As we go into the hottest months of the year, the Southern states especially feel the effects of the heat almost everywhere we go. Shade structures and shelters are incredible resources to help beat the heat but also protect people and their investments. Sun damage can have serious effects and adding shade where you can provide incredible benefits in a multitude of situations. When it comes to shade and shelter shapes and sizes, the options are endless giving you a perfect option for almost any situation. Below are some of the most popular spaces to add shade and shelter and some incredible benefits of each.
Picnic area in your park/event gazebo
Not only do shades and shelters provide a shady space for visitors to enjoy a bite to eat or short break, but covered areas provide a great source of income if you choose to rent out the pavilions for parties and events. People in the community view it as a huge added bonus if they’re able to rent out a park pavilion at an affordable price and give their guests a common area to relax and hang out while still enjoying all of the benefits of your park.
Create covered parking areas at an apartment complex or business
We all know the feeling of getting into a hot car during the summer, especially if it’s been sitting in the sun for a while. Protect the interior and exterior of vehicles while lowering the temperature and sun exposure with covered parking areas. Covered parking also helps to protect vehicles in a variety of other weather events, providing residents and employees with increased peace of mind and comfort.
Outdoor areas at daycare centers
Children’s health and safety is a massive priority of daycare centers. Many daycare centers have planned daily outdoor activities for their students, but in the hot months the time outside can be brutal for children. By covering your outdoor areas, daycare centers provide an extra layer of protection for all of the children attending their center, giving them a more comfortable place to play and providing parents with peace of mind.
Outdoor seating at a restaurant
There’s nothing quite like enjoying a great meal with family and friends on a covered patio, but adding on building additions can be pricey. Adding shade structures or shelters over your restaurant’s patio area is a terrific alternative to covered patio seating while also being more affordable than most building additions.
Covered areas at your pool/splash pad
You’re already at the pool or SplashPark to have fun and cool off, but it’s great to think about staying cool outside of the water, too. Added shaded areas enhances the appeal of your water recreational area and provides a safe and shaded place to reapply sunscreen, eat a snack, or hang out while the kiddos play in the water. Considering the high traffic times for these areas are when it’s hottest outside, adding shade is a great way to elevate your park and protect your guests.
Shaded areas at a zoo or animal shelter
Zoos are an incredible place to visit any time of the year and animal shelters are a 24/7/365 business. Help protect visitors and the animals who reside there by providing them with a cozy outdoor space to relax and spend outdoors. Whether you’re protecting from the Summer Sun on Winter weather, a shade structure or shelter provides a more consistent environment throughout the entire year.
Cover outdoor sports bleachers/seating
Who doesn’t love an afternoon at the ballpark or weekend at the football field? Make those experiences much more comfortable by providing shade for your spectators and players! Especially during tournament seasons or unpredictable weather, your attendees will be incredibly thankful for the extra layer of protection from the elements.
Cover your playground equipment
Covering your playground will not only help to elongate the life of your playground equipment and keep it cool, it’s is a huge plus to parents and caretakers during peak playground seasons. By providing a shaded, cool place to play, more families are more likely to come to your playground simply because the environment is more desirable for longer play times. By keeping the equipment shaded and kids out of direct sunlight, the risk of sunburn decreases, and kids have more energy to play longer.
Outdoor classrooms and learning environments
Outdoor classrooms and their popularity have increased drastically during the COVID-19 pandemic. These learning environments provide a safe, open-air area to teach students as well as change of scenery from the typical classroom. By covering these areas you not only make them accessible to students and teachers for longer periods of time, but you help to create a boundary for the learning environment to differentiate between learning and playing outside. This can help to keep focus and improve the quality of the outdoor lesson.
Cover community areas such as mailboxes, community grills, etc.
While this one is not as commonly thought of, it’s a fantastic solution for multi-family communities and HOA common areas and can help to increase property value and appeal. This extra layer of protection and convenience makes checking the mail or using the community cooking areas a more relaxing and enjoyable experience.
The options for shade and shelters go well beyond this list and the options are endless! When you’re ready to talk about your potential shade and shelter options, call Kraftsman at 800-451-4869 or visit us at www.kraftsmanplay.com/contact-us.
