How to Make a 4-Sided Shade Sail

X-HT-300410

With a 4-sided shade sail, it's entirely possible to transform any outdoor living area from drab to fab! Custom shade sails provide a relaxing seating area as well as create a stylish ambiance that helps to define what may have felt like a rather lackluster patio or deck. In our in-depth tutorial, we'll show you how to sew and install your very own 4-sided (quadrangle) shade sail.

Video Chapters:

Planning & Attachment Points - 01:00 min
Measuring & Calculating for Sail Shade - 02:05 min
Installing Fascia Brackets (if required) - 11:03 min
Attaching Hardware to Posts - 20:55 min
Adding Additional Panels of Fabric (if required) - 22:37 min
Lofting Shade Fabric - 33:27 min
Creating Hollow on Sides - 38:21 min
Hemming Sides - 44:37 min
Reinforcing Sides with Webbing - 49:23 min
Adding Corner Patches - 56:25 min
Sewing Hem & Webbing on Sides - 1:01:21 min
Sewing Corner Rings - 1:05:50 min
Installing Shade Sail - 1:18:21 min
Tensioning Shade Sail - 1:27:46 min
Materials List - 1:31:59 min

Materials List:

Polyfab Fascia Bracket (2 Way) - Item #122017
Eye Bolt With Shoulder, Nut & Washer (SS) - Item #121228 and #121229
Parasol™ 118” wide or Polytex^® 150“ wide Shade Fabric – we used Item #121793
Seamstick 3/8" Basting Tape for Canvas - Item #129
Tex 90 Polyester Thread or Sailrite^® Tex 92 PTFE Lifetime Thread - Item #107128
Polyfab™ Webbing Polyester 2" from Sailrite – Item #120266
Quick Link Triangle 5/16" (8mm)(Stainless Steel) - Item #120763
Round Stainless Steel Ring 2" - Item #45697
Polyfab Pro™ Dee Shackle With Bolt 5/16" (8mm)(SS) - Item #120269
5/16” Coil Chain Zinc Plated – sold at hardware stores
Turnbuckle Hook & Hook 5/16" (8mm)(SS) - Item #120768

Tools List:

Triangle Tailor's Chalk – White - Item #121912
Gingher^® Scissors Right Hand Lightweight 8" - Item #101017
Clear Acrylic Ruler 6" x 24" - Item #102400
Sailrite^® Canvas Patterning Ruler - Item #107040
Scribe-All^® Water Soluble White Marking Pencil - Item #120681
Sailrite^® Edge Hotknife Package (110V) - Item #103800
Sailrite^® Ultrafeed^® LS Walking Foot Sewing Machine - Item #311502
Deluxe 5 1/2" Magnetic Sewing Guide - Item #103597
Laser Measure, Tape Measure, Ladders, Lag Screws & Washers, Drill & Bits, Yardstick, Office Clamp, ½” PVC Pipe, Stapler, Bolt Cutters, Ratcheting Strap, Anti-Seize Lubricant, Rubber Gloves, Screw Driver, Adjustable Wrench

For starters, you can use our fantastic fabric calculator to help you figure out what you will need for your particular shade sail in terms of both fabric and hardware. While this tutorial will teach you how to create your own 4-sided shade sail, you can also refer to our blog “How to Make Shade Sails” (300183XHT) if you’re interested in making 3-sided (triangle) shade sails. No matter which shape you choose, you’ll be pleased to know that the hardware can be interchanged between 3-sided and 4-sided shade sails when attaching them to posts or buildings.

Fortunately, Sailrite offers a variety of shade fabrics that make for durable, resilient shade sails. We recommend using Parasol™ or Polytex^®, which are made of 100% high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and promise dimensional stability, minimal fraying and great sun protection. Inherently resistant to mold and mildew, these lightweight fabrics are available in a number of colors to best match your outdoor décor. If you’d like to learn more about what makes Parasol and Polytex excel in the world of shade sails, we would highly recommend perusing the blog “How to Choose a Shade Fabric” (300380XHT). This will allow you to make the most informed decision when choosing a fabric for your new shade sail.

Not only does Sailrite^® supply all the tools, supplies and instructions needed to make custom sail shades, but we also have exactly what you need to revamp every aspect of your patio. So go ahead and get creative, and don’t forget to share a photo of your finished shade sail in the comments below!