Awning and canopy design basics

April 1, 2002  |  Structure Basics

Distinguishing between an “awning” and a “canopy” is easy—though agreeing upon the distinguishing characteristic(s) is not. There is no definitive rule. Clients, fabricators, designers and architects may see the same form but disagree on the name. One common approach de…
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Awning and canopy design glossary

April 1, 2002  |  Structure Basics

Awning fabric attachment methods Lacing: The most traditional technique. Grommets are placed along the edge of the fabric cover, which then is tied to the frame by lacing thin rope through the grommets. Besides providing a traditional look, lacing allows the cover to be tightened easily if the fabri…
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Spacer considerations

July 1, 2001  |  Fabric Basics

Manufactured in a wide range of forms, 3-D fabrics can be used for construction, soil retention or acoustic attenuation By Janet Cass Think of spacer fabric (also called 3-D fabric) as a sandwich, featuring two complementary slabs of fabric with a third layer tucked in between. The inner layer can t…
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Revisiting vinyl-coated cotton

January 1, 2001  |  Fabric Basics

 By Janet Cass Some 50 years ago, vinyl-coated cotton was the trendy new awning fabric. Fast forward to today, though, and the awning market is dominated by acrylics and vinyl laminates. But just like a plant that flourishes in the shade of towering trees, vinyl-coated cotton still has strong …
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Utilization of vinyl-coated polyester fabrics for architectural applications—Part 2

September 1, 2000  |  Fabric Basics

By Richard N. Seaman and Frank Bradenburg Editor’s note: This two-part article is adapted from a paper presented at TechTextil North America, Atlanta, Ga., in March 2000. Part one of this article covers the performance properties of vinyl-coated polyester fabrics and their tensile strength, un…
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Utilization of vinyl-coated polyester fabrics for architectural applications—Part 1

July 1, 2000  |  Fabric Basics

By Richard N. Seaman and Frank Bradenburg Editor’s note: This two-part article is adapted from a paper presented at TechTextil North America, Atlanta, Ga., in March 2000. Part one covers the performance properties of vinyl-coated polyester fabrics and their tensile strength, uniaxial and biaxi…
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Connections and detailing: Part 2

March 1, 2000  |  Hardware & Rigging

Well-designed details can make fabric roof construction relatively easy and elegant in appearance. By Craig G. Huntington Cable Saddles Part 1 of this article described some of the special detailing problems related to cable terminations. Special detailing is also required when cables pass without t…
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Connections and detailing: Part 1

January 1, 2000  |  Hardware & Rigging

Well-designed details can make fabric roof construction relatively easy and elegant in appearance. By Craig G. Huntington Introduction This paper addresses an aspect of design that is seldom addressed in tension structures literature: the structural details that fasten the elements of the roof toget…
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What not to do

January 1, 1970  |  Structure Basics

When installing fabric structures, it’s important to consider the conditions. By Bruce N. Wright, AIA There are some basic no-nos when it comes to installing a fabric structure, and temperature and weather conditions are right up there at the top. “Don’t install fabrics in high win…
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