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Everyone loves summer and the outdoors life, but sooner or later they're hankering for some shade.
The power of New Zealand's harsh sunlight to burn after a few minutes makes shade a protective environment for Kiwis.
People want shade for their entertainment areas and where children play, given
that over-exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation is the cause of more than 90 per cent of all skin cancer.
Shade provides protection from the sun and can reduce overall exposure to UV radiation by about 75 per cent, according to the Cancer Society.
It is particularly important to seek shade between 11am and 4pm during the daylight savings months, when UV levels reach their peak.
"A well designed and correctly positioned shade structure casts shade where and when it is most needed," says Dr Judith Galtry, the Cancer Society's skin cancer prevention adviser.
"Best protection is offered by shade that has extensive overhead or side cover and is positioned away from highly reflective surfaces if possible," she says.
There are many ways to provide shade in a backyard or entertainment area and what people choose will depend on their taste, budget and imagination.
When contemplating installing a shade sail, there's a colour, method and shape to suit every household.
But shade sails are not all equal, so consumers have to do some research so they know what they are buying.
There are different brands of material and different quality. The weight of the material starts at 150-190 grams and varies up to commercial grade 370gm, which is the grade used by sailmakers who custom make a shade sail to a client's requirements.
Shade sails can be bought off the shelf at some large hardware/home stores. For instance, at Bunnings Warehouse there are square and triangle shade sails.
But specialist shade sail retailers say customers get what they pay for and the extra spent to get a shade sail custom-made means it will fit properly and not flap in the wind.
Specialists say buyers often come to them later for a custom-made sail if they are disappointed with a shelf-bought version.
The Cancer Society recommends people ensure that the sunshade fabric they buy has a UV rating more than 94 per cent.
The UV protection is determined by the colour of the sail.
For instance, custom-made shade sail retailer Shade Plus has around 20 colours and only a few, the white, yellow and light colours, do not meet the society's UV protection criteria.
Black sails have 99 per cent UV protection, but the top-selling colour is navy blue, which has 95 per cent UV protection.
Most colours have an eight- to 10-year fade guarantee, Shade Plus says. The exception is red, which has a three-year guarantee.
One advantage of shade sails is that hot air escapes through the porous material, making the shaded area cooler.
Depending on the size of the sail, the air temperature under a shade sail can be 3 per cent to 7 per cent cooler than if the area had no cover, Shade Plus says.
Shade sails can be freestanding or fixed to the house. When considering what to buy, people need to get an idea of the design and then experiment in replicating the shade space using string and poles, Shade Plus says.
Watching the shadow cast by the string helps to check where the shade is at what time of the day so people can determine what shape they need for when they are going to use the area most.
A shade sail provided by a specialist retailer will cost between $1500-$2500.
Every system is different and the price depends on the number of anchor points, poles, and size of the sail.
The Shade Plus sails can withstand up to 150km/h winds. They will wave in the wind, as opposed to flap, if they are installed and tensioned correctly.
And clients can pay extra to get a waterproof version. If people look after their sails well, the fabric will last 10-15 years.
Other means to provide a shady environment outside the house include using giant cantilevered umbrellas. Retailer Shades Direct says the giant umbrellas are an innovative solution for outdoor spaces where shade is needed in different areas as the sun moves throughout the day.
Robust in construction, these super versatile umbrellas can be rotated on their pivot base and the cantilever design means there is no centre pole to get in the way of picnic tables, seating or play equipment.
They rotate 360 degrees and fold away and can withstand high winds. They come in a 4m or 5m diameter size and are priced at $2495 plus GST for the 4m version and $3495 plus GST for the 5m.
Alternatively, all-weather canopies can provide year-round sun and rain protection with polycarbonate roofing that is both completely waterproof and excludes 99 per cent of harmful UV radiation, Shades Direct says.
Canvas suppliers such as Canvas Concepts can provide all kinds of solutions for providing shade, from fabric tension systems which are similar to shade sails but have straight edges, to complete outdoor areas with aluminium or steel frames.
From do-it-yourself stores, people can buy an awning unit in specific sizes. But rather than getting the house to fit the unit, people can get a unit custom-made to fit their house.
Retractable awnings, or lateral arms awnings, can be adjusted so people can change the amount of shade. They can be manual or motorised and come in a wide range of sizes, extensions, materials and colours.
People can also choose fixed-frame awnings, known as wedge awnings, which are custom made to fit in the required space. The aluminium frame can be designed to fit around drainpipes and curves on buildings. Prices start from around $600 for a fixed awning.
For people wanting natural shade, the right size trees can supply it. A big tree can cost from $25 to $200 for instant shade, according to Awa Nursery in Waimauku. Big trees such as puriri, pohutukawa, puka and some pungas can be either planted in the garden or in pots and can be trimmed to fit the garden area. They are hardy and thrive with some summer watering.
Using a pot makes it easy to move trees around depending on where the sun is and trolleys and wheels can be fitted. Round-bottom pots are more useful for this. Plus, when people move house they can take the trees with them.
