Everything you need to know about commercial car park shade structures

Stanford Plaza car park shade structure installed by Versatile Structures

After reading this article on commercial car park shade structures you will have a good understanding of the various kinds of car park shade structures.  The team at Versatile Structures have worked on custom shade structures for a single park as can be seen here,  this article however will focus on commercial applications. Why car park shade structures Before…

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Polycarbonate, the ultimate UVR resistant shade structure solution

The Westend Common walkway shade structure featuring a polycarbonate roof, manufactured, and installed by Versatile Structures

The use of lightweight polycarbonate in shade structures has become synonymous with sun protection as the material does not allow harmful ultraviolet radiation (UVR) rays to be transmitted. To better understand the value of polycarbonate as a protective substrate against UVR in shade structures we need to better understand ultraviolet radiation. What is ultraviolet radiation?…

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Top five shade sail fabrics and how to get the perfect cover

Canterbury school pool shade structure erected by Versatile Structures

Shade cloths, shade fabrics, and also referred to as shade sails, are not just about transforming a sunny spot into a shaded area, they are also great for providing shade over pools (like the Canterbury School pool featured above), car parks and can even be motorized like these awnings.    Regrettably not all shade cloths…

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The best shade sails under the sun

Wellington Point Park shade structure installed by Versatile Structures

As with all products not all shade structures are created equal. There are however two distinct factors that makes for an excellent shade sail. The first and the most important is “fit for purpose” – is the quality of the individual elements that make up a shade structure like the fabric, metalwork, and the manufacturing…

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How much time to allow for a custom shade project

how long does it take to install a shade structure?

One of the first questions we get asked when we work on a new shade project is how long will it take from design to install? Unfortunately, rain, council approval, and COVID-19 restrictions are factors outside of our control which can all negatively impact the turnaround time for any shade structure project. The short answer…

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The aesthetic and practical value of sunhoods

Sunhoods installed by Versatile Structures

As more modern, streamline buildings pop up, sunhoods and blades are increasingly more popular as they meet a few key criteria: they enhance the aesthetic appearance of a building, while providing a practical solution for protecting windows and doors from the elements, and in many cases, they also provide privacy. A sunhood and blade combination…

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What’s the difference between shade sails and shade structures?

Trinity College shade sail designed, manufactured and installed by Versatile Structures

If you’re not familiar with the world of outdoor shade constructions, you may think that a shade sail and shade structure are one and the same. Don’t worry; it’s a common misconception. The terminology in our industry can be confusing, and these aren’t the only two names out there. While shade sails and shade structures…

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Custom Is The Way to Go

Custom Shade Sails

Are you considering custom shade sails for your commercial operation? Versatile Structures provide the perfect solution. Custom Shade Sails are an investment Cheaper, second-tier fabrics are proven ineffective against the harsh Australian weather conditions. Thanks to the advancements in fabric manufacturing, our fabric structures are custom-built using high spec International, European, and Australian materials that…

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Epic Olympic

Canterbury College in Queensland commissioned Versatile Structures to design, manufacture and install a waterproof shade structure for their new Olympic size pool 450m2 grandstand, as well as a pool structure cover of 278m2 for their second smaller pool area. We chose to use Mehler Valmex FR700 Nano for both membranes, as the high fluoride content…

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Five top tips to identify a quality shade structure

Five top tips to identify a quality shade structure

Like so many things, the quality of a shade structure lies in the details. Here are our top five quality indicators: CRAFTMANSHIP A domestic or commercial shade sail consists of 3 key elements: the shade cloth, the edging and the corners. A quality shade cloth can be identified by the fibres of the shade fabric,…

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