Patio/Deck Sun Shades

Just buy the vinyl shades when in stock at Kmart. Inexpensive, easy to clean, put up and take down. I use these on 2 sides of my deck area for shade from late afternoon sun ????.
You can order the overhead sail shades online for overhead use much cheaper than having them made locally.

Thanks Alana33 for your input and yes, I definitely want the overhead sail-type and have see them quite affordable on Amazon pre-made but unfortunately not to my needed measurements, that’s why I’m thinking custom. Installation is essential too, since I’m still recovering from ACL reconstruction surgery and a broken tibia from a fall off a faulty ladder in January (suddenly I have this phobia about climbing more than 6” off the ground, lol).

I bought one that was a custom size on eBay for $60! It was 30ft x 10ft. It’s a knock off of a sun sail. It lasted two years which is really good for 60!!!

The only down side it’s NOT waterproof. You’d feel sprinkles when it rained and the water made it sag so you have to tighten it often. If you want a cheap option that’s the way to go. It was a place vase in CA. Sorry eBay won’t let me go back that far for purchases - if you have the money, get an actual sun sail or a waterproof one. You’ll likely need to have a center pole for 30x30.

Sorry about your ACL! Blew out my right wake boarding years ago and had surgery two. Are you in that moving ice machine thing that constantly moves your leg? Ugh I had to do that for a month and even when I slept. It sucked.

Your best best for a custom awning would be to contact a sail loft on STT. Shop around and compare prices.

AandA2VI, sorry about your ACL blowout, ouch, not sure what the moving ice machine is that you are referring to, my recovery just involved physical therapy sessions twice a week for about 3 months and assigned home exercises. Ironically, one of my physical therapists’ cousins was referred to me as the real estate agent in STT who showed me properties...small world huh? Amazing how things work sometimes!

Alana33, thanks again for your suggestion, will keep that in mind...in the meantime, think I will run over to Melbourne near my place here in Florida next week, there’s a custom sun shade shop that can quote me based on my sketch of the attachment points. If they can reasonably fabricate them, may just have them do it and put in my container for shipment.

Sounds like you have a sail taken care of. It’s a machine that straps to your thigh and calf and while laying down it basically bends your knee while circulating ice cold water over it. I had to use it for a month - even when sleeping. My ACL and MCL was literally gone. The took a tendon from the back of my thigh. Crazy. Lol. I almost murdered my PT. Hopefully they don’t make you do the electrode thing. That hurt so bad I was in tears every time.

AandA2VI, that’s very interesting therapy, my physical therapists just put me through old school resistance exercises with varying strength elastic bands, ankle weights, bicycle/rowing/stair-step/treadmill machines, etc. and as you know, lots of stretching in order to regain range of motion. Tell ya the truth though, almost missing two connecting flights at Miami International recently and lots of walking in the Caribbean weather along the beach and hilly St Thomas streets during the last couple of weeks has been the very best workout for my new ACL (my new ACL came from a cadaver, unlike your own hamstring harvesting, can imagine that made your recovery much more difficult).

I have gained much respect for the physical therapy profession, the amount of info they know about anatomy, and how rewarding of a career it must be to see “real results’ of your efforts in just weeks (they had me walking without crutches nor a limp within 6 weeks of surgery, amazing)! Of course, as you know, this type of injury is really a 9-12 month recovery period to get to the point that we can do almost anything we did before...but I’m still staying off of ladders, lol, hire someone else for that from now on!

I used
mightycovers.com
Out of NC.

Good customer service and quality custom made awnings, built to fit.

Thanks for that lead singlefin

Go to a marina and see if any sailors are getting rid of any old sails. We have done that and they look cool, especially if they have racing numbers on them.

Very cool idea stxsailor, then just cut them to size and shape and install cable eyelets with a DYI grommet tool? Something to think about for sure, only thing is, they prolly don’t have the UV protection of the canvas that’s used for sun shades, huh? I still like that idea though.

Why wouldn't sails have UV protection?

Scubadoo, I don’t know that they don’t have any UV protection, am just thinking that their primary application is not for that purpose.