Thinking of investing in a car shade in 2021? Here’s what you need to know

Guide on buying a car shade

car-park-shades by tarpo industries limited

We’re blessed to live in a country with so much sunshine and if you’re like me, you’ll feel even more blessed when you see the thunderstorms that change the landscape of our surroundings – it’s simply beautiful!

We also live in a part of the world where the UV exposure is much higher. So we have some issues to consider when investing in any shade.

Why is a quality car shade important?

car parking shade by Tarpo industries

When we invest in a car we want to make sure we keep it in good condition for as long as possible to keep the resale value up. This means protecting the internal as well as the exterior.

With our strong sun, high UV exposure and heart-stopping thunderstorms, our cars go through quite some stress on the exterior!

We want to protect it from all these elements but more often than not we don’t have the luxury of a garage to park it in.

Canopy-Parking-Lot-Shade-Structures by tarpo industries limited

When we leave it out in the sun, it’s always too hot to just start and go – we have to wait for the hot air to move out. When we leave it in the rain, it gets covered in leaves or dirt which need to be cleaned off. And when the UV rays hit the interior, the upholstery comes apart so soon and we can’t figure out why!

And then we’re inherently lazy so we want to find a solution which doesn’t need us to do any extra work every day. And if the solution deals with more than just one problem it’s like we’re getting two for the price of one.

Say your children want to play outside when they come back home from school but it’s too hot at that time, or it’s raining? Perhaps we can protect the car and the children’s play area in one go?

What should you consider when looking for a suitable car shade?

Fabric

You could choose to protect the area from the sun, meaning you’re allowing the rain to come through. If you allow rain to come through then you’re also allowing some UV to come through. This is the most common solution Kenyans are going for – because it’s cheap and widely available now.

The fabric that is draped over and then glued to the steel frame is agricultural shadenet – typically used by farmers around the world to keep birds off their crops.

It’s designed to last not much more than 3 years and even less if the colour is anything close to red. It’s also not easy to clean – a bit like when you butter the bread that has many holes in it!

You could choose to protect the area from the rain, and thereby either allow the sun to come through or not at all.

If you want to allow the sun to come through then you’ve got two options – “waterproof shadenet or clear PVC (plastic) fabric.

If you want to make agricultural shadenet waterproof, you simply paste a sheet of thin polythene or PVC onto the shadenet. Expect the cheapest polythene to disintegrate within 12 months! At Tarpo we use Gale Pacific’s waterproof shadenet products, many of which have warranties of 5 years and above.

Clear PVC fabric will allow all the sun and UV to come through but keep out all the leaves and rain. The downside of clear PVC is that it isn’t structured or held together by a base fabric so it will “creep” – flow like a liquid very slowly! If you put it at an angle or drape it over a frame, it will get thinner at the highest points as it creeps towards the bottom until eventually it splits.

And then of course you could choose to protect the area from sun, rain and the UV rays. This option opens you up to a myriad of fabric choices including semi-transparent or opaque PVC fabricPU coated canvas or fabrics processed to include acrylics.

The non-transparent PVC is stronger than clear PVC and does not suffer from creep because it has a base fabric to support itself.

The PU coated canvas is similar to the non-transparent PVC with better thermal properties – it will be much cooler underneath in comparison to PVC under the scorching sun.

On the more expensive scale are the fabrics that are vaguely known as acrylic canvas. They’re typically used for outdoor furniture like cushion covers but are equally suitable for car shades.

Frame Design

Now that you’ve chosen your fabric, you need to consider the frame design.

Where you’re going to allow the rain to come through (using agricultural shadenet) you can have something flat since there’s no real need to have water run-off.

Where you’re going to stop the rain, your frame has to accommodate the fabric to incorporate slope(s) or curvature to allow the water to run off.

The weight of the fabric will also influence the strength of the steel you need to use so don’t rush to get a frame made and then decide on the fabric later – they go hand in hand.

There are only a handful of fabricators that have the engineering know-how and the technology to make shades using acrylic fabrics and PU coated canvas. The market is flooded with all qualities of PVC fabrics so check what manufacturer warranties are available and what the UV treatment of your chosen fabric is. Again the technology to join PVC fabric isn’t available to all fabricators and PU coated canvas has to be sewn using synthetic threads not available locally.

