What’s more, surfaces that are shaded from the hot sun in the daytime collect less heat, so can be cooler when the shade no longer falls on them. Outdoor shades can work together with other outdoor cooling methods, such as outdoor fans, misting systems, and outdoor air conditioners, to provide the very best in safety and comfort.

The sun is a source of life. Long summer days give us a sense of relaxation, energy, and even joy. But sunburn, skin cancer, heat illnesses, accidents, irritability, and crime can all be linked to heat and / or sun exposure.

The sun creates it’s own antidote to these effects with its own shadows, which we call shade.

But shade can be a bit tricky. It moves!

Shade from the same object will bathe one area in the morning and a different area in the afternoon. It will also shift throughout the year. The amount of protection varies with the angle of the sun in relation to where you are. The shade cast may not always be directly beneath the shade structure. In fact, at certain times of the day or year, the shade may be completely outside the structure, providing no protection at all directly under that very structure when you need it most.

Notice in the images below how the shade falls outside the activity areas. They key is to plan in advance where your outdoor shade structure should go so its shade will fall where you need it when you need it.

This is especially true in open spaces where the location, angle, structure and materials of outdoor shades take on special importance. Small, lightweight structures can be adjusted with the changing light. If you’re looking into buying something like these, you could go straight to our pages on outdoor shade structures and shade materials.

But heavy and permanent shades or precise shades may require some planning.

ShadeMap.app shows where shade falls any time, any day, anywhere. Zoom in to your exact location and the days of the year and times of day you’ll need shade.