Burlap - how many layers?

theseus · Post by **theseus** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:07 pm

I have built my prototype shade structure and it looks pretty good, considering the exterior is burlap. I originally wanted to use greenhouse shade cloth (knitted, 90%) but the quote I got (from Carlin Sales) was way too high. I decided to go then with burlap because (1) so many burners use it and (2) it's only $11 at Home Depot for a 3' x 24' roll. I want a wall to the shelter that lets air through but cuts insolation.

I now have 3 layers on the southern and eastern walls and 1 layer north and west. I would like the eastern wall to be pretty dark without using too many layers. I am wondering how many layers you would use to cut sunlight by 90%? Does anyone have any advice? I don't have a light meter or I would test it myself.

Thanks.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:47 pm

Look at losermobile window tint at auto parts.
10% VLT is 90% tint.
It is dark dark.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:03 am

Bring a broom or rug-beater to smack the accumulated dust out of the burlap. A dust magnet fer shure.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:26 am

They are filtering the air for the rest of us.
A public service, for sure.

theseus · Post by **theseus** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:26 am

AntiM wrote:Bring a broom or rug-beater to smack the accumulated dust out of the burlap. A dust magnet fer shure.

Thanks for the advice, I've added that to my packing list. AntiM, one of the reasons I went with burlap was your comments about using it in other posts, other threads. How do you layer it for your own shelters?

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:47 am

We have burlap, we just haven't used it yet. We were going to make a canopy for our rhoadescar bike, never got around to it. Right now we're using a dual carport and camo netting combination.

I should ask Larry where our burlap is and if we should do something with it. It is camo patterned, so should look pretty cool.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:52 am

Erm... estimate using a number eg 50%, and do the math.

The table on this page might help -- http://www.americanhort.com/shade.html

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:56 am

Get a shitload. Use your intuition. Write a full afterburn report. You blaze trails for us all.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:20 am

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:26 am

NOT LIKELY TO BE USEFUL

[youtube][/youtube]

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:51 am

You might also want to consider things like bulk and weight. It's going to have some bearing on transport.

If Bob is right and it's 50%, then have of 50 (layer number 2) should be 25% and half again is 12.5%. That's almost 90 right there.

theseus · Post by **theseus** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 8:07 am

I got plenty of good advice on this thread, thanks everybody.

I eyeballed 3 layers of burlap and it seems to more than 50% but less than 90%. I will bring the broom, beat the dust out, and add a supplemental independent tarp lean-to shade on the south-east to cut the worst of the rays and give us a fallback shade in case the burlap wall fails to work that well. At the worst I'm out $80 worth of burlap, no big deal.

Token · Post by **Token** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:05 am

Burlap burns real nice, should it fail that is.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:59 am

If it rains you will have a mess.

theseus · Post by **theseus** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 10:07 am

Ugly Dougly wrote:If it rains you will have a mess.

Well, it's not my tent. It's just a shade structure. If it gets wet, sags and looks butt ugly for awhile, it'll just look like most of the rest of BRC after a rain. I can just undo the spring clamps and reclamp after the rain.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 10:54 am

Suggestion -- try doubling a square foot of the burlap you already have, dump out your vacuum cleaner on it, and soak it with a hose. I'd imagine it gains a bit of weight, but you might get closer to 90% sunblocking.

Wonder if they make cockblocking shade cloth.

Oldguy · Post by **Oldguy** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:00 pm

Pin together some square leg boxers. Tighty whiteys have that weird homebase shape. Cock veiw blocked and if it rains it will just look like somebody hung out the wash.