Your car deserves a good home! Think wisely. And your kids will thank you for the sheltered play area too 🙂

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Thinking of investing in a Sail shade in 2021?

Guide to buying a sail shade

sail Shade by Tarpo Industries

Sails are starting to become trendy because they have an aesthetic appeal. Humans love to look at curves and in doing so forget about functionality!

 

Sails are technically known as tensile shades and fall under the field of tensile architecture – a highly specialized area of engineering. This is the same field of expertise that designs sports stadia and airports with those interesting looks. Behind the looks we have some serious calculations going on – wind loads, tensile strength, curves and deflections and all this influences the choice of fabric that is available.

sail shades by tarpo industries limited Kenya 29

The first thing you have to be aware of is that tensile shades can get expensive. They require a lot of design time depending on the size, complexity and a lot of other variables. So if you’re going down this route be aware that you may need to budget for it. Because there’s design involved you may end up paying to discover that what you want isn’t within your budget.

 

Tensile shades aren’t portable. They are tensioned in specific directions and angles to be a permanent feature of the area or property. The specific angles take into account wind loads and direction, angle of sun light, minimum and maximum heights among other details. Since every property or area requiring shade has some uniqueness to it, every shade needs to incorporate the uniqueness and hence custom design plays a big role.

These shades rely on the strength of the fabric and its ability to stretch. Unlike an awning or canopy which needs a structure to sit on, tensile shades ‘hang’ onto the structure. This means the fabric should be ready to be hung and pulled in at least two directions – it will stretch like elastic and retain that taut form for years.

Only PVDF, PVC and Acrylic canvas fabrics have the properties for this. HDPE woven shade netting has been pushed into this category with limited success. Simple form shades that lie on one plane will be fine using acrylic canvas or shadenet – the acrylic canvas will give excellent thermal properties and rain protection. If you want curving forms (pulling in more than two directions) then PVDF or PVC are your only bet – they are engineered for curvature and need high-frequency welding to retain their base properties, strength to be more specific.

 

PVC Sail Shade Canopy By Tarpo Indstries 3 1

Tensile shades can bring some class and elegance to your property! Make sure you invest in the right designer, get guidance on the most suitable fabric to use and trust in the installation team and their technology to realize something you’ll love.

sail shades by tarpo industries limited Kenya (50)

How Shade Structures Can Help Slow Climate Change

How Shade Structures Can Help Slow Climate Change

how shade structures can help slow climate change by tarpo industries

Climate change is like this big monster that is really scary and to think about its gruesome effects gives me chills. I am scared for the human species and all other living creatures. The reason why I say this is because climate change is somehow a unique problem. Now, I’m not trying to turn a blind eye to all the other issues the world is facing but let me shed some light upon you.

Did you know that the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted through various human activities is going to remain in the atmosphere for quite a long time? We are talking about hundreds of years. Increased carbon dioxide levels mean that the planet becomes warmer than it is naturally supposed to be. This is caused by the increased greenhouse gases that in turn trap extra heat. In humans, increased amounts of carbon dioxide in the body can lead to complications such as kidney failure.

“CLIMATE CHANGE WILL INCREASE THE NEED FOR OUTDOOR SHADES

Now that you sort of understand the magnitude of the problem, you are probably wondering how climate change is related to shade and how climate change increases the need for shade. Shades such as sail shades, car shades, parasol shades and canopy shades, are not just for aesthetics and are actually one of the ways we can use to reduce climate change. I will tell you how in a bit but first I want you to understand the urban heat island effects that urban areas suffer from. Most urban areas have densely situated buildings and paved surfaces such as parking lots and roads that do not allow the absorption of water by plants and other water bodies. Hence, these areas become warmer than rural areas.

Steps you can take

There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, and the good news is that extenuating the impact of urban heat island effect can play a mega role in protecting our environment and in slowing down climate change. This is where outdoor shades come in. Scientists have spent sleepless nights trying to figure out how to deal with this problem but I do believe that adding shade to outdoor spaces is the simplest yet effective way to control the high temperatures in urban areas.  Shade does play an important role in cooling these areas. 

