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Betterliving™ Tension Shades

With motorized tension shades, extend your outdoor living area up to twice as much as a standard awning.

Description

The Latest Fabric Canopy Technology From Europe

Shade your patio at the touch of a button. Tension shades are an elegant solution to your shade requirements. The fabric is held tight at all times by hidden struts. Compared to traditional retractable awnings, tension shades can cover larger areas and are not as susceptible to wind and rain. Great for outdoor cafes and large decks. See our huge selection of 100% solution dyed acrylic fabrics treated with genuine Dupont® Teflon® and sewn with Gore™ Tenera thread that will not deteriorate.

Is Home Automation Available For My Tension Shade?

Yes! With the Somfy myLink™ you can control your tension shade from your phone. For more information please select the Specifications tab above.

A Cooling Solution for Your Solarium

Solariums get hot. Often homeowners will cover them with a retractable awning, but mounting is difficult and they can’t stay out in windy weather. Interior ceiling treatments are fighting a lost battle since the heat has already entered the solarium. The Betterliving™ Tension shade mounts right onto the existing framework of your solarium, providing an elegant and practical shade solution.

Solarium Glass Roof Shade Options

Extend your outdoor living space in cool comfort with a Tension Shade System.

Specifications

Tension Shade – Model 1:

  • Standard Frame Colours: White & Earthstone
  • Economical shade for top & bottom mounting, legs not available (see Model 2)

Type of Mounting:

Top Mounted: Units are installed to the top of an existing structure: (Pergola, Glass Roofs, Solariums, etc.)

Bottom Mounted: Units are installed below an existing structure: (Pergola, Arbour, Trellis, Glass Roofs, Solarium, Roof Blind etc.)

   

General Information:

  • Motorized only
  • Maximum Width is 20 feet, Maximum Projection is 15 feet
  • Somfy® Orea (non-override/Torque Sensing) RTS 50 Nm motor with 12′ Hardwired or Plugin Power Cord

Tension Shade – Model 2:

  • Standard Frame Colours: White & Earthstone
  • Special Order Frame Colours: Sandstone, Desert Sand & Quaker Bronze
  • Larger shading area

Type of Mounting:

            

Top Mounted:

  •  Top Mounted: Units are installed to the top of an existing structure: (Pergolas, Glass Roofs, etc)

Wall Mounted with Legs

  • Wall Mounted with Legs:  Installed to the wall of an existing structure with support legs under each tension guide. Leg placement is adjustable up to 36″ from the front of the tension guide. Wall Mounted with legs has an adjustable wall and post brackets to allow for slope. Tension Guide placement is adjustable from 12 – 36 inches from each cassette end. Both sides must be equal.

General Information:

  • Motorized only
  • Maximum Width is 23 feet, Maximum Projection is 20 feet
  • Our Betterliving™ Horizontal Shades or Solar Shades can be mounted to the front and sides for privacy or sun protection.

Motor Information:

  • Widths between 5′ 1″ to 16′ 0″ will use the Somfy® Orea (non-override/Torque Sensing) RTS 50 Nm motor with 12′ Hardwired or Plugin Power Cord
  • Widths between 16′ 1″ to 23′ 0″ will use the Standard RTS 80 Nm motor with 12′ Hardwired or Plugin Power Cord

Tension Shade Specs

Control your backyard shade with a smartphone or tablet!

The myLink puts you in control so that you can function your motorized shades and canopies with your favorite mobile device whether you’re home or not. The myLink can control any Somfy products featuring Radio Technology Somfy®.
You can easily add a myLink to existing installations or include smart phone app control from the very beginning.

Tension Shade Fabrics

Craft-Bilt has a huge selection of durable outdoor fabrics for your shading requirements. Please visit our Awning and Canopy Fabric page to view available fabric colours & patterns for your Betterliving™ Tension Shade

Attention to detail and not cutting corners makes our Northport fabric stand out:

  • Ultrasonically cut fabric – the fabric is actually cut with sound, which makes for a perfect factory edge and the threads are automatically welded so they don’t fray
  • Symmetrical sewing – we sew full-width panels to the inside, and split the narrow panels to the outside, resulting in matched patterns and the best appearance
  • 100% solution-dyed acrylic (the best raw material and dyeing process known) based on Leacril Outdoor HM ECO fiber. Water impermeability of 1500mm whereas other fabrics can have water impermeability  as low as 200mm – 300mm
  • Gore™ Tenara® thread – a long lasting thread that does NOT deteriorate from exposure to the elements and lasts the life of the fabric – no worries about seams coming loose for the life of the fabric
  • Double lock-stitched, uber strong seams
  • Northport is treated with genuine Dupont® Teflon® to protect and extend the life of the fabric