WeatherMax® polyester — what sets this fabric apart?
WeatherMax® polyester | strong & permanent
WeatherMax® is a technical polyester fabric developed for permanent outdoor use. The fabric is light to handle, but the strongest of all the sails in our range and with a colourfastness of 8/8 the most colour-stable. Ideal for anyone who wants to leave the sail up year after year.
- 270 g/m² | the heaviest fabric in our range
- Colourfastness 8/8 | the maximum score, with a 10-year colour guarantee
- Wind resistant up to 80 km/h
- Max. 49 m² | available fully made to measure
- UPF 50+ | the highest UV protection there is
- Fully waterproof, made by hand in Belgium
- Ideal: all year round, terrace, garden, balcony, hospitality
At 49 m² polyester covers the largest span in our range acrylic goes up to 35 m², olefin up to 16 m².
Acrylic or olefin | the alternatives
Is polyester not what you are looking for? Then we have two more waterproof fabrics, each with its own strengths. Both keep the water off just as well; the difference lies in the look, the maximum size and the budget.
- Sunbrella® acrylic | 260 g/m², colourfastness 7/8, up to 80 km/h and 35 m², also made to measure. A softer, more textile fabric for a terrace where the look counts.
- Olefin | 240 g/m², colourfastness 6/8, up to 60 km/h and 16 m², standard sizes only. The most affordable choice for a smaller terrace or balcony.
Take a look at our acrylic shade sails or olefin shade sails, or compare all three on the waterproof shade sails page.
Polyester WeatherMax® in figures
| TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | Polyester |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Polyester – WeatherMax® |
| Fabric weight | 270 g/m² |
| Waterproof | ✓ |
| Water column | Well above 3000 mm |
| UV protection | UPF 50+ |
| Colourfastness | 8/8 |
| Colour guarantee | 10 years |
| Wind resistance | 80 km/h |
| Maximum size | 49 m² |
| Made to measure | ✓ |
| Shapes | Triangle, square, rectangle |
| Use | All year round |
| Production | Handmade in Belgium |
1. Waterproofing
Waterproofing is expressed in water column (mm). From 3000 mm a fabric counts as waterproof; WeatherMax® sits well above that. So the sail does not only keep the sun off, but a heavy shower as well and it does so all year round, because polyester is made to stay up.
Waterproof does not mean the water disappears by itself: allow a slope of 25 cm per running metre to avoid water pockets.
2. Slope & drainage
You never hang a waterproof sail flat. Give it a slope of 25 cm per running metre, measured from the highest to the lowest point, so the rainwater always runs off to one side.
- Sail of 4x4 m | two corners at 3 m, two corners at 2 m
- Triangle | simply let one corner hang lower
- Highest point on the facade | that way the water runs away from the house
- Lowest point away from the table | so the water does not come down beside your chair
Without enough slope, water collects in the middle. Such a water pocket quickly weighs tens of kilos and can pull the sail out of shape or tear it. The slope also determines how tall your poles need to be, so work the two out together.
3. UV protection
The polyester sail comes with a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) of 50+ the highest score there is. A UPF of 50+ means the fabric lets no harmful UV rays through. So you can enjoy the shade without risk, even on the hottest summer days completely safe for children and adults alike.
UPF 50+ is the same protection category as professional sun-protective clothing.
4. Lightfastness
Over time, UV rays cause fading and brittleness. Colourfastness is scored on a scale from 1 to 8, where 8 is the maximum. Polyester scores 8/8, the highest score in our entire range, and comes with a 10-year guarantee on the colour.
That score matters most on a sail that stays up all year: the higher it is, the longer a dark or bright colour keeps its depth.
5. Wind resistance
When correctly installed, the sail stays taut up to 80 km/h. The triple-reinforced corners and the built-in steel cable spread the pulling force across the whole sail, so no point loading occurs.
If a storm is forecast, take the sail down. It is usually the anchoring points that give way first, not the sail itself. With a rope clamp that takes just a few minutes, without tools.
Please note: the tensioning cable system is not included. Choose it together with your poles or wall fixings, so everything matches up.
6. Finish of the sail
The corners of a shade sail take the highest load that is where the wind load and the pull of the tensioning system come together. On a sail that stays up all year round, that finish is decisive. Our polyester sail is reinforced in three ways:
- Triple-reinforced corners | a better spread of the pulling force, less point loading and a considerably longer lifespan
- Stainless steel 316 corner fittings with internal steel cable | developed in-house, from corner to corner for maximum tension and stability
- Zigzag stitching with a triple stitch | greater elasticity, tensile strength and durability
Stainless steel 316 is the grade also used in the marine industry: resistant to salt air and rust, even after years outdoors.
7. Fixing
You fix a polyester shade sail to a wall, to poles or to a combination of both. Because the sail stays up permanently, the fixing points have to take the wind load year after year:
- Wall anchoring in stainless steel 316 | suitable for concrete and solid brick
- Aluminium poles | developed in-house, with an internal pulley system or external tensioning
- Wooden robinia poles | for a natural look
- Combination of wall and poles
Keep at least 35 cm between each corner of the sail and the fixing point so you can tension it. Fix the highest point to the facade where possible, so the water runs away from the house. Freestanding garden walls are not suitable: they cannot take the wind load.