As human beings, we are naturally solution oriented. We always strive to find solutions to our problems and the result is not always pleasant. In this case, air conditioning is the solution for most urban dwellers. Most people don’t even know that by using air conditioning they are contributing to climate change. When we use air conditioners that means that more greenhouse gases are being emitted to the environment and thus taking us back to the same cycle. I want to believe we don’t want that. Who wants to get heat related diseases when we can control this? By adding more shade in outdoor spaces, we not only increase their functionality but also protect ourselves from heat related diseases and at the same time contribute to saving our planet, our home

How Shades Help Fight Urban Heat Island

Studies show that on a hot day in an urban environment, pavements can reach up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the air if it’s exposed to direct sunlight. However, shaded pavements remain at air temperature, preventing it from retaining the excess heat that’s a characteristic of urban heat island effect. Shade also reduces the rate at which gasoline evaporates from vehicles, resulting in fewer carbon emissions. And it encourages people to spend time outside, possibly reducing demand for air conditioning. I love solutions that come with comfort. Everybody wants a soft life; shade structures are all about that. 

Tarpo Shade structures have a long lifespan and you do not have to worry about shade replacements every other day as that would also contribute to waste that is harmful to the environment. Some of our shade fabrics have warranties of up to 15 years, long enough for a shade tree to reach maturity! Thanks to Tarpo’s durable materials and expert engineering, our shade structures have long lifespans, reducing waste that could result from more temporary shade fixes.

I hope that now you are encouraged to increase the functionality of your outdoor spaces by installing shade structures. Take part in protecting our planet in your own little way. Remember, it’s the little things that count!



SCHOOLS CAN BE UNDER CLASSROOM TENTS, NOT UNDER TREES

outdoors classroom tents in Africa

Tents & Shade for Schools Enhances Safety and Extends the Classroom

Life amidst a pandemic is difficult, to say the least. We have gotten to witness tremendous shifts in our normal lives. Waking up one day and it was life threatening to leave your house without a mask and woe unto you if your hands come in contact with your face before you sanitize them. COVID-19 is very audacious! In a pandemic, nobody is fully prepared for what’s coming. There is no trailer and you deal with things as they come which is quite unfortunate. Suddenly we have to change our way of life. From the way we socialize, work, to the way our children learn. After months of being freaked out, it is clear we need to adjust to the new normal.

school playground shades by Tarpo industries
School Shades To Extend Class Rooms

School going kids have been out of school for a long time. Apart from the fear that they might forget all they learnt before, their parents are under stress because children require time and attention which is not at their disposal. They have jobs and are required to put food on the table at the end of the day. The solution here is to get these kids back to school but we have a pandemic and they need to stay at least 6 feet from each other according to the ministry of health guidelines. How then do teachers hack having all the kids back to school without risking their dear lives?

Classroom Tents To Help Maintain Social Distancing standards

Primary school kids in masks kenya 1

Primary Schools

Highs students in maks kenya

Secondary Schools

University students in maks kenya

Universities

It has been suggested that for social distancing to be observed, teachers should consider teaching under trees. There are many cons to that. Instead of trees, why don’t we install classroom tents in schools and learning institutions to help combat the dire situation? There are a number of reasons why schools need to embrace the use of classroom tents instead of trees.

First, tents are flexible. That means you can choose to have them without walls or with walls whenever weather conditions call for it. Trees cannot withstand harsh rainfall and wind but with tents we no longer have to worry about what will happen when the heavens decide to bless us with rain. Also, tents come in different sizes, it all depends with your needs. I wonder how many trees we would need to provide shade considering the population of students in our schools and still be able to maintain social distancing while at it.

classroom tent by tarpo industries

Create Outdoor Classrooms with Shade

The concept of outdoor learning is a good one. We just need to execute it in a manner that will provide the safest environment for our children as they learn. Tents do provide good circulation of air and that is very vital in the fight against coronavirus.

