Shade Sails
All our Shade Sails are made to order and offer almost unlimited design potential allowing you to create a stylish, colourful and effective shading system to suit your setting.
These premium products have been designed specifically for commercial use and are manufactured and installed with the same attention to detail as our canopies, providing you with a high quality shade system which is built to last. Our sail systems are designed to be left outdoors 365 days a year, requiring only minimal maintenance and no re-tensioning.
Able Canopies Shade Sails are covered with high quality, commercial grade shade sail fabric which protects those underneath upto 96.5% of UV rays depending on the colour of the fabric chosen. The knitted monofilament yarn and tape fabric also lets a cool breeze flow through the small gaps within the fabric which is very pleasant during the hot humid summer months.
They are supported by galvanised steel posts. Because they are covered with knitted fabric, our sun shade sails are not waterproof and are therefore only ideal for creating shade from the sun rather than shelter from the rain. We have a range of waterproof tensile fabric structures which provide protection against all weather conditions.
Click on the categories below to view our shade sail products:
Contact Us
If you have any questions about Shade Sails, or to find out if you qualify for a Free Site Survey contact our professionals today
Commercial Shade Sails
Please Note:
Our shade sails are commercial structures that are not suitable for domestic use and cannot be attached directly to brickwork or buildings. Your site must have enough space to accommodate the posts that support the sails and the foundations that the posts are fixed into.
Why Choose a Shade Sail?
Able Shade Sails are versatile and stunning shade systems which keep children and adults protected from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Due to climate change it is becoming increasingly important to provide shade from the sun in the UK, especially in schools and nurseries. Our shade sails are the perfect solution as they block up to 96.5% of UV rays depending on the colour of the fabric chosen.
With the installation of shade sails, most activities can be moved outdoors creating a new, exciting learning environment for children and giving a space for activities which may not be suitable to do indoors such as large scale performances or arts and craft work.
Shade sails also create pleasant and cool seating areas, making them great picnic areas or a covered outdoor extension to your bar or restaurant, dramatically increasing your seating capacity.
Have a question? Click here to read our Shade Sail F.A.Q’s
Benefits of Shade Sails
- Robust Permanent Structures – Our shade sails are installed into the ground and are made from materials that have been designed to be left outside all year round
- High UV Protection – The shade sail fabric blocks up to 96.5% of harmful UV rays, keeping the area underneath cool and shaded, protecting those underneath from the sun
- Choice of Singular or Arrays – You can choose to have just one shade sail installed, or you can create a striking focal point in your outside area and cover much a larger area with a shade sail array
- Choice of Fabric Colours – The sun shade sails are available in a range of colours to complement your outside environment perfectly
- Steel Posts – The sun shade sail posts are made from steel and are galvanised as standard for ultimate corrosion protection
- 5-10 Year Guarantee – The sun shade sails are supplied with up to a 10-year warranty against UV degradation for complete peace of mind.
Made to Measure Shade Sails
Able shade sails are made to measure and are therefore bespoke to your individual needs.
Choosing made to measure shade sails ensure that your design vision can become a reality; your outside area can be transformed into a bright, colourful and usable space, encouraging children and adults to spend more time outside whilst keeping cool and shaded from the sun.
The design possibilities are endless. You can choose a singular shade sail in either square or triangle; or you can choose an array of multiple shade sails with square, triangle or both square and triangle sails.
Each sail in the shade sail arrays can have alternating colours, using as many colours as you like.
To find out more about how we can help you turn your ideas into a real, practical and useable shade structure, contact us here: Made to Measure Shade Sails
Shade Sail Reviews
We understand that when you invest in a shade sail, you want a product is of the highest quality from a company that is reliable, professional and experienced. Please see a selection of reviews from our customers that we have supplied and installed shade sails for.
“I had to write to Able Canopies to thank all staff.
I would fully recommend Able Canopies. 5-star service from start to finish.
On behalf of the school and our fund raisers a BIG THANK YOU for a job well done from start to finish. Your communication from the office staff, surveyors and all installers have been an absolute pleasure to deal with you all.
Our Headteacher and all staff are very impressed with it all finished and cannot wait to use the area.
Parents and children have all said how wow and how good it looks and cannot wait to use the steps again with the shade in place.”
Keith Kendall, Site Manager
Engayne Primary School, Essex
“The design team were very helpful in their advice and the construction team were efficient and completed the work on schedule. Excellent Job, thank you”
Our Lady of Pity Catholic Primary School, Merseyside
“Sales & Installation teams are fantastic.”
The Bridge School, London
“Very pleased with the installation which was completed with very little disruption.”
Barrington Primary School, Kent
Shade Sail F.A.Q’s
What Are Shade Sails?
A shade sail is a structure that is installed for the purpose of creating shade within your outside area. They are covered with fabric and are most popular within hot countries such as Australia, yet they are still very popular in the UK.
Whilst they are designed solely to create shade from the sun, some are in fact waterproof. However, it’s important to note that a traditional shade sails such as our Sun Shade Sails are covered with polyethylene fabric which is knitted and therefore benefits from a cooling breeze of filtered air that flows through the miniscule holes in the fabric. Waterproof structures do not have this benefit.
What Do Shade Sails Cost?
The cost of a shade sail varies extensively. They are bespoke shade sails made to order and can be supplied in many sizes, designs and arrays, it is therefore impossible to supply you with a standard price.
If you have a size in mind, we may be able to advise you of an outline cost based on one of our previous installations over the phone. Call us on 0800 389 9072 to talk to one of our friendly advisors.
What Are the Best Shade Sails?
There is no singular ‘best’ shade sail available, it all depends on what you need from your shade sail, you can then evaluate what shade sail is best for you. It is of course extremely important that you choose a shade sail that is of a commercial grade and is made from high strength and durable materials to ensure your shade sail will last for many years to come.
Are Shade Sails Waterproof?
We are often asked “Are shade sails rainproof?” “Do shade sails block rain?”. The answer is yes and no. Traditional Shade Sails such as our Shade Sails do not protect from the rain, they are designed to protect from the sun only, create a cooling shade underneath.
Do Shade Sails Need Council Approval?
This entirely depends on the requirements from your local authority. Most of the time planning permission is not required, however it depends on many factors. Please contact your local authority for more information.
Do Shade Sails Need Re-tensioning?
Our shade sails do not need re-tensioning, they are all permanent structures that have been designed to last for many years to come with just simple maintenance such as cleaning.
Inferior structures that are available on the market are made from cheaper materials and may need re-tensioning, so please bear this in mind when comparing costs.
Click here to read more shade sail frequently asked questions
If you have any questions about Shade Sails, or to find out if you qualify for a Free Site Survey contact our professionals today
Shade Sail Case Studies
Engayne Primary School, Essex
Engayne Primary School in Upminster, Essex were looking to provide shade and shelter from the sun to their amphitheatre.
They previously invested in a Wall Mounted Canopy to provide shade and shelter outside a number of their classrooms and loved it so much that they came back to us again. This time however, they wanted a structure that was bright and colourful and therefore loved the idea of our Shade Sails.
Click here to read the full case study: School Shade Sails in Essex
Download our Brochure
Download our brochure which showcases our shade sail range or request a copy in the post.
