist]

Feet are awesome.

I know...

[Jackass]

This was camp jackass for 2013, bigger and better. It's 3/4" EMT and slips over the rebar with a set screw 5" up from the bottom of each leg. I have a total of twelve legs now and a staggered level and this thing is getting steadier every time I make an addition.

Burning Man 2013 031.JPG

[stopgo]

Thanks for the info.

Looks like a great set up, Jackass. What's the foot print on your structure? 20x20?

[strangeloop]

I built a 20x20 shade structure this year with 10ft 1" EMT. The extra height helped air circulation and it was solid enough to hang two hammocks from. You do need to bring a ladder though.

[stopgo]

I built a 20x20 shade structure this year with 10ft 1" EMT. The extra height helped air circulation and it was solid enough to hang two hammocks from. You do need to bring a ladder though.

Awesome! How did you secure the legs to the playa?

[Jackass]

Thanks for the info.

Looks like a great set up, Jackass. What's the foot print on your structure? 20x20?

It's 26'x14', coolers in the shade and "living room" up front and shower/bathroom/bike garage in the back. Here's a fuzzy aerial view...

Burning Man 2013 034.JPG