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Membranes A Cover For Every Use Four different materials are used for permanent canopy systems-PTFE Expanded Fiber, TeflonTM-coated woven Fiberglass, waterproof PVC composite membrane and fabric knitted from High Density polyethylene filament (aka Shade Cloth). Each fabric has unique features, requires different installation techniques, and is best suited to specific applications.  Hertz Financial Center - PVC Composite PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) Expanded Fiber TENARA® SUNSCREEN fabric is a recently developed material. It is available in a variety of colors, is non-combustible, withstands aggressive flexing, and is more tear resistant than PTFE/glass, PVC, or HDPE fabrics. It is resistant to soiling, easy to clean, and 100% resistant to UV sunlight, frost, rain or snow. It is exceptionally long-lasting and comes with a manufacturer warranty of fifteen (15) years. It is the ultimate state-of-the-art fabric available today, but it is generally higher priced than other fabrics. TeflonT-coated Woven Fiberglass Fiberglass is glass that has been heated up and spun into fibers. It is then coated with a fluropolymer commonly known as TeflonT with an undercoat of silicon. TeflonT-coated fiberglass is exceptionally durable with a long life span. It can meet fire code requirements in virtually all locations and has a high shading coefficient. Its drawbacks are its low tear strength, its inherent brittleness, and its abrupt failure once its tensile limit is reached. This makes it difficult and expensive to fabricate and install. PVC Composite Membrane PVC Composite Membranes are made from woven high tenacity polyester and other additives such as UV stabilizers, fire retardant, and mold/dirt resistance. The polyester is then coated with vinyl resins and an environmental protection coating such as PVDF. While colors will eventually fade to some degree, they hold their original colors longer than many other materials. Except for an occasional wash, the material is generally maintenance free and lasts from 7 to 25 years. PVC membranes are a popular substitute for conventional building materials because they keep the wind, rain and sun out, but allow up to 20% filtered light in. They are poor conductors of heat and have a cost advantage over conventional materials. They are significantly more expensive than Shade Cloth. AmeriShade uses FerrariTM Composite membrane material exclusively because it is specifically designed for the tension membrane market. Their PrecontraintTM technology results in a finished material with a superior finish that will not sag or creep. Once installed, the canopies will never require re-tensioning. HDPE (Shade Cloth) Virtually all shade canopy companies in the United States utilize shade cloth manufactured overseas and imported to this country. Shade cloth is a high density polyethylene (HDPE) Raschel knitted fabric incorporating UV inhibitors.The three largest suppliers of the cloth to U.S. shade canopy companies are South African-based Knittex, a division of Multiknit 2000 Ltd. (Z25); South African-based Alnet, a division of Apeldoarn Lighthouse Net & Twine (PTY) Ltd (Extrablock); and Australian-based Shadetex (Comtex 230). Each supplier provides a ten year warranty for UVA and UVB protection ranging from 66% to 95% depending upon the color selected, mildew and tear resistance, and color fastness. Each supplier states that their material complies with the National Fire Protection Association and the American Society for Testing and Materials standards (NFPA 701 and ASTM E84 Class A). The fabric is generally produced in ten ft. widths, necessitating sewing two or more pieces together to cover larger areas. |
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