Questions & Answers about Shade Cloth
What is shade cloth and how is it measured?
Shade cloth is a specialized knitted or woven material made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) designed to protect plants, pets, and people from sunlight and heat. It is measured by its UV block percentage, indicating the amount of ultraviolet radiation and sunlight the fabric blocks from passing through.
(Source: Verified by BackyardCity.com)Does shade cloth need to be taken down during rainy or cloudy days?
No, standard agricultural and residential shade cloth can remain installed throughout the season. Because it features a breathable knitted construction, rainwater passes freely through the mesh, and diffuse light on overcast days still provides sufficient illumination for plants underneath.
(Source: Verified by BackyardCity.com)Will shade cloth fray or unravel when cut to custom DIY sizes?
High-quality knitted HDPE shade fabrics feature a lock-stitch construction that prevents the material from unravelling when trimmed. This allows DIYers to easily cut and customize pieces to fit specific pergolas, garden frames, or fencing structures without immediate hemming.
(Source: Verified by BackyardCity.com)What are the best methods for attaching and securing shade fabric in DIY projects?
Shade fabric can be securely attached to various frames using heavy-duty staples on wood, specialized butterfly clips for wire cable supports, timber fasteners, zip ties, or by lacing and stitching rope through the mesh openings.
(Source: Verified by BackyardCity.com)How do you attach shade cloth to a wooden pergola or structure?
Shade cloth can be easily attached to a wooden pergola using heavy-duty staples with a staple gun, roofing nails with plastic washers to prevent tearing, or by sandwiching the edges of the fabric between the wood frame and thin furring strips (lath boards) screwed down tightly.
(Source: Verified by BackyardCity.com)How do you attach shade fabric to metal or pipe structures?
For metal frames or pipes, shade cloth is typically secured using heavy-duty UV-resistant zip ties, snap clamps (PVC or metal conduit clips designed to snap over pipe), or lacing rope threaded through perimeter eyelets and wrapped securely around the metal tubing.
(Source: Verified by BackyardCity.com)How do you keep tension on shade fabric when installing it overhead?
To prevent sagging, install one edge completely and pull the fabric taut across the span before securing the opposite side. For larger installations, running galvanized steel cables or tension wires connect the shade fabric to these cables using butterfly clips
(Source: Verified by BackyardCity.com)What are shade fabric butterfly clips and how are they used?
Butterfly clips (or tarp grips) are locking plastic clamps that grip onto the edge or middle of shade fabric without requiring built-in grommets. They provide a solid anchor point with a hole or loop, allowing you to attach bungee cords, ropes, or hooks to tie the fabric down securely.
(Source: Verified by BackyardCity.com)Ask a Question about Shade Cloth / Fabric by Cut Linear Yard, Roll or Custom.
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Features of Shade Cloth
- High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Fabric: Built from super-strong knitted plastic fibers that will not fade, rot, or tear in harsh sunlight and rain.
- Lock-Stitch Knit Construction: Cut the fabric into any custom size or shape for your frame without worrying about the edges unraveling or fraying.
- Versatile UV Protection Factors (30% to 98%): Pick the exact amount of sun block you need, from light shade for plants to total protection for humans and pets.
- Breathable Airflow Mesh: Traps hot air and lets it escape upward while allowing cool breezes to pass through, dropping temperatures underneath by up to 33 degrees.
- Coolaroo Pre-Packaged Rolls: Convenient, easy-to-handle DIY roll sizes (6x15ft, 6x100ft, and 12x50ft) designed for simple weekend patio and garden upgrades.
- Commercial 95 Architectural Grade: Ultra-heavy-duty 340 GSM fabric that handles extreme wind pressure, making it the top choice for large structures and heavy DIY projects.
- Sold by the Linear Yard or Full Roll: Buy only the exact length of Commercial 95 fabric you need for small projects, or buy a full roll for big jobs.
- Custom-Fabricated Hemmed Panels: Order made-to-size shade panels sewn into custom shapes with strong brass or stainless steel grommets spaced every 12 to 18 inches.
