Last minute shade structure on a budget?

[Funkfish]

I know there are many shade structure posts on the forum but I haven't been able to find a clear answer on this.

We fly into SFO Sunday AM and are grabbing a mid sized rental car. We have a yurt waiting for us on the playa that is about 10x10 I believe. All we're looking to do is put some shade over the yurt. We'd need to pick it up somewhere between SFO and Black Rock City, so it seems our options for supplies are REI, Home Depot or Walmart.

Could we just use a tarp on top of 2 (or 4) tent poles pinned to the ground via rebar? What other options do we have with such short time? I know regular blue tarp catches the wind and isn't a good choice but where can I find shade cloth on short notice.

Any other specific shade items we should pick up?

Thanks!

[BBadger]

A monkey hut?

The important thing about shade is that it allows airflow. Sticking a tarp over your yurt may end up doing nothing for your heat problems.

[Funkfish]

I've seen the monkey hut pictures but I have no idea what is required to set one up. Looks rather complicated from the pics I've seen. Also I'm still trying to figure out where to purchase shade cloth between SFO and Black Rock City? I was thinking home depot but seems they don't have anything wider than 6ft.

Thoughts?

[Funkfish]

Ah just saw the monkey hut. Looks doable build wise but transporting it to the playa might be a challenge. I'm thinking just some tent poles holding up the shade cloth held down by some rebar is the way to go. But where can I purchase decent shade cloth? And what are my options besides aluminet? (Kinda pricey)

[BBadger]

Try googling "shade cloth" for some answers. Don't buy the black stuff.

[Funkfish]

Yeah I've been googling shade cloth san francisco. Even called a few places. Having a hard time finding anything wider than 6ft.

[VultureChow]

Give up on trying to do a full shade structure over the yurt. Winds are sounding a bit wicked this year. Find something you can set up that is smaller and can fit say two cots. When it gets too hot roll out and nap on the cots.

[nilasnake]

what about camo netting/shade from twin city surplus or some other surplus store?

[Elorrum]

My two cents on this. Sierra trading post (they have a store in Reno) has an abo gear version of this for 50 dollars. This is the Kelty version. Good head room. It's roomier inside than it looks from the outside. You need to duck going in and out. stake it well, guy out every guy out point. Put a chair in the windward corner to keep it from flexing flat. It will flex in the wind, and the pole sleeves may split. It can be repaired after the wind dies down.

[ChrissyP]

a chain automotive parts store, named along the line of peppy bros has 10 x 20 carport structures with a regular daily cost of $129, but can be had there for as low as $99........ they are easy to set up, but, they need longer stakes for the ground and to be guyed out, and held down with rebar stakes. The box they come in will fit in a small car. I would also suggest a 12 x 20 silver tarp to deepen the quality of shade you receive. (put the silver tarp on [need extra bungies, or just para cord] under the white valance top that comes with the kit.) We use tarps, and then drop cloths to cover the playa surface so that we can be barefoot in camp.

That is a simple, quick, easy fix......

[Boijoy]

PepBoys???

[Ugly Dougly]

You have a hexayurt waiting for you? AFAIK they don't need extra shade over them.

For an extra open air shade, you can make a ghetto shade. Just bring a tarp and some paracord, and rig it over your car.

[Josh-n-Cody]

Monkey Huts are the answer.

Use a full black out tarp. The HEAVY silver and Brown ones are perfect. You should not be able to see light thru it.

The best way to secure a Monkey Hut is to use a 2x4 and rebar. This is true for pretty much any structure, even a car port, which has a tarp to the ground.

You take the loose end of the tarp and wrap it around the 2x4. Then you drill a hole, at a slight angle, thru the tarp and 2x4 just big enough for your rebar. (3/8 rebar use 3/8 bit. etc

Drive the rebar THROUGH the 2x4 and all the way into the ground. Using your hammer, bend the last tip of the rebar down onto the 2x4.

Three rebars along an 8 foot 2x4 hold down very well. This spreads the wind load across the entire length of the tarp and that prevent a tarp from "blow out" with torn grommets. Grommets are not made for this kind of wind load.

