Do’s and Dont’s for fabric structures
This is just a short list to point out all the basics when it comes to the design, manufacture and installation of a tensile structure. Some may warrant further discussion, we’d love hear from you.
DO
- Make sure you are fixing to something robust enough
- Talk it through with a specialist contractor
- Get a useful budget figure before you have a guess
- Remember fabric structures can wobble – leave sufficient clearance
- Keep the fabric clean. You’ll make it last longer.
- Use double curvature if you can
- Pay attention to all the little details!
- Look after the fabric throughout the whole fabrication and installation process.
- Choose your canopy material early on
- Have a plan for the rainwater
DONT
- Underestimate the power of the wind
- Try to do the sums yourself!
- Create obstructions with the supporting structure
- Make the canopy structure too complicated
- Let it pond under snow load
- Overtension the canopy
- Use fabric from different batches, even if the same colour
- Put up the canopy in high winds
- Ignore the inspection and maintenance plan
- Forget to tighten all the locknuts
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