If you have ever been caught under a blazing hot sun and went looking for shade to no avail, you probably understand the benefits of commercial shade structures.
Commercial shade structure ideas include but are not limited to umbrellas, canopies, and awnings. Regardless of the style, these shade structures have kept people, buildings, cars, and even pets cooler than they otherwise would be - all thanks to their purposeful design.
And if you own a business or simply enjoy the outdoors, you may be curious about all the places people use commercial shade structures.
Where are commercial shade structures used?
The most concise answer regarding where commercial shade structures are used is anywhere the sun shines!
There are, of course, more specific places and reasons to use commercial shade structures. But in general, they are most commonly used to block the sun. Therefore, commercial shade structures are ideal for hot and sunny states.
Popular Locations and Use Cases for Commercial Shade Structures
Since there are many places where you can use commercial shade structures, we will categorize the locations based on the key purposes for using the shade structures in those locations.
To Keep Customers Cool and Dry
A happy customer is usually a comfortable customer. Also, added shading can play a role in increasing the number of seating available for businesses, which can ultimately lead to more sales.
Here are several use cases for commercial shade structures that keep customers cool, dry, and satisfied:
Business Shade Structures
Businesses often use commercial shade structures on the outside of their buildings to keep customers happy.
For example, if a shop is having an outdoor sale and wants people to feel comfortable looking through these sale items, they may purchase and install an awning or umbrellas to keep their shoppers cooler. Thus, these shades will likely prevent the customers from leaving too early.
Restaurant Shade Structures
Outdoor seating is a popular way to capture the attention of potential customers when they pass by. But if it’s a hot and sunny day, those potential customers may only want to eat outside if there’s sufficient sun coverage.
Thus, many restaurants install awnings to the side of their buildings or umbrellas for individual tables and benches. They may even have a large canopy to the side of the restaurant’s building to accommodate a greater amount of seating.
Bar Shade Structures
Restaurants are not the only type of dining that considers the comfort level of outdoor seating. For bars that cater to guests who like to drink during the daytime - such as sports bars, pubs, and beer gardens, it is often wise to have at least one type of commercial shade structure.
Beer gardens, for example, often have a series of benches all lined up under a sizable canopy, which allows people to enjoy the daytime and a few drinks without getting too hot.
Event Space Shade Structures
People planning the layout and structure of event spaces might want to keep in mind the uses mentioned above for commercial shade structures.
This is because they ultimately want to ensure happy, comfortable customers or guests who can eat, drink, talk, and be merry without breaking too much of a sweat. Therefore, event spaces often include all types of commercial shade structures to fit a variety of purposes, settings, and styles.
Housing Shade Structures
Housing development planners strive to create spaces for gathering the community together. This plan often requires there to be comfortable spaces to gather - even on uncomfortably hot days. They may include shade structures such as gazebos in a grassy area, canopies over lunch benches, or large sunshades over smaller outdoor tables.
For Extra Shade on Hot Days
There are some places you may love to go on a beautiful, hot, and sunny day. That is until you get there and start to overheat! These types of commercial shade structures often save the day:
Pool Shade Structures
Of course, you want to go to the pool when it’s sunny outside, and especially on the hottest days.
However, public pool owners know that sun protection is crucial to keep people comfortable at the pool for longer. They can swim and tan when they want, then move under umbrellas and shade canopies when they need a break from the blazing sun.
Grocery Store Shade Structures
Grocery stores tend to store most of their items indoors; however, on some occasions, they will have outdoor items on display as well - such as fruits, vegetables, special sales, and seasonal items.
For this purpose, grocery stores may use awnings to protect these items from too much heat and sun damage.
Hotel and Resort Shade Structures
Hotels and resorts are other areas where people hang out when the weather is particularly nice. However, they are also places where people like to stay comfortable and temperate.
Hotels may use umbrellas and awnings to provide shading options for their guests. They may also use commercial shade structures to add to their location’s design, social environment, and overall appeal.
City Park Shade Structures
You may enjoy going to the park when it’s sunny outside - either to take your kids, walk your dog, go on a run, or enjoy a picnic.
City parks may include areas with canopies, umbrellas, or gazebos to provide shade for a more relaxing environment for park goers who simply want to enjoy the day without breaking a sweat.
