Do I need a shade sail or an umbrella for my space?

You are sinking into a sofa, catching up on all the latest. Breathing in the beautiful fresh air and taking in the nice change of scenery from your TV screen but the heat envelops you and you feel like there is no escape. Yet there is hope - every backyard needs something to escape the oven-like heat and provide you and your family with sun protection. How to achieve that? Of course, shade. You may be reading this article because you are a little confused about what shade option to go with. 

Here at Shadowspec we are passionate about finding the right shade option for your space, no matter what the requirements are. We are big on landscape design and enjoy giving design tips for outdoor spaces. This article will help you decide whether a shade sail or an umbrella is the right shade solution for your outdoor space. First, think: what is your intention for shade? Is it to create an extension of your living area, creating an indoor and outdoor flow or is it to provide concentrated sun protection and shelter from light rains to a specific area or outdoor activity?

Creating the right shade for larger areas

On the plus side, a shade sail can shade a large area of your backyard, or in fact your whole section, if you want. Do you have a playground for young children where you want to have peace of mind that they have sun protection while playing outside for long periods? Maybe you throw large social gatherings and need a shade option, even later in the day.

Umbrellas are not typically front of mind for large areas... you would need a lot of umbrellas to shade your whole backyard! However, the Shadowspec Unity™ Quattro is still worth considering as it shades up to 38sqm, this is ample space for your average patio.

Bear in mind not all shade sails are waterproof so be sure to ask the question when enquiring about shade sails or consider joining multiple Quattro's with one of our rain gutters, creating a waterproof shade area. 

Ensuring shade quality and protection all day

A plus for umbrellas, in particular rotating umbrellas, is that you can rotate the shade to follow the sun throughout the day, ensuring maximum sun protection. You can also shift our Shadowspec Serenity™ - single canopy and umbrellas on a free-standing base with wheels to different areas of your outdoor area, depending on your activity throughout the day.

You may want to ensure you have enough shade for your outdoor brunch seating mid-morning while catching up on the latest headlines, enjoying your latte that you made by channeling your inner barista. Later in the afternoon you may want to adjust your angle and relax with your favourite Shiraz or a refreshing Solo, in hand. The point is that umbrellas can shade specific areas well, with the flexibility to transport the shade structure to different areas of your oasis. 

Have you factored in UV protection?

Both options provide high UV protection with shade sails blocking up to 96-98% of UV radiation and the Shadowspec canopy fabric with a UPF 80 UV protection blocking 98% of UV radiation. Your concern is shade, so both options are viable. It depends on your unique outdoor space and your wants and activities, for what shade solution you should choose. Shade sails are a permanent shade solution that may require a permit here in Australia, and Shadowspec umbrellas are able to follow the sun and are a non-permanent, movable shade option to consider.

Are you ready to discover the right shade solution for your space? Why not try our new outdoor umbrella discovery tool or for one-on-one assistance you can reach out to one of our dedicated shade specialists who are ready to help you.