Coolaroo square shade sails

Why choose a square shade sail?

A square sail maximises useful shaded area within a regular space. It is particularly effective over patios, garden seating, dining areas, courtyards and other places where broad, balanced coverage is the priority.

Its four anchor points distribute tension around the sail and create even coverage. Varying some fixing heights gives the sail a more dynamic form and helps water run off.

For comparable overall dimensions, a square provides substantially more shade than a triangle. If the area is long and narrow, however, a rectangle may better match the space.

Choosing the right square shade sail size

The stated dimensions are the size of the sail itself, not the distance between the four anchor points. Choose a sail that covers the required area while still leaving enough room at every corner for proper tensioning.

With our standard fittings, normally allow 280–365 mm between each corner of the sail and its anchor point. Measure the available length and width between the proposed anchors before choosing the sail size. If an anchor is further away, the connection can be extended using suitably rated steel cable or chain.

With a large square sail, the quality and position of all four anchor points become particularly important. Our installation guide explains spacing, fixing heights, slope and correct tension.

Why Coolaroo? Australian shade protection engineered to last

Coolaroo is a wholly owned subsidiary of Australian manufacturer GALE Pacific, created specifically to bring GALE Pacific’s specialist knitted HDPE shade products to the consumer market. GALE Pacific was founded in Melbourne in 1951 and pioneered the world’s first knitted shadecloth in the 1970s. Coolaroo therefore benefits directly from decades of GALE Pacific research, manufacturing expertise and experience developing technical fabrics for demanding UV and outdoor conditions. GALE Pacific later established the world’s largest knitted shadecloth manufacturing facility.

The fabric is what makes Coolaroo special. Its knitted HDPE is designed for prolonged outdoor exposure, with long-lasting UV protection built into the core of every fibre of the fabric. Coolaroo engineers its shade fabric to retain its colour, flexibility and performance through years of intense UV exposure, including the demanding conditions found in Australia. The knitted construction allows air to circulate and hot air to escape, while the fibres do not absorb moisture. Coolaroo shade sails can block up to 95% of harmful UV radiation and are endorsed by Cancer Council Australia.

Coolaroo square shade sails are available in a number of different ranges, allowing you to choose the level of fabric performance and appearance that best suits your installation. The technical specifications shown below — fabric, fabric weight and fabric warranty — come directly from our product database and correspond to the models currently available.

Installing a square shade sail correctly

A square shade sail uses four anchor points. Each must be strong enough for the loads created by a correctly tensioned sail, and all four points must allow the tension to be adjusted evenly.

With our standard fittings, normally allow 280–365 mm between each sail corner and its anchor point. Different fixing heights create a more dynamic form, improve tension and help water run off.

For larger sails, support strength and correct tensioning become particularly important. For greater fixing distances, suitably rated steel cable or chain can be used to extend the connection.

Square, triangle or rectangle?