Patio Shades: How to Block the Sun, Wind and Rain
While the sun can provide endless hours of enjoyment in the spring or summer months for home owners, patio shades can be a strong line of defense against sweltering temperatures and some of the harmful effects of sun.
Many recent studies that tout the benefits of direct sun exposure for giving the body its recommended allowance of vitamin D have not come with necessary warnings about overexposure to ultraviolet rays and the risk of certain cancers. Outdoor patio shades may offer one of the best ways to get the best of the sun without the risks of its dangers.
The traditional way that most people have chosen to create patio shade has been through the age-old umbrella, which provides some shade when you sit directly under them in a lounge chair or at a table, but have to be humongous to cover an entire patio area. To combat this limitation, many people have chosen to place multiple umbrellas in a patio area. This tends to make the décor bulky and feel a bit dated.
A trendy alternative to the umbrella is the shade sail made by Cooleroo. A simply designed, but bold and brightly colored triangle suspended from anchored stainless steel poles, this patio sun shade is completely durable. It is made of touch nylon that is designed to block out 90 percent of ultraviolet rays from the sun. The company also offers a 10-year warranty and will replace the shade sail if it is damaged. This chic design places patio shades in a whole new modern light.
Aside from the natural reason for using patio sun shades – to block the sun – there is the issue of creating additional privacy to avoid the uninvited stares of neighbors. Roller patio shades can provide this privacy with adjustable horizontal levels.
If the shades are designed as awnings, they can be retractable to provide an overhead exposure to sunlight and a sky view when desired and protection from sun, wind or rain when necessary. Patio shades can also be motorized for easy drawing and move on a guided tract. These operate similarly to panel track blinds made for patio or sliding glass doors.
Most patio shades are made of vinyl or some other durable weather-resistant fabric. This is especially true for canopy shades and awnings that act as overhead coverings and are directly exposed to sunlight and susceptible to fading or discoloring. Bamboo shades are ultraviolet protective and give an environmentally friendly solution for patio shading. Sunbrella canvas blinds and AirFlow mesh blinds are great fabric shades, though they may not provide the same level of protection from rain. These fabrics are said to block at least 70 percent of ultraviolet rays from the sun.
The modern array of patio shades available on the current market to home owners makes designing patio space an exciting venture. No longer are designers bound to simple PVC shades or unattractive fabrics. Design options span the range of available colors and materials. Patio shades are helping people bring more of their indoor life to the great outdoors.
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You are so incredibly right. There are so many more options available for shades now than there used to be. You can find all kinds of colors, shapes, designs and materials to match your decor while still keeping you (and your skin) safe and shaded.