A common question among heavy duty tent buyers is, “What’s the best fabric for my tent canopy?” We are here to clear some of your doubts on this.
A tent canopy is supposed to protect you from the sun and the rain, and also last long. So, it has to be made from material that can withstand harsh weather conditions and block UV radiations at the same time.
Outdoor canopy tent manufacturers use a variety of different materials to manufacture their tent canopies. Let’s see how these materials fare when compared to each other.
Table of Contents
1. Canvas
Canvas is manufactured from natural fibres like cotton, linen and hemp. This is an age-old material used to manufacture everything, from tents to sails of ships, since antiquity.
Here are the pros of this time-tested material:
ü UV guard: Canvas is fairly good at blocking UV radiations. A thick enough canvas will block most harmful radiation on a sunny day. You may choose to coat your canvas tent canopy with UV resistant solutions to make it even more protective in sunlight.
ü Waterproof: A canopy made of thick canvas will block mild showers without a fuss. Natural fibres, used to make canvas, soak up rain water and swell up, sealing the weave. This is what makes it waterproof. But to tackle heavy downpours, put wax or other waterproofing solutions on your canvas tent. That should do the job for you.
ü Breathability and Insulation: Due to its construction from natural fibres, canvas is extremely breathable. Heavy duty tents manufactured from canvas allow air to freely circulate, keeping the atmosphere inside healthy and fresh. The weave of the fabric traps small pockets of air and makes canvas an extremely good insulator.
Cons:
o Weight: Canvas is heavy and takes a lot of space even when folded. That makes it cumbersome to transport. But there’s a flip side to this. The heavy weight of canvas makes it less prone to flapping in gusts like some of the lightweight, manmade materials.
o Mildew: Canvas has the tendency to attract mildew. So, if you are using a canvas tent, make sure you wipe it clean and store it in a cool, dry place. You can also use vinegar and other manmade solutions to get rid of mildew patches on your outdoor canopy tent.
o Cost and Maintenance: Canvas can be expensive compared to manmade materials. It also requires a bit more care than materials like PVC.
All in all, canvas is a good material for your heavy duty tent. But what about man made materials? Lets see.
2. Manmade Materials – Nylon, Polyester, Acrylic and PVC
These days several different manmade materials have become popular choices for manufacturing outdoor canopy tents, event tents and custom printed pop up tents. The most popular materials are nylon, polyester, acrylic, and PVC. So, how do they fare compared to each other?
Pros:
ü UV and water resistance: All four materials are both UV and water resistant. PVC is the best of the lot, though.
ü Breathability and insulation: Polyester is the most breathable among these materials. This also makes it the best insulator.
ü Lightweight: Man made fabric tends to be lightweight. This makes packing and storing heavy duty tents made from these materials extremely easy.
ü Cost and maintenance: All four materials – nylon, polyester, acrylic and PVC – are cheaper compared to good quality canvas. Good quality polyester tends to be dearer than the other man made fabrics, but for good reason. It can last you a lifetime.
ü Can be customized: This is one area where nylon, polyester, acrylic and PVC outshine canvas. They can be used to make custom printed pop up tents for brands and individuals. Event tent manufacturers like Extreme Canopy will let you choose your favorite canopy colors and design. If you are a business owner, you can have your brand logo printed on your tent as well.
Cons compared to canvas:
o Definitely not as breathable or insulating as canvas: This is one area where canvas trumps the aforementioned materials. It is more breathable and insulating than even polyester.
PVC – The Material of The Future
Outdoor canopy tent manufacturers like Extreme Canopy, Australia, prefer PVC to manufacture a whole bunch of products like event tents, marquees and gazebos, custom printed pop up tents and whatnot.
PVC is lightweight, durable, UV and water resistant, and insulating. It can be moulded into different shapes easily. Additives can be added to PVC during the manufacturing process to make it fire retardant as well.
Take for instance the X5, X6, X7, and Q8 series of custom printed pop up tents from Extreme Canopy, Australia. These tents are made from PVC, which makes them incredibly tough and durable. And they have metal frames to lend them a rigid structure when installed.
These tents come in a wide range of sizes and colors. You can also have your brand-logo printed on your tent and turn it into a brand promotion tool for your business.
Conclusion
Materials like PVC and polyester are the materials for choice, when it comes to heavy duty tent manufacturing. As seen in this article, they tend to be extremely user friendly and durable. Keep following our tips and choose what’s best for you.
