Providing shade and sun protection around your home isn’t just a matter of being sun smart to reduce the risk of skin cancer, it’s also a case of providing a more comfortable and cooler exterior environment for you, your family and any guests that you may have at your place over Summer.

Umbrellas, shade sails, gazebos and covered pergolas are all designed to provide shelter from the sun and some will also filter out most of the harmful UV rays while still allowing sunlight through.

Gazebos

A range of shade sails and gazebos are available that are designed to provide shade, block up to 90% of the UV rays and are strong enough to withstand harsh exterior conditions.

Gazebos are handy because they can be moved from point to point, allowing them to be set up in the back yard one day and at the park the next. In essence, gazebos are primarily a shaded top mounted on four legs, but they are also available with sides on them which can be handy if an annoying breeze springs up.

Note: Gazebos are not permanent structures.

Browse Gazebos online here.

Shade Sails

Shade sails come in a range of shapes (triangle, square and rectangle) and sizes and are fitted with D-rings at each corner so they can be mounted on posts or poles, or to the side of the house.

For more information on how to choose and then erect a Shade Sail, see our How to Guide, "Install a Shade Sail".

Because of their more permanent nature, the placement of your shade sails needs to be determined with the level of effectiveness in mind. It’s pointless mounting one in an area that gets little sun. However, if you have an area that is prone to high levels of sunlight and you want to make it a safer, more comfortable environment for entertaining or relaxing, a shade sail (or two) can go a long way to increasing the usability of that area.

Browse Shade Sails online here.

Umbrellas

Some umbrellas need to be placed through an outdoor table centre in order to remain upright, however others are free standing. You can purchase an umbrella to match your outdoor furniture setting. You can also get weighted bases that the umbrella fixes into to prevent the umbrella from blowing away.

Cantilever umbrellas are larger, free standing models that allow you to position your shade where you need it. You would need to secure the base with weights or pavers.

Browse Umbrellas online here.

Solasafe Polycarbonate Sheeting

If you want to keep out most of the UV rays but still want to allow sunlight in, then a product like Solasafe is a great choice. Ideal for the top of a pergola or external deck, Solasafe is a tough clear polycarbonate sheet designed to cover the top of permanent structures. It also has the advantages of being weathertight so it can keep out the rain.

See our Roofing Products for a range of Polycarbonate sheets.

Be Sun Smart
Now that Summer is here we’re all looking forward to living our great Kiwi outdoor lifestyle. Thoughts turn to the beach, a few early BBQs, and doing some of that DIY that’s been neglected over the colder Winter months. It’s the perfect time to be getting outdoors and working on our homes and in the garden.

But New Zealanders heading outdoors after a long winter are being warned not to under-estimate the burning power of the sun.

Wayde Beckman of SunSmart says people think the sun has to ‘feel’ hot to burn and that’s a dangerous misconception. “People think it’s the heat in the sun that burns but it is actually the UVR and you can’t feel that.”

Sunburn is linked to skin cancer – the most common cancer affecting Kiwis. Every year in New Zealand there some 50,000 new cases of skin cancer and around 300 Kiwis lose their lives to it. The most serious form of skin cancer is melanoma and in New Zealand we have some of the highest melanoma death rates in the world.

“Our love of the sun, DIY and outdoor activities are part of what’s so great about being a New Zealander – but it’s important to remember we have very high levels of UVR reaching us here during the spring and summer months.”

Wayde Beckman says we need to follow the slip, slop, slap and wrap rules when UV levels are three or above.“So if you’re heading out to paint the roof, or to test your googlie in an early game of backyard cricket, remember to be SunSmart.That means making sure you have sun protective gear on, such as a shirt with collar and sleeves, slip into the shade, slop on some sunscreen, slap on a hat and wrap on a pair of sunglasses."

"All types of sunburn, whether serious or mild, can cause permanent and irreversible skin damage and lay the groundwork for skin cancer in later life. It’s so much easier to not get sunburnt in the first place!”