Shade sail: attaching to house/vinyl siding?
#1
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Shade sail: attaching to house/vinyl siding?
Hello,
I want to install a triangular shade sail over my patio. My main question is how to attach it to my two story house? Can i attach it directly to *frame under* the siding? The fascia/roof is too high up (see pics: attachment sites marked in blue).
Any other comments recommendations on placement?

More Pics
https://imgur.com/gallery/D6bUmQc
I want to install a triangular shade sail over my patio. My main question is how to attach it to my two story house? Can i attach it directly to *frame under* the siding? The fascia/roof is too high up (see pics: attachment sites marked in blue).
Any other comments recommendations on placement?

More Pics
https://imgur.com/gallery/D6bUmQc
Last edited by PJmax; 06-26-19 at 09:40 PM. Reason: added one pic from link
#2
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If you want to do it properly the first step is to know what you will anchor into. Then calculate the load that structure can handle without damage. If you don't know what's in your walls then you're mostly guessing and going on your good judgement.
Consider that during a bad storm something may fail due to the high wind loads. If you make your attachment to the house very strong you risk damaging the house. If the attachment is of lower strength then it will rip out or break without doing major damage to your home.
I have three shade sails at my home. I designed the system to prevent damage to the house. In case of extreme winds the sails should shred first. If that doesn't happen then the sail attachment hardware should fail. All before any damage can occur to the house attachments.
Consider that during a bad storm something may fail due to the high wind loads. If you make your attachment to the house very strong you risk damaging the house. If the attachment is of lower strength then it will rip out or break without doing major damage to your home.
I have three shade sails at my home. I designed the system to prevent damage to the house. In case of extreme winds the sails should shred first. If that doesn't happen then the sail attachment hardware should fail. All before any damage can occur to the house attachments.
2john02458
voted this post useful.
#3
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You cannot attach to the siding but you can attach to the framing behind it. Screw eye bolts are commonly used.

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Cool, thanks! Yes, i meant the framing under the siding.
I was hoping an eye hook or something of the sort would be strong enough. I was not sure what kind of framing is behind the siding or how much force those eye hooks can withstand. I guess, if i attach right on the corner end of the house, there should be good support (not just plywood) underneath the siding to attach to.
From what i read, the force from wind catching the sail can be pretty significant. I’m not in a super windy area, but we do occasionally get strong gusts during storms and would like it to be strong in case we aren’t home to take it down.
I was hoping an eye hook or something of the sort would be strong enough. I was not sure what kind of framing is behind the siding or how much force those eye hooks can withstand. I guess, if i attach right on the corner end of the house, there should be good support (not just plywood) underneath the siding to attach to.
From what i read, the force from wind catching the sail can be pretty significant. I’m not in a super windy area, but we do occasionally get strong gusts during storms and would like it to be strong in case we aren’t home to take it down.
#5
I looked into these a few years ago and ultimately we decided not to go with them, however the attachment information the manufacturer provided did not recommend screw type eye bolts.
They recommended rather large threaded eye bolts with back up blocking and washers installed behind the primary building structural .
As a note, we were looking at rather large & heavy 30x20' triangular sails so unless you are installing something very small I would go large and not loose any sleep!
They recommended rather large threaded eye bolts with back up blocking and washers installed behind the primary building structural .
As a note, we were looking at rather large & heavy 30x20' triangular sails so unless you are installing something very small I would go large and not loose any sleep!
#7
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There are hooks, rings and (recessed) D-rings that are mounted on a flat mounting plate that has 4 holes that would be stronger than a single-point screw eye. (I found this in a search for "marine hardware" https://www.e-rigging.com/quarter-in...SABEgJo9_D_BwE) Do a general search "square pad eye" for more variations.
Use lag screws to mount through the vinyl into the framing behind.
I would try the eyebolt if it can go into the framing (not just the plywood) and if it pulls out replace it with a plate mounted version.
Use lag screws to mount through the vinyl into the framing behind.
I would try the eyebolt if it can go into the framing (not just the plywood) and if it pulls out replace it with a plate mounted version.
#9
How would that work for attaching to the house though?
Everything else was with steel posts!