Commercial car parks can be scorching hot and uncomfortable during sunny days, leaving vehicles and customers exposed to the elements. However, by implementing effective shade solutions, businesses can significantly improve the parking experience for their customers and protect vehicles from the damaging effects of the sun.

At Supreme Shades, we are specialists in the design, manufacture, and installation of high-quality car park shade structures. We are often asked about the best ways to provide shade in a commercial car park, read on to find out more.

Determine Why You Need A Car Park Shade Structure

Before you design a shade structure, it’s important to understand why you need it. Have staff or customers complained about sun damage to their cars? Do you notice a drop in sales on wet and windy days? Do you want to maximise the rental return on your commercial premises?

You might be wondering why this is important. Well, it’s to ensure you get the structure that suits your need best and ensure you see a higher return on your investment. Every business car park is different, and as such as has different requirements. From single and double bay car parks to car parks that require full cover, working with the right shade supplier will enable you to come up with a custom solution that suits your needs and budget.

Car Park Shade Structures – What are the Options?

There are many common shading options found across Australian car parks, some of the most popular ones include:

Shade Sails

Attractive and cost-effective, shade sails are a popular option for providing shade in commercial car parks of all sizes. Consisting of tensioned fabric sails suspended between support posts, they are designed to provide a high level of protection from damaging UV Rays. Shade sails are also available in waterproof fabrics for greater versatility and protection. Shade sail structures can be customised to match the aesthetics of almost any property and they can be installed in various configurations, adapting to the unique layout of the car park. They are relatively easy to install, require minimal maintenance, and are available in a range of colours and sizes, allowing for creative and eye-catching installations.

Cantilever Shades

Cantilever shades are designed with a single-sided roof supported by columns on one side, providing a larger shaded area compared to carports. This design eliminates the need for columns in the middle, allowing for more flexible parking configurations. Cantilever shades are particularly useful in areas with heavy traffic flow or space restrictions, where maximizing the shaded area is essential.

Tension Membrane Structures

These structures are a modern and visually appealing shade solution that use a fabric membrane stretched over a steel frame. Offering excellent protection from the sun while adding a touch of architectural style to a car park area, tension membrane structures can be custom designed to fit the specific requirements of the property and offer versatility in terms of shape, size, and colour.

Natural Shade

In addition to installing shade structures, businesses can leverage natural shade elements in their car parks. Strategically planting trees and greenery around the parking area can provide natural shade and help reduce the heat island effect. Careful selection of shade trees with broad canopies, such as oak or maple trees, can offer significant coverage and contribute to a pleasant parking environment.

Things to Consider When Installing Car Park Shade

Choose the right fabric – This will come down to the type of protection that you need. For sun protection only, standard shade cloth material may be sufficient. If it’s protection from rain and wind that you’re after, a waterproof material is the best choice. Waterproof car park shade structures are generally more expensive, due to the nature of the material there is more tension on the structure.  This requires deeper foundations and more engineering to create a stronger structure overall.

Look for high-quality hardware – Ensure your shade structure is installed using premium quality hardware. The fittings used must be rust proof, corrosion resistant and be able to withstand an immense amount of pressure.

Work with professionals – Specialists in car park shade structures will collaborate with you to devise the best shade solution that will suit your requirements for the long term. Engage an experienced and reputable company like Supreme Shades, we will determine the most suitable structure to meet the specific needs of your car park.

Providing adequate shade in a commercial car park is crucial for the comfort of customers and the protection of vehicles. Creating an inviting and functional parking environment will make your business more attractive to potential customers and will ensure you are looking after the safety and wellbeing of your employees.

Reach out to the team at Supreme Shades today online or call 08 9405 4310. We are here to help with the best car park shade structures that are built to look good, functional properly, and stand the test of time.