This has worked for many years very well, and it also provides additional support for the Frame. When the wind blows, it will pull the tent tight and CLOSER to the ground. This compresses the structure and hold it down to the ground.

If you use the grommets, the wind gets UNDER the edge of the tarp and pulls it up and away. This tears out the grommet because all the force in concentrated in one spot.



You can find a PDF of a field tested and very strong shade sturcture here: http://wiki.kostumekult.com/images/6/6c ... 1_2013.pdf

[Josh-n-Cody]

The wind is going to be VERY STRONG this year. Not the friendly happy playa of the last few years. You need to check the wind rating of these before you go out and buy them. for the 100 dollars you would spend, you can get a very strong Monkey Hut.

We have built an open shade like this our first year, and it was pretty hot and very dusty. It did not provide much protection from the wind. Ever since we go with Monkey Huts or steel frame shade pods.

[jamiejoe336]

Harbor Freight Tools is easy to find on the I-80 corridor and should have the tarps you are looking for.

[Josh-n-Cody]

here is the website for the Monkey Hut, http://www.chromatest.net/Lovemonkey/ it is actually VERY EASY! probably one of the easiest on the playa because there isn't much to it and it's very simple.

Don't follow the instructions for the tape etc, simply use PVC glue to glue the center rib together. much easier and is strong in a few minutes. You can use a PVC cutter to take it apart later.

when you get to home depot, you will see that the 1 inch PVC easily fits inside the 1.5 inch. perfect fit.

play with it

we use 2x4's, per previous post, and it holds the tarp down ridiculously strong, and is easy.

we tape the 1 inch in the t's to make it stronger. use LOTS of tape!

attach the tarps edge on the top rib use STRONG zip ties or double them up.

Attach the other tarp.

stretch the tarp down and attach to the curve, then board it down with a 2x4.

Have fun!

[swampdog]

ok, the canonical simple monkey hut. I've been building this pretty much since 2004. Dead easy and it rocks.

You need:
7 10 ft 1 inch sch 40 pvc per 10 ft length, 5 for each additional 10 ft. I make mine 10x30 (17 PVC).
1 1/4 inch dia pvc cut into lengths about 1 to 1.5 ft. You need 3 segments for first 10 ft, 3 for each additional. You can cut all you need from 1 10ft length.
6 rebar (I use standard length 3/8 in dia) for first 10 ft, 4 for each additional
black 70-90 percent knitted shade cloth. Shade cloth lets some of the wind through
Zipties
inner tube strips/bungie balls/etc - 3 for the first 10 ft, 2 for each add'l.

layout your 10x30 using pvc as a guide.
Stake your corners with rebar (drive it as straight in as possible, about half way)
Drive rebar every 5 feet along the sides (you may want to tie a marker line from your corner points to try to keep them as lined up as possible. Not required)
Stand a pvc over each rebar.
Bend 2 parallel pvc together, one from each side to make a hoop. Use a 1 1/4 section of pvc to join them together. Just slide it half way onto one side, then stick the other side in to meet it. The pressure of the pvc trying to unbend holds this very solidly, you don't need any sort of glue. Watch your fingers, you can get pinched joining these together.
When you've finished joining all the pvc into half-hoops, use the inner tube strips to tie on a pvc lengthwise down the middle (where the 1 1/4 pvc pieces are). If you have > 10 ft, extend this "spine" by attaching more pvc with 1 1/4 inch pvc joints, and continue to lash the spine down the middle.
Spread your shade cloth over the structure. Use zip ties to attach shade cloth to the pvc ribs. If you have shade cloth or something equally porous, you can just stab the zip tie through the shade cloth, bend it around the pvc, stab it thru the shade cloth on the other side, and zip it up.

I've built this single handedly in under 2 hrs. A big ass sledge hammer for driving the rebar comes in handy. Attaching the shade cloth by yourself is a bit tedious but do-able. 2 or more people can put this beauty up in no time.

Dude, it rocks. Don't complicate it. The shade cloth is the only piece that's at all spendy, and might be hard to get last minute.

[Josh-n-Cody]

Totally Agree with you!