Pioneering Cantilever Shade Structures

In the heart of Wetherill Park’s foodie hub, Stockland Shopping Centre’s Kinchin Lane, Sydney Shade Sails has once again demonstrated its commitment to innovation and excellence with the creation of a butterfly-style cantilever shade structure to enhance the outdoor experience in this bustling culinary enclave.

The client’s request was ambitious – a butterfly-style cantilever shade structure with canopies manufactured from a fiberglass fabric coated in PTFE (trade name Teflon®) coating (Skytop FGT-800). This product is not manufactured in Australia; outsourcing to an overseas company marked a change in practice for Sydney Shade Sails, who usually manufactures everything themselves.

Skytop FGT-800 is an architectural fabric developed in Japan for membrane structures. It is a composite material produced by heating and compacting fluoroplastic (a class of plastics using fluorine instead of hydrogen in it’s carbon chain composition) and glass filament yarn. The fluoroplastic membrane FGT series is a combination of Teflon® PTFE with self-extinguishing properties and glass cloth fiber with heat resistance.

For Sydney Shade Sails the challenge lay in working with a fabric never used before. The material, lacking the stretch of regular PVC, initially caused apprehension. However, once the first canopy was in place, the pieces fell into perfect alignment.

The project’s sheer size, in terms of steelwork, made it the most significant undertaking for Sydney Shade Sails to date. With specifications including a 6m width, two structures measuring 6m x 9m and 6m x 30m, and a towering height of 5530mm, the project demanded precision and creativity.

Operating in a busy shopping center, the team faced the additional challenge of working amidst operational shops. The meticulous planning, fabrication of the canopy’s framing, and three weeks of on-site work, including adjustments and modifications, highlighted the company’s versatility and dedication to delivering beyond expectations.

For more information contact Sydney Shade Sails (NSW) Pty Ltd,
phone 02 9592 0401,
enquiries@shadesailsydney.net.au
shadesailsydney.net.au