Shade Structure ideas for 14' x 9' x 80" Cabin Tent?

[alt12]

I have a handy dandy Weathermaster cabin tent that is 80" tall and 14' x 9'.
(See:
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-WeatherMa ... d_sbs_sg_8 )

Now I love this thing but this year I really need to setup a shade structure over it so that I can actually try and get some sleep in the morning.... Especially since my new neighbors are Bass Camp (i.e. there will be no sleeping at night).... Any ideas? I've looked at the cheapo 10x10 canopies and they might do the job but seem flimsy.... Just needs to be tall enough to have the tent under it and big enough to cover the area of the tent where my mattress is (i.e. doesn't have to cover the whole tent)....

Has anyone tried the Northpole 30ft party tent over a cabin tent? Seems like with a center pole there would be no way to fit a tent directly under it....

Any ideas greatly appreciated...

[FIGJAM]

Any place the sun touches the tent will heat it up quickly. What are you driving? Can it be used as part of the shade and as an anchor for for same?

[Token]

[Token]

Every inch of the tent must be in the shade or it will heat up fast.

If you can swing the bulk of a carport, proven playa shelter.

A cheaper option is to cover the sunrise side completely with old thrift store quilts, blackout curtains, bedspreads etc. and clip them onto the tent with heavy duty clips.

[alt12]

Every inch of the tent must be in the shade or it will heat up fast.

If you can swing the bulk of a carport, proven playa shelter.

A cheaper option is to cover the sunrise side completely with old thrift store quilts, blackout curtains, bedspreads etc. and clip them onto the tent with heavy duty clips.

thanks, I think I will invest in a flat canopy then.... none of the other solutions would cover completely.... I could hang a tarp over the side of the canopy facing the sun.....

[phil]

Louise and I have a 10x10 foot tarp with side flaps on two sides. Be sure to orient your shade so that you have one side facing where the sun rises. You'll need a flap on the easterly side and one on the southerly side as as the sun rises and swings south. More than two side flaps keeps the breeze from coming through.

Our flat-top shade uses EMT for structure, and you can get uprights long enough to clear the roof of the tent, but you run into issues getting it in your vehicle.

[TomServo]

I used one like that in heavy winds, and it did well, AFTER I wrapped duct tape over the poles seams. It was also tied to my van...a small car would still work.

[galaxybeing]

We had a 13x9 Coleman cabin tent last year. I built this shade structure for it.

http://galaxybeing.com/galaxyhut/

My main goal with the structure has always been to be able to sleep anytime of the day.

Your tent looks like it has a lot of mesh. How do you keep out the dust?

[geekster]

Your tent looks like it has a lot of mesh. How do you keep out the dust?

I was just going to say that heat is going to be the least of your problems, you are going to wake up under 6 inches of dust finer than flour.

A tent with mesh openings is a very efficient dust catcher. As the air enters and slows down, it will drop its load of dust in your tent much like a river does with silt when it reaches a wide spot and slows down.

The dust is much finer than the dirt you are used to at home. Think baby powder fine.

You are going to need more than shade, I'm afraid.

[alt12]

Your tent looks like it has a lot of mesh. How do you keep out the dust?

I was just going to say that heat is going to be the least of your problems, you are going to wake up under 6 inches of dust finer than flour.

A tent with mesh openings is a very efficient dust catcher. As the air enters and slows down, it will drop its load of dust in your tent much like a river does with silt when it reaches a wide spot and slows down.

The dust is much finer than the dirt you are used to at home. Think baby powder fine.

You are going to need more than shade, I'm afraid.

yes there is always a lot of dust. that, apparently, I can sleep through. I've never bothered with sewing/sealing the mesh windows on any tent I've brought to burning man.... what I know is that it is the heat that wakes me up, not the dust....

[ju1ce]

Been looking into similar question. Below is what I came up with.

These things look pretty cool.. sturdy(ish), light, and modular. http://shelsys.com/

You could also do a big monkey hut like this guy. One of the 20x20 sections would suffice.

http://www.toad.com/gnu/clifs-shade-structure.html

[Captain Goddammit]

It seems like the Standard Building Of Burning Man, the ubiquitous Costco 10x20 carport, would be perfect!

[alt12]

It seems like the Standard Building Of Burning Man, the ubiquitous Costco 10x20 carport, would be perfect!

yeah that's what I ended-up doing.... I was hoping to getaway with something cheaper but I got a pitched 16 x 10 canopy for $129 and am going to string some tarp on two sides to increase the shade....

hope that will do... I love the above-mentioned PVC pipe design too....looks really simple and pretty cheap....

