When developing designs for an outdoor construction project, you must consider how to shade the area. Most of the best outdoor commercial shade structures block nearly all of the sun’s UV rays, come in various styles and are long-lasting — meaning they are an ideal choice whether building a parking lot, car wash, amusement park or apartment communal area.
Unlike awnings, pavilions or even shelters, commercial shade structures have quick installation timelines and are relatively affordable — ideal for time-sensitive projects with tight budgets. However, designing, fabricating and installing them can be complex, so you may need a subcontractor.
Many of the best commercial shade structure companies’ services range from engineering to installation, so finding one that fills your team’s gaps should be straightforward. Of course, turning to a high-quality subcontractor to meet your needs also enables you to wow the client and walk away proudly from a job well done.
1. USA SHADE
USA SHADE is the best commercial shade structure company. It is a full-service shade structure provider with over three decades of experience in the industry. So far, it has built more than 300,000 structures using durable fabric that blocks the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and high-strength steel.
U.S.-based USA SHADE serves various markets, offering dozens of preengineered or custom commercial shade structures to outdoor venues, military locations, schools, shopping centers and parks. Its unrivaled craftsmanship has made it the leading provider in North America.
USA SHADE is the only shade structure manufacturer certified by the International Accreditation Service, meaning its in-house experts are the best for the job. They conduct risk assessments, create custom three-dimensional designs, engineer, fabricate and install — offering one of the only one-stop solutions.
2. Apollo Sunguard
Apollo Sunguard’s 30 years in business and title as the country’s oldest privately owned shade manufacturer makes it a solid runner-up to USA SHADE. While it offers various preengineered structures, it will also create custom designs for specific projects. Whichever you choose, you will benefit from its 20-year steel and 15-year fabric cover warranties.
3. Stretch Shapes
Stretch Shape’s 15 years in business and extensive portfolio make it one of the best commercial shade structure companies in the country. It has had installations at multiple major events, including the Coachella Music & Arts Festival and the Miami Open. Its fabrics come in various colors, shapes and sizes, making it a good choice for highly specific use cases.
Stretch Shape’s fabric is woven from a 100% recycled, UV-stable polyester, making it a sustainable option — but one that many shade structure providers reject for its potential weakness. Synthetic fibers like polyamides and polyesters can degrade or become brittle with UV exposure. While a stabilizer prevents most degradation, it is not UV resistant.
4. Miracle Recreation
Miracle Recreation is a playground equipment manufacturer that specializes in shade structure fabrication. Its coverings can cover up to 260 feet per post, which is ideal for projects with minimal space. Notably, while it may be one of the best commercial shade structure companies, its primary markets are schools, parks and campgrounds, limiting its availability.
In addition to providing a particular aesthetic, Miracle Recreation’s coverings also protect. Considering UV rays can be dangerous in large amounts — they can accelerate aging, contribute to skin cancer, cause eye damage and weaken the immune system — its fabric’s ability to block up to 96% of harmful UV rays is a substantial benefit.
5. Zoom Recreation
Zoom Recreation is a commercial playground equipment installer. While most of its portfolio contains jungle gyms, play areas and benches, it also specializes in shade structure fabrication. However, although it is the second-largest manufacturer in the U.S., it only services central California locations — so you may be out of luck if you do business elsewhere.
If you are in Zoom Recreation’s service area, you can choose from cantilever, sail or umbrella styles — or opt for custom planning, conceptualization and installation processes for a unique design that will meet your project’s specific needs.
6. Shade Systems
With over 20 years in business, Shade Systems has proven itself as one of the country’s top contenders. While it is headquartered in Florida, it can package and ship its products to your project’s location. However, constructing and installing the posts, sails and hardware may be challenging without prior experience.
The specific fabric Shade Systems patented blocks up to 99% of the sun’s UV rays, a noticeably higher percentage than the fabrics some of its competitors provide. The coverings come in various colors, sizes and shapes, making them ideal for many commercial projects. However, they are only available as free-standing systems — limiting design options.
7. Shade Industries
Shade Industries has been designing, engineering, fabricating, installing and repairing custom shade structures since 2008. While it is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, it serves all 50 states. Its in-house installation teams have extensive safety training and certifications, taking much of the guesswork and stress out of hiring a subcontractor.
8. Wholesale Shade
Wholesale Shade is a California-based private label fabricator specializing in designing and manufacturing custom-fit shade systems — leaving sales and installation to you. You must dig holes, set posts, pour concrete, install hardware, build attachment points, measure distances and install sails yourself, which requires a skilled team.
While Wholesale Shade offers some of the best outdoor commercial shade structures on the West Coast, improper installation could drastically affect their life spans. Its numerous guides say as much, describing how an unknowledgeable installer can unwittingly increase the risk of failure. Still, it’s a good choice if you have a skilled team.
9. Creative Shade Solutions
With nearly two decades in business, Creative Shade Solutions has learned to make some of the best outdoor commercial shade structures in the industry. It offers various sizes and colors of sails, hexagons, mega spans, umbrellas and more. If you cannot find one that meets your needs, consider using its custom design services.
Creative Shade Solution has in-house engineering and permitting teams, so it can handle much of the tedious administrative work required by commercial projects. However, while it supplies and ships its products nationwide, you can only utilize the installation services in South Carolina, Florida or Georgia.
10. Superior Shade
Superior Shade is one of the leading shade structure providers in the country and has nearly two decades of experience in the industry. Its coverings block 98% of UV rays and come in various styles. It also offers multiple limited warranties for workmanship, powder coating, fabric and framework. Its lifetime warranty is specifically for its stainless steel hardware.
Like many shade structure companies, Superior Shade does not cover cosmetic damage like scratches, peeling or fading. However, it also does not cover weather damage. This contractual condition may feel less than reassuring when its competitors’ products can withstand hurricane winds and torrential downpours.
Much of the company’s work is based in the southwest region of the U.S., which is evident from its certifications and approvals from the California Division of the State Architect and the City of Los Angeles. It is even a registered fabricator for the City of Houston, Texas. Its on-staff engineers design and manufacture its commercial structures domestically in its Georgia facility.
Pick the Shade Structure Provider That’s Right for You
Shade is a necessity when developing plans for commercial outdoor spaces. Whether you are building a poolside lounge or a parking lot, utilizing one of the best outdoor commercial shade structures protects people from damaging UV rays and significantly cools the area — and it may even help you impress your client.