Another advantage of tents is that installing them is not time consuming and for the school administrations that feel like getting tents will leave them at a loss once the pandemic is over I have some good news for you. It is possible to hire tents but even if you decided to purchase them they would serve you for years. You’ll be able to host outdoor meetings with ease or also hire them out when you are no longer using them.

Outdoor learning is a concept that learning institutions should consider in order to ensure safer environments for both learners and teachers. Installation of tents is the quickest and simplest way to execute this. Tough times call for us to be innovative and open-minded.

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10 things to know before camping in Northern Kenya

10 things to know before camping in Northern Kenya

I was recently in the Northern part of Kenya, Isiolo to be specific. After coming back, a lot of people were very curious about it. Questions like,  “why choose to camp in the driest and probably hottest part of the country?”. Some of my friends were also worried about their security.

So, here are the 10 things you need to know about camping in Northern Kenya:

1. Respect your ranger

Most events being held in Northern Kenya such as The Great Grevy Rally make it mandatory to have a ranger with you at all times, and with good reason. It is very easy to get lost in the meandering roads that characterize the Northern landscape especially when off-roading. The ranger is an amazing resource for you; they literally know the landscape better than you know the size of pizza at your local. We had a very awesome ranger who went above and beyond to get to the most amazing places for beautiful images. If one of those images wins a Nat Geo awards, you bet I will be thanking my guide in my acceptance speech.

arpo industries employees camping

2. Get  the right shoes: good and sturdy

When you get to Nanyuki, just past the Kenya Army artillery range, be sure to open the window and throw out your favorite pair of sneakers (Bazinga!). But really get a better pair of shoes if you can. The terrain is very demanding and the ground can get very hot. We don’t want you getting blisters and thorns now, do we?

 

 3. Be nice to the locals 

Remember that you are a guest of the local community. As such it pays to be very nice to them. Life becomes a lot more enjoyable when the locals like you. And should you get a puncture 135 miles from the nearest mechanic, you will be extremely grateful for the support they will give.

GGR

4. Carry a lot of water and food.

This is the supreme commandment when camping in Northern Kenya. Hydrate, hydrate, repeat. Dehydration gets you grumpy. Trust me, no one wants to be stuck with a grumpy person in a camp. You will be doing some hard work chasing sunsets all around the Northern expanse. It is incredibly important to eat well. Your body needs to maintain optimum energy levels. Plus, food just tastes better there, carry lots of it.

5. Insurance

Get emergency evacuation and or health insurance just in case anything goes south. AMREF offers a spectacular cover, where they will come pick you up (in a plane) if your stomach grumbles (okay, maybe something a little more serious) but you get the point

6. Carry a spare tire

 Make sure you check and recheck your tires and take your baby for maintenance before going off-road. A spare tire is simply the universe’ way of telling you it loves you and does not want you to get stuck in the wild for 7 hours straight.

Tarpo industries team fixing a tire

7. Sunscreen

 

The way my skin is set up, anything more than 27 minutes in the sun results in a scaly epidermis. I would definitely suggest you carry sunscreen and apply very generous amounts when you start walking under the Isiolo sun. Your skin will be forever grateful.

 

8.  Extra cameras don’t hurt

Look, you are here to see Kenya’s amazing landscape. Trust me, nothing hurts more than having a camera malfunction or run out of battery. Carry extra cameras. This is not a request, it is an order.

 

 9. Bring fun people

When traveling, you will spend a significant amount of time with the same people. It is critical that those people be as fun as possible. You are after all going to camp for fun and a bit of stress relief. It makes sense to leave behind anyone who is unable to clean after themselves, grumpy, boring or a downright douchebag. Again, leave those ones behind.

ggr3

10. Get a proper tent i.e a Tarpo Camping Tent

The climate there can be very challenging especially when compared to the 3 bedroom ensuite bungalow you are used to. To alleviate some of the difficulty, please, I beg of you, get  good camping tents. I do not mean one that is made of polythene, smells like warm bread when it is hot and a damp hole when it cold. Get you something made of canvas that stays cool when it is hot but feels as snug as a TARPO sleeping bag when cold. Send these guys an email, and throw away that monstrosity you call a tent.

 

Camping Tent By Tarpo Industries Limited

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