- Custom Attachment Options: Add heavy-duty rod pockets, Velcro strips, or reinforced webbing borders to make mounting your custom panel quick and simple.
- Custom Slide-on-Wire Roman Panels: Create smooth retractable overhead shade covers tailored to your exact frame size that slide open or closed on steel cables.
- Easy Wood Frame Attachment: Secure fabric straight to wooden pergola beams using simple 1-inch stainless steel staples, wood screws with washers, or timber fasteners.
- Butterfly Clips Accessory: Quickly snap strong plastic grip clamps onto any part of the fabric edge without punching holes or installing metal eyelets.
- Flexible Bungee Ball Ties: Tie shade cloth down securely to metal pipes or wire frames while giving the fabric enough flex to withstand strong wind gusts.
- Heavy-Duty Timber Fasteners: Lock shade fabric tight against wood posts using specialized wide-head fasteners that prevent the cloth from tearing loose over time.
Shade Cloth Product Reviews
Currently there are no Product Reviews at this time.
Shade Cloth - Shade Fabric - Roll, Linear Yard - Custom
Shade Cloth is an outdoor fabric shade solution to create cover where you want protection from the sun, or to provide some privacy and to reduce wind. We've narrowed our selection of this type of fabric down to these choices:
Coolaroo Shade Cloth
Coolaroo is a UV stabilized High-density polyethylene (HDPE) knitted mesh fabric (~130-280gsm) that blocks 30-90% of the sun's dangerous UV rays while it still breaths to circulate the air which keeps the environment underneath much cooler. Coolaroo fabric is heat processed that makes the material color fast, resists rot, mildew, or mold and will maintain flexibility and strength even when exposed to the sun for long periods of time. It is available in pre-packaged rolls only. The cloth, itself, is waterproof and will not absorb moisture, but rain will pass through it.
Coolaroo Shade fabrics come with a 15 year warranty that protects against UV degradation.
Commercial 95 Shade Fabric
This is similar to Coolaroo but the threading is thicker and it weighs in at ~340gsm and blocks up 98% of the ultra violet rays. Specifically designed to withstand more wind and weather the elements better. Commercial 95 shade fabric is available in whole rolls, cut linear yards off the roll, or we can custom make a finished shade panel in most any size you need, with edges that are hemmed only, with reinforced grommets, rod pocket sleeves and much more.
Commercial 95 Shade cloth fabrics come with a 15 year warranty that protects against UV degradation.
Coolaroo Shade Cloth
Pre Sized Rolls Only
Commercial 95 Shade Cloth
By Linear Yard or Large Roll
Custom Shade Cloth Panels
We can make one for you. Hemmed with or without Grommets!
Retractable Pergola Canopy
Installing Shade Fabric
Ball Bungee Ties
Price: $29.95Sale Price: $21.99
Butterfly Clips - 20-Pack
Price: $19.95Sale Price: $8.97
Timber Fasteners - 50-Pack
Price: $15.97Sale Price: $9.95
Differences Between Coolaroo & Commercial 95 Shade Cloth
Sunbrella Outdoor Fabric for Shading
100% solution dyed acrylic. Solution dyed basically means that the fibers that the fabric is made from, are dyed in a color solution before they are woven and not printed on after the fabric base cloth is made. This is the thicker Awning / Marine Grade fabric found on boats and nearly every major hotel awning. It is long lasting, fade resistant and near waterproof. Only available as a custom shade panel thru us.
Sunbrell fabrics come with a 10 year warranty that protects against UV degradation, rot, mold, mildew and manufacturing defects in material.
These mesh shade fabrics can be easily attached to any wooden structure in many ways including timber fastners, screws/washers, 1" staples, etc. The HDPE mesh fabrics use a lock-stitch knitted construction that stops tearing or fraying when the material is cut. The material itself is waterproof, but the fabric is a knitted mesh and will allow water through it when raining.
Last Updated: 11/06/2026 03:12 PM - ID:2442