We all remember spending hours on slippery dips or slides as children, enjoying the thrills of hurtling down at great speeds from top to bottom! Whilst slides can be great fun, their safe use can be limited in the Australian sun, particularly in the warmer months. Plastic or polymer slides can heat up to leg scorching temperatures, and this is particularly true with stainless steel slides which can lead to slide users incurring heat burns.

When specifying slides for play spaces, it is important to consider shading to mitigate the effects of solar action on the slide carriage. This can be achieved by a combination of natural shading from trees and a purpose designed shade structure, such as a Shade Sail. Shade Sails can be incorporated at the design stage of a play space, or can be retro-installed down the track if an issue is identified with the slide getting too hot.

Slides can be free-standing as part of a multi-play structure, or more frequently these days situated on a purpose formed mound or sloped banking.  Where a sloped banking is used to support the slide, the natural fall of the landscape can be utilised in the Shade Sail design to create a sympathetic form, enhancing the play space, reducing the slides temperature and providing comfortable shade for slide users.

Shade Sails provide a functional and aesthetically pleasing solution to the shading of slides, extending use throughout the day and in particular during the hotter summer months. A considered design can reduce the excessive heat build-up and provide an attractive feature to our parks and play spaces. As well as shading the slide itself, the Shade Sail can provide users of the slide some comfort whilst waiting to use, or during rest.

Shadeform’s commercial Shade Sails are manufactured using the most durable Australian made fabrics in vibrant colours, including a fantastic 15 year warranty. Each Shade Sail is designed to suit the site, orientation and wind category, resulting in the specification of posts & footings appropriate for the application. Following an accurate survey of the support columns, each shade sail is designed, patterned and plotted using the latest 3D design software. Once cut out, the sail panels are either machine sewn or high frequency welded together depending on the type of fabric used. Corner patches are then added in triple layers, a unique process developed during Shadeform’s 30 plus years of manufacturing.

The sails are then hand finished with the addition of stainless steel edge wires and fittings. The corner reinforcing, combined with the use of the industry leading durable sewing thread and the highest quality stainless steel edge wires and fittings, ensures that Shadeform’s sails are the strongest available on the market.

Why not contact Shadeform today for advice on your shading project?