[alt12]

Been looking into similar question. Below is what I came up with.

These things look pretty cool.. sturdy(ish), light, and modular. http://shelsys.com/

You could also do a big monkey hut like this guy. One of the 20x20 sections would suffice.

http://www.toad.com/gnu/clifs-shade-structure.html

You know, I already ordered the flat-top canopy but I can't get this elegant little PVC design out of my head.... I may just cede the canopy to my camp and decide to build this....I'm there early so have the extra time.... The structure just looks so shady and cozy! And it doesn't look that complicated to build....

Now you've done it...

[ju1ce]

Been looking into similar question. Below is what I came up with.

These things look pretty cool.. sturdy(ish), light, and modular. http://shelsys.com/

You could also do a big monkey hut like this guy. One of the 20x20 sections would suffice.

http://www.toad.com/gnu/clifs-shade-structure.html

You know, I already ordered the flat-top canopy but I can't get this elegant little PVC design out of my head.... I may just cede the canopy to my camp and decide to build this....I'm there early so have the extra time.... The structure just looks so shady and cozy! And it doesn't look that complicated to build....

Now you've done it...

Muahaha!

I know what you mean, I totally want to play with PVC and tarps now, even though I'm staying in an RV.

[geekster]

Some things about PVC:

Get bigger pipe than you think you need. It sags when it gets hot. Don't paint it, paint doesn't stick well and the pipe flexes and the paint will flake off. If you MUST paint it, hit it with a chemical deglosser, allow it to COMPLETELY dry after ... at LEAST 24 hours but 48 is better. Paint with a primer specifically designed for plastic and allow that to COMPLETELY cure, that will likely take 72 or more hours. SERIOUSLY, do not get in a hurry and skimp on the cure time. If you do and paint over it before it is cured, it will never cure properly and the paint will come right off. Once it is completely cured, apply thin coats of paint allowing them to cure between coats. Not dry ... CURE ... which takes longer than drying. See what a pain in the ass this is turning out to be? Don't paint PVC.

Because the pipe sags when it gets hot, drill holes through the fittings through which you can insert pins or dowels or something to hold it together. Otherwise it is likely to fall apart on you.

PVC doesn't age well exposed to sunlight and ozone such as is present in an urban area. Store it in a cool shady place. If you don't it will get brittle and start falling apart on you after about the second year on the playa.

PVC is not cheap and it does not last but it is lighter than metal pipe.

[geekster]

Oh, best place I have found with a good selection of PVC fittings of all sorts and angles:

http://flexpvc.com/

I recommend a gambrel shape, too, rather than a peaked roof shape. As the sides angle in, the wind holds the structure down into the ground rather than lifting it up on one side which causes peaked structures to flip over.

[geekster]

Also, store your PVC completely flat. DO NOT stand it up or lean it against anything as it will bow and take that bowed shape permanently. Once that happens, the pipe is too short to go into the fittings and the structure doesn't go together right. If you want to have something that you can take apart and put back together again and use for several years, use metal pipe, not PVC. If it is something that will never be taken apart or used only once, PVC is ok.

[swampdog]

I LOVE the monkey hut. I use 2 pvc per rib 10 ft across spaced every 5 ft for 30 ft, cover it with 90% shade cloth. Shady, strong, and breezy. Sorta like me. It doesn't block dust, but it also doesn't blow over, fall apart, or fail. 1" pvc for the main ribs and backbone, can set up in half an hour with 2 people. Relatively cheap, too - I think the whole thing cost me less than $200.

[geekster]

Yeah, 1-inch PVC is about right for that. But you would be surprised how many people you see out there with 1/2-inch.

[dewnorth]

I read one post in Shade Geek's Tribe that the inside height of a Monkey Hut using 10 foot ribs is just over 6 feet. (Plus, it will bounce around in the wind.) Is about 6 feet of clearance right??

[alt12]

I read one post in Shade Geek's Tribe that the inside height of a Monkey Hut using 10 foot ribs is just over 6 feet. (Plus, it will bounce around in the wind.) Is about 6 feet of clearance right??

yeah thats the big question for me too, clearance height..... Obviously it depends on how far out you stake the rebar and you also have the option of using longer connector tubes to connect the 2 10 ft pipes, so there is probably some wiggle room to increase clearance.... I think I am going to buy this stuff next weekend and test it out at a park to make sure it clears the almost 7 ft I need for my cabin tent....