Sporting Event Shade Structures
It’s no fun watching your favorite team in the rain, but it’s not always fun watching them in the blazing hot sun either.
Sporting event venues often provide shade structures in tailgating areas before the game and rest areas outside of the stands. Some also provide canopied sections over the stands to keep you cool while enjoying the game.
Office Shade Structures
For businesses that not only want to keep their customers happy but also want to keep their employees happy, office shade structures are ideal.
Many office workers like to eat lunch and hang out outside of the office building every now and then, so offices may establish seating under large umbrellas for their employees to enjoy their outdoor breaks on very hot days.
To Keep Kids Cool
We know that child safety is of the utmost importance. One danger that we can protect kids from is the danger of sun damage on their sensitive skin. These types of commercial shade structures protect kids and keep them safer in areas where they tend to gather:
Sports field Shade Structures
Sunshine can become quite harmful when kids are outside for too long. However, with the nature of sports, sometimes you don’t quite know how long certain games will last.
Additionally, sunscreen wears off more easily when wet - or sweaty from running around.
Soccer fields, basketball courts, and other outdoor sporting areas may use large canopies to protect student-athletes from harmful sun rays.
Playground Shade Structures
Playgrounds present a lot of fun opportunities for children. However, not only do the same sun-ray dangers exist on playgrounds as they do on the sports fields, but playgrounds present an additional danger: overly heated playground equipment.
Commercial shade structures such as canopies and sun shade sails over playground equipment can keep the equipment cool and much safer for kids to play on for an extended time.
School Shade Structures
Schools may use shade structures for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to the two reasons above - sports fields and playgrounds. They may also use canopies for outdoor events, lessons, attendance/line ups, and field trips.
Churches Shade Structures
Frequently, churches have youth groups, children’s groups, and daycare areas for the younger churchgoers.
These churches tend to use shade structures in similar ways - for children to have a safe place to gather, eat, discuss and play under the sun.
They may also use canopies and umbrellas for family and community events, volunteer opportunities, and fundraisers outside of regular church service.
Daycare Shade Structures
Daycare’s use shade structures in similar ways as schools do - for their playgrounds, outdoor eating areas, and grassy areas for children to run around and play.
For Shade That’s Also Aesthetically Appealing
Many places don’t bother too much about the look and design of their shade structures, as long as it’s doing the job. On the other hand, some places benefit from both the shade-providing use of the structure as well as the appealing, inviting designs:
Zoo and Aquarium Shade Structures
Zoos and aquariums benefit from shade structures in a clear way - giving people an opportunity to hide from the sun after walking around under it for sometimes hours on end!
However, zoos and aquariums also tend to benefit from aesthetically appealing shade structures, as it is easy to find structures that align with a “jungle,” “aquatic,” or other natural design aesthetic.
Amusement Park Shade Structures
Amusement parks and water parks tend to be where people go in the summertime more than any other time of the year. That said, they often use triangle shade sails over pools, canopies over dining, awnings attached to buildings, and umbrellas all across the park.
Since they use so many commercial shade structures, they often have bright, vibrant designs to fit their fun and exciting atmosphere.
For Hot Asphalt
Finally, locations with asphalt on the ground benefit greatly from large shade structures. Asphalt has a higher capacity for heat than other ground surfaces, like grass. And when the asphalt gets too hot, it can burn bare feet, as well as become damaged from the sun itself by cracking and raveling. Finally, over-heated asphalt can release harmful pollution into the air.
The following commercial shade structures help keep asphalt cool, as they all have asphalt lots where cars are parked or stored:
Parking Lot Shade Structures
Parking lots tend to be made of asphalt, so they may use large canopies to help keep the asphalt cool, as well as the cars parked there.
Auto Dealership Shade Structures
Like parking lots, auto dealerships may use canopies to shade both the asphalt on the ground and the cars on display for sale.
Car Wash Shade Structures
Car washes use shade structures to shade cars after the wash is complete, as customers may want to continue cleaning the inside of their car but prefer to do so under the shade instead of the sun.
Shade structures can also allow the washed car to dry in a cleaner fashion by preventing sun unsightly sun streaks.
As you can see, there are a variety of places that are perfect for commercial shade structures. Ultimately, shade structures can benefit these locations in more ways than one!
