When designing a new fabric structure, it’s important to consider a number of factors to ensure the best outcome and longest lifespan. Here we’ll cover some of the design and material considerations for most fabric structures.
Using architectural fabrics to re-cover existing structures is a cost-effective way to extend the life of buildings. But saving money doesn’t have to mean cutting corners on quality. When the U.S. Air Force needed to recover flight line sunshades on 20-year-old structures at its Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, it explored a number of options.
The Pentagon has recently been clamping down on adherence to “buy American” laws like the Berry Amendment and the Buy American Act. Building contractors working on U.S. government and military projects must be vigilant about the origin of the material they use.
When constructing a fabric building, many engineers, building owners and project managers come down to two choices—products based on polyethylene and those developed using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coated Polyester Fabrics.
Selecting the right choice for your product depends on your priorities, the environment of the building and other considerations.
Structural membranes are very durable. Physical damage can be inevitable due to the environment or uncontrollable circumstances, and the age of the membrane should be taken into consideration as this can make it more susceptible to tears. Although it’s difficult to determine how long a membrane structure will last, there are signs to watch for when determining if your structure is weakening.
Most architectural fabric buildings are white. If you ask the industry or marketplace why, there are normally two answers: Either 1) we could not get another color because of lead time or minimum quantities for our desired color, or 2) we were told colors fade quickly and are not a long-term option. Both of these concerns are valid, but the suppliers of these materials now offer options to address both concerns and give the buyer many more choices.
As a provider of architectural fabrics, we’ve been fortunate to work on hundreds of different projects. Within the sporting world, we’ve covered buildings ranging from fully enclosed seasonal multi-sport bubbles to permanent tennis buildings and everything in between.
When planning a new facility or looking to improve an existing one, it can be a challenge to know how best to move forward. One great way is to look at what others are doing. The spring 2017 issue of GO Indoor, the official publication of the United States Indoor Sports Association (USIndoor), is full of tips on how a site visit can improve your own indoor sports facility.
Air domes are a great solution for tennis facilities in challenging climates. These proven, durable and affordable fabrics create weatherproof environments that allow for comfortable year-round play.
Air domes are most popular in northern climates, where they protect against the chill of winter.These seasonal domes offer many advantages over permanent tennis facilities, including:
When Legacy Building Solutions, a leading manufacturer of fabric buildings, needed the best exterior possible for The Oklahoma City Tennis Center at Will Rogers Park, the company relied on Shelter-Rite’s 8028 architectural fabric. The end result was a facility that earned an award of excellence from the United States Tennis Association (USTA).
Before using architectural fabrics in your new construction project or next building renovation, it’s important to consider the longevity of the material and the warranty offered.
As a building owner, for example, you need to be sure the fabric you choose will maintain its structural integrity and remain aesthetically pleasing for decades to come. When reading the warranty, you should ask yourself questions like: Will it retain its integrity? What will the fabric look like in 10, 20 or even 30 years after the project is completed? Will the material retain its brightness and color? Alternately, you should ask yourself whether the fabric will become dull, spotted or faded and become a virtual blight. And, most importantly, after each question you should ask this follow-up: Does the warranty explicitly cover this?