Find out all about our poles and fixing materials, or get in touch for personal advice.
Maintaining polyester shade sails
The colour of WeatherMax® stays, that is what the 8/8 score is for. What does wear down is the impregnation layer that keeps the water and the dirt off: it takes the brunt of the UV radiation and the deposits. Because a polyester sail stays up all year round, that layer deserves attention once a year.
Cleaning
Impregnating
Leaving it up or taking it down
On the colour of polyester we give a 10-year guarantee, the longest in our range. The right products to keep the sail looking good that long are in our cleaning and maintenance products, developed specifically for technical outdoor fabrics.
View the maintenance productsWhat do you use a polyester shade sail for?
Polyester is the choice for places where the sail stays up year after year: waterproof, colourfast and with the largest span in our range.
Garden, terrace & pool house
A dry seating area you don't have to take down every season.
Roof terrace
Wind resistant up to 80 km/h, where a parasol falls short.
Hospitality & beach bars
A terrace that stays open when it rains, all season long.
Large spans
Up to 49 m² in a single sail, the largest size we supply.
Coast & holiday home
Stainless steel 316 corner fittings stand up to salt sea air.
Courtyard or patio
Dry and comfortable in an enclosed outdoor space.
Did you know ...
that WeatherMax® reaches the highest colourfastness in our entire range? A score of 8 out of 8, with a 10-year guarantee on the colour. Our sails are developed by our own R&D team and sewn by hand in Belgium, with stainless steel 316 corner fittings we designed ourselves.
You can come and see them, and watch how they are made, in our showroom in Mouscron, right next to Kortrijk. Can't make it to us? Then we will send you free samples with further information.
Visit our showroomFrequently asked questions about polyester shade sails
How waterproof is the fabric, how much slope does it need, what does it cost and how long does the colour stay good? The answers to the questions we hear most. Not finding yours? Ask it through the form below.
What is a polyester shade sail?
A polyester shade sail is a sail you tension between fixed points, and it keeps off not only the sun but the rain as well. The sail hangs at a slight slope, so the water always runs off to one side instead of collecting in the middle.
We use WeatherMax® at 270 g/m²: the heaviest fabric in our range, waterproof with a water column well above 3000 mm and with UPF 50+. On colourfastness it reaches the maximum score of 8/8, with a 10-year guarantee on the colour.
All our sails are cut and sewn by hand in our own production in Belgium, with triple-reinforced corners, stainless steel 316 corner fittings and an internal steel cable along the edges.
Why choose polyester?
Polyester is the choice for anyone who wants to put the sail up and then stop thinking about it. It stays up all year round, keeps off a heavy shower and does not lose its colour — not even after years in full sun.
You need no foundations for it: a facade, a set of aluminium poles or a combination of the two is enough. Do allow for solid fixing points, because they take the wind load year after year. The tensioning cable system you choose separately, to suit your situation.
Polyester shade sails in various sizes and shapes
Our range runs from triangles of 4x4x4 m to 7x7x7 m and squares and rectangles from 3x4 m to 6x6 m. No standard size that fits? Polyester is also available made to measure, up to 49 m² the largest span in our range. Allow 35 cm extra per side for tensioning.
The advantages of a polyester shade sail from Above & Beyond
Quality
Every sail is finished by hand in our own production. The corners take the load, which is why they are triple-reinforced with stainless steel 316 fittings and an internal steel cable. The seams are zigzag and triple stitched.
Colourfastness
Polyester scores 8/8 on the lightfastness scale, the highest in our range, and comes with a 10-year colour guarantee. That counts most on a sail that stays up permanently: a dark or bright colour keeps its depth far longer.
Free choice
The anchoring is never included, and that is deliberate: a terrace against a brick facade calls for something different from a lawn or a concrete surface. You choose the poles, wall plates or ground fixings that suit your situation.
What do you use a polyester shade sail for?
Anywhere the sail has to stay up year after year:
Discover our other shade sails too
Does the look of the sail count as much as the performance? Then take a look at our acrylic shade sails, with a softer, more textile look. Are you mainly after an affordable sail for a smaller terrace or balcony, then the olefin shade sails are the logical choice. Is heat your main problem and rain not, then our breathable sails in HDPE and coir suit you better. You will also find stretch tents, gazebos, star tents, inflatable tents, pagoda tents and sailcloth tents with us.
A polyester shade sail above your terrace
Above a dining table polyester is the safest choice: it keeps the sun and a sudden shower off, and you don't have to take the sail down the moment the weather turns. Hang it with a slope of 25 cm per running metre and place the lowest point away from the table, so the water does not come down beside your chair.
Accessories for your shade sail
Make life easy for yourself with the right fixings and accessories: a rope with clamcleat to tension the sail, wall plates, ground screws or a ground plate with concrete weight. For maintenance you will also find the cleaning and impregnating products developed specifically for technical outdoor fabrics.
Direct answer
Have a question about our polyester shade sails?
Unsure about the size, the slope or the way to fix it? Ask your question and our team will help you on your way.
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