Delta Shade

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Puddle forum: Delta Shade

The Delta Shade is a shade structure designed (by Bogdanov and Bogdanov in 2006) to resist high winds, be cheap to build and easy to assemble.
The first Delta Shades were built and erected by JudgeCal and Seven for the Hut of The GlamTech Warrior at Disorient, Burning Man 2006.

Specs

Dimensions: Length: 25' Height: 8' Width: 10'
Those are suggested dimensions. You are welcome to experiment with other dimensions. Bigger dimensions using available 2x4 studs could be 10' tall and 12' wide (large dimensions are not recommended in high-wind areas).

Building a Delta Shade

Materials

Materials needed to build a Delta Shade 10 foot wide by 20 foot long.

(12) wood studs 2x4 x8' ($50)
(4) wood studs 2x4 x10' ($20)
(4) wood studs 1x4 x10' ($10)
(1) sheet of 1/2" plywood (cheap kind is fine) ($20)
(0.5) sheet of 3/4" plywood (cheap kind is fine) ($15)
(2) rolls of (preferably pink/orange) tape ($5)
(4) T-shirts (you can get them back when you disassemble the Delta Shade)
(1) shade cloth (preferably pink/orange) 10'x35' ($80) or 4 mil polyethylene sheet if low-wind situation ($20)
(8) 15' ratchet straps ($40) or 100' half-inch rope ($8)
(4) 3' metal stakes ($5) (100) 1 5/8' screws ($5) (100) 2 1/2' screws ($5)

Total cost (approx.): $200-$250

You can find everything at Home Depot but we recommend you order the shade cloth here.

Tools you will need

Necessary (Recommended)
Wood Saw (Jigsaw)
Wood Saw (Circular saw)
Philips screwdriver (Screwgun with philips head and 5/8th" wood bit)
Something hard and heavy to hammer the stakes into the ground (Sledgehammer)

Note: if you cut the plywood pieces in advance (highly recommended) you will not need a saw during the installation.

How to

A Delta Shade can be assembled by one person alone but it is recommended to be at least 3 people (5 is the easiest) to build and assemble your Delta Shade. It will take one person with experience plus a crew of four about 1 hour to build and assemble a Delta Shade. An experienced crew of four can build a Delta Shade in 20 minutes.

Delta Shade assembly steps (.mov 5.4MB). Some dimensions were updated since this animation was made.

CUTTING
1. Cut twenty-four equilateral (12"x12"x12") triangles of 1/2" plywood OR 24x 8"x8"x8" of 3/4' plywood.
2. Cut eight L-shaped 18"x18" (curved in the center) in 3/4" plywood.

SCREWING
3. Screw six triangles and three 2x4 x8' together to create a 8'x8'x8' triangle. The plywood triangles go beyond the 2x4 stud and create the points of the resulting 8'x8'x8' triangle. Repeat three times to get a total of four 8'x8'x8' triangles.
4. Assemble two 2x4 x10' to two equilateral triangles connecting them together using four L-shaped plywood. Make sure the right angles are squared. Repeat one time to get a total of two frames. Be gentle with your frames. They need to be triangulated (step #5) to gain strength.

DRILLING AND HOOKING
5. On each frame, drill one 5/8" holes in the four 12"x12"x12" triangles closest to the L-shapes. The holes should be centered and a 1/2" from the side of the 12"x12"x12" triangle that faces the center of the 8'x8'x8' triangle.
6. Hook one end of the ratchet strap in the hole created in step #5 and hook the other end of the same ratchet strap in the diagonally opposite hole. Tighten gently, use the ratchet to straighten the strap, not to pull on the opposite corners, especially when only one ratchet-strap is in place. Repeat for 3 other ratchet straps to triangulate both frames. Adjust ratchet-straps so they are all the same length. Do not apply too much force to the ratchet as they could easily bend the 2x4 x10' studs and eventually weaken your Delta Shade.

MORE SCREWING
7. Lay shade cloth on the ground. Roll one 1x4 x10' four times at one small end of the cloth. Screw a free 1x4 x10' stud to the one wrapped inside the cloth. The goal is to sandwich the cloth tightly between the two 1x4 x10' studs in order to distribute the stress. Repeat at the other end of the shade cloth.

PROTECTING
8. Wrap a T-shirt (or similar-sized cloth) around the L-shaped plywood piece and the end of the 2x4 x10' stud and hold it in place with some packing tape. Do the same for the L-shaped plywood at the other end of that 2x4 x10' stud. Cover the outer edge of the 10' stud with packing tape. Repeat on the other frame.
9. On each frame, use more packing tape to cover the edge that will be in contact with the shade cloth on the 2x4 x10' stud opposite to the one protected in step #8.

ALIGNING
10. Align both frames, taped T-shirts ends facing out, ready to receive the shade cloth.
11. Install each end of the shade cloth-wrapped 1x4 x10' studs in the two nooks created by the L-shaped plywood pieces on both frames.
12. Adjust the angle of each frame to the desired effect. If this is your first time, try to place one side of each frame perpendicular to the ground. You can get creative with this angle later. The structure should now be balanced and one person at each end should only have to gently hold the delta shade in place.

ANCHORING
13. Hook one end of each of the four remaining ratchet straps to the highest angle of each frame. Pull it gently to the ground making sure that part of the ratchet strap touches the out-most edge/angle of the delta shade.
14. Drive a stake into the ground where the ratchet strap meets the ground. Hook the other end of the four ratchet straps to the stakes. Adjust each ratchet strap.
15. Enjoy your new Delta Shade!!!