Material for small custom shade?

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Fri May 26, 2006 3:02 pm

I'm thinking of using the poles from my Kelty Sunshade to make a more opaque but still easily packable shade. Any suggestions for something flexible and lightweight that can be sewn together? Breathable would be nice but is not a requirement. Maybe multiple layers of cotton sheets or dumptruck tarp material?

Has anyone tried sewing an extra layer of cloth onto an existing tent?

EspressoDude · Post by **EspressoDude** » Fri May 26, 2006 4:42 pm

check out greenhouse shade cloth....some is 70%shade,30%transmitted light. and is breathable/porous, sewable

click on link below 4 a look at our "Aluminet" brand shadecloth tent

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Fri May 26, 2006 8:28 pm

Hmm.. I was hoping for something closer to 90%. I suppose I could use two layers.

For some reason I didn't think you could cut/sew aluminet, but it looks like it worked well for you. I love the shape of your structure! It's good to see something other than carports and geodesic domes. Not that those are bad, there's just so many of them!

EspressoDude · Post by **EspressoDude** » Fri May 26, 2006 8:38 pm

There may be darker stuff avail. check gothic arch greenhouses dot com

cut about 6" oversize. Cut a 2"strip of poly-tarp and roll the 6" oversize in flat rolls around the polytarp strip. Then cut a 8" strip of polytarp, fold 2" each edge towards center, then fold resulting 4"strip over edge of rolled edge to "capture" it. Then a couple runs of zigzag stitching and it is playa windstorm tested. Punch edge for grommets.

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon May 29, 2006 5:32 pm

Dork wrote:Hmm.. I was hoping for something closer to 90%. I suppose I could use two layers.

For some reason I didn't think you could cut/sew aluminet, but it looks like it worked well for you. I love the shape of your structure! It's good to see something other than carports and geodesic domes. Not that those are bad, there's just so many of them!

Careful! If you use two layers of 70% blocking, you end up with 140%, and you get too cold. Happened to me in 98.

On your kelty poles, I have no idea what they look like. I used a Moss parawing after talking to Moss about the winds at BM and being assured their poles would stand up to a hurricane. Needless to say, one pole broke.

Here's my side of the shade story. I know that UV is harmful, and I am happy to block it. However, heat is from IR, and I want 100% IR blockage, so I use one of those gray metallic tarps over my poles. I've also used rubberized canvas. Louise and I made all our shade covers for years till we decided to get a bigger one than Louise was interested in sewing.

Just give some thought to whether you want to block heat or not. If I hold it up to the sun and I can see light through it? Not opaque enough for me. It's gotta be totally opaque to all frequencies of light.

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Tue May 30, 2006 8:19 am

Impermeable = kite. Flat roof catches less wind then peaked. Carports made out of EMT conduit, festooned gaily with camo netting (it comes in a variety of festive designer colors now!) makes a great shade that can be battened down rather severely.

Ron · Post by **Ron** » Tue May 30, 2006 10:14 pm

Dork wrote:Hmm.. I was hoping for something closer to 90%. I suppose I could use two layers....!

Or you could just use the 90% option. :) I highly recommend the aforementioned shade material. It's the same stuff center camp has been "roofed" with over the past three or for years, as memory serves, and it did a great job for us last year. Good stuff maynord. :)

Ron

vic · Post by **vic** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:26 pm

We had a good experience with aluminent last year. That stuff is strong, not a moop generator, and way cooler (lower in temperature) than dark shade cloth. We used 70% aluminent and the sun protection was adequate. Not dark shade like 90% shade cloth, but 10 degrees cooler. It is lighter than blue or silver plastic tarps of the same size. Down sides are cost, and bulk (compared to blue tarps).

phil · Post by **phil** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 11:41 am

[quote]Down sides are cost, and bulk (compared to blue tarps).[/qote]
How about dust collection, Vic? I have visions of poofs of dust blowing out of aluminet with every gust of wind. What's it like after a week on the playa? How's cleanup?

vic · Post by **vic** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 9:58 pm

We had a 20x20 piece of aluminent (70% block) up for 6 days last year. We did not have problems with dust accumulting and then droping when the wind came up. The way it looked to me, the dust slipped through the aluminent rather than accumulating. It will not keep the dust off, but your camp will be much cooler during the heat of the day.

dreamingdog · Post by **dreamingdog** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:51 am

Go to ttp://seattlefabrics.com/nylons.html#1.3%20oz%20Reflective. If that link doens't work, go to seattlefabrics.com & then to coated & uncoated nylon. They've got 2 or 3 reflective fabrics. Here's a tempting description - 1.3 oz. Heat and Solar Reflective Ripstop
1.3 oz. per sq. yard. A tightly constructed ripstop weave with a metalized urethane/silicone coating on each side. Very light weight plus heat and solar reflective. Perfect for tents in hot climates where staying cool is necessary or cold climates where staying warm is necessary. This fabric will both reflect heat away or inwards.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:39 am

dreamingdog wrote:Go to ttp://seattlefabrics.com/nylons.html#1.3%20oz%20Reflective. If that link doens't work, go to seattlefabrics.com & then to coated & uncoated nylon. They've got 2 or 3 reflective fabrics. Here's a tempting description - 1.3 oz. Heat and Solar Reflective Ripstop
1.3 oz. per sq. yard. A tightly constructed ripstop weave with a metalized urethane/silicone coating on each side. Very light weight plus heat and solar reflective. Perfect for tents in hot climates where staying cool is necessary or cold climates where staying warm is necessary. This fabric will both reflect heat away or inwards.

http://seattlefabrics.com/nylons.html#1 ... Reflective

Adding in the "h" in Http helps

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:20 pm

This fabric will both reflect heat away or inwards.

Or on the playa, away _and_ inwards. :->

Material for small custom shade?

Material for small custom shade?

Aluminet

aluninent and dust