Every sail is tailored and stays taut, to end glare for good
Premium materials provide excellent solar control, with elegance
InShade’s simple, elegant shapes revive and harmonise features
Application
The purpose of roof lights and roof lanterns is to let in sunlight, but glare and excess heat may demand solar shading for thermal comfort. Our designers work with you to cut glare and excess heat while keeping natural light.
We use a specially designed sail blind fabric that we engineered to optimise performance. tensARC’s ISX fabric transmits 3 to 4 times more natural light than others, whilst eliminating glare. Our sails out-perform traditional blinds because of the ISX fabric.
InShade is the only blind solution designed for roofs alone. Whereas other roof blinds are adapted from window solutions, InShade is configured for roof conditions and requirements.
Our sails tailor to any space, and the beautiful shapes blend with any décor. Accent and neutral colours are available to harmonise with your living space.
With 15 years in the UK sail blind market, InShade is found in thousands of homes across the UK and is now available in the USA.
Advantages
tensARC has a simple process in place for working with our design engineers to develop the perfect solution. It includes a free, live, internet based design service. You can see exactly what your design will look like and can provide creative input as the concept develops.
An advantage of InShade is our expertise and 20 years’ experience providing sail solutions of all types. As inventor and patent-holding manufacturer of internal sail blinds, we have a deep knowledge of how solar control fabric behaves and a passion for getting it right in every setting.
Homeowners find self-installation of InShade to be straightforward and it is covered by our perfect fit guarantee. tensARC also has a UK wide network of trusted installers, whom you can choose to use for convenience. All InShade sail blinds are made in the UK from premium materials and come with a 10 year warranty.
You will want your roof blinds to stay attractive and dust-free. Our roof sails can be easily unhooked, machine washed and put back in place with the same wrinkle-free tautness as when new. If this simple, easy-care approach is followed, a 15-20 year life span can be expected.
Case 1
Reducing excessive heat and glare
In this case, a new roof lantern with solar control glass could not address sun issues fully. The owners liked how the roof lantern added light to their open plan living area but on sunny days the space was overwhelmed with heat and glare.
The client identified key requirements which our design engineers translated into the roof blinds’ configuration. To maximise the amount of shade, the sail blinds have significant overlap to minimise gaps and direct light. To ensure even softer light in the home, the fitting points were dropped down into the recess, so the light around the bottom edge reflects off the sides and diffuses into the space.
All sails are fixed to the centre of the ridge to create symmetry using a simple, elegant four sail design. The large overlap and small gaps around the top reinforce the overall feel of balance and proportion. The points at the bottom of the recess create swooping, doubly curved sails that add interest.
tensARC designed and manufactured the sails. The survey information, installation and photos are by County Shades. A sail solution such as this one would take no more than two hours to measure and a similar time to install.
Case 2
Triangles to cut glare, add shade and create a feature
In this case, the customer sought solar control for their house extension. The extension had a flat roof and included a North-South facing roof lantern, comprising 30% of the ceiling area over a casual living/dining space, which was next to a kitchen and formal lounge.
This extension experienced intense direct effects from the sun; heat build-up and glare occurred at midday. The roof lantern had a small footprint and a sound design for ventilation, e.g., four manual opening roof vents. In remedying solar control issues, the customer did not want to sacrifice the open views of the sky.
InShade was used in a targeted way within the recess below the roof lantern. A simple 3-triangle design breaks up the sun and creates small areas of shade, providing just 40% coverage and a very open feel. This partial shade solution was sufficient in this instance to reduce peak levels of heat gain and glare while creating an interesting focal point.
Design and manufacture were completed by tensARC. The customer carried out the survey and installation. A sail solution such as this is very straightforward and would take around one hour to measure and a similar time to install.
