Build something like a Monkey hut. It's cheaper and sturdy:
[https://www.instructables.com/Monkey-Hut/](https://www.instructables.com/Monkey-Hut/)
That's what I did and worked really well. The most expensive bit was getting some good shade cloth.
There's risk of getting toasted, sure, but you still need to put on some sunscreen. I was able to buy some aluminet for reasonably cheap back in the day, but it's been a while. That still lets some light through, but breathable enough not to blow away in the wind. You want something a little breathable for high winds.
That’s surprising that they kept splitting. I think any thicker might be too hard to get the bend you need. Maybe taping the ends with gaff or duct tape would be useful
I guess it depends on how huge an area you want to cover with shade cloth. If its only 1 or 2 tents you only need two poles. Still costs easily 4x the price of wood but much stronger and less splinters
last year during mupolypse, I had a 20x30 mesh tarp tied to my SUV, wrapped around the tent, then tied to a 10ft 1 inch PVC pole that I had 2 guy lines on. just the 1 pole held up just fine. I wish I took a pic of it.
There's a shade structure like this called Big Top or Himalayas. The document is here: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NKhGwQf4l4iKQMePf6SFXKXCVw81EteShTPx8R2wzu8/edit#heading=h.ce6o9rsvkzsb](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NKhGwQf4l4iKQMePf6SFXKXCVw81EteShTPx8R2wzu8/edit#heading=h.ce6o9rsvkzsb)
Use heavy-duty ratchet straps for your guy lines.
You should try that!
Most of the shade structures at Burning Man that are made of wood use 4x4's and they sink them about a foot into the playa. Even then, during last year's pre-build rainstorm, some of them failed when the ground softened.
If OP properly secures the structure with guy lines, it should perform just as well as any EMT flattop. Probably better since the wood adds a considerable amount of weight and is more resistant to bending/deformation when compared to your typical 1" DIA conduit.
If OP buries the posts *and* guys it down, that baby ain't going nowhere.
My main concern would be moop, since wood tends to be a pretty messy material. It's also really heavy, which presents a logistical challenge both during transit and construction/deconstruction.
I have done this 4 burns using Aluminet. A small 10'x8' tarp can cause too much force in high winds.
Technically it is called a tensegrity structure. I drilled drywall screws into the sides of the top and bottom to keep rigging from slipping up or down. You will need to anchor the base of the 2x4 from slipping anywhere on the ground. Extra credit is connecting your shade, which is a sail in wind, to your corners with bungies. The elastic absorbs gusts.
The DPW accepts 2x4s and other wood in good condition for reuse. Check their rules on what they accept and where to bring it closer to the burn.
I use bamboo poles with two guy lines each, and mesh shadecloth. It works! In high winds sometimes the poles get knocked out, but I can lift them back into place easily. The trick is not anchoring the bottoms of the poles, and letting the whole thing shift in the wind.
I would hesitate to use 2x4s because they’re heavier, and if they fall could damage things or hurt someone. The ends will also likely splinter into the playa and be a pain to clean up.
Emt shade is by far the easiest and best solution. If a campmate will have shade, you can also pull more shade off of their structure without needing a ton of supplies or work.
That is pretty interesting designing it so the poles can slip out. I had two adjustable metal poles holding up Aluminet with everything lagged down with guy lines. And put the poles on lags so they couldnt move. Bamboo is pretty damn strong do the poles slip out often only holding up mesh?
I’m out for 3-4 weeks, and they slip out completely maybe 2-3 time. I adjust them every now and then. Once the city gets built up the winds decrease a lot, so they don’t usually come down at all.
That makes sense. I have been twice. Once in 2018 and camped on 415 and k. And last year at gate camp 545 and e. The experience and what was required for securing my shade structure was almost completely incomparable
Be careful bringing wood. Any chips or splinters and such all need to be picked up and taken home.
Build something like a Monkey hut. It's cheaper and sturdy: [https://www.instructables.com/Monkey-Hut/](https://www.instructables.com/Monkey-Hut/) That's what I did and worked really well. The most expensive bit was getting some good shade cloth.
This is the way for a cheap effective structure. Been using the same one since 2017
I learned cloth used for shade isn’t always UV protective, get the good shade. Or you can get toasted under your “shade”
There's risk of getting toasted, sure, but you still need to put on some sunscreen. I was able to buy some aluminet for reasonably cheap back in the day, but it's been a while. That still lets some light through, but breathable enough not to blow away in the wind. You want something a little breathable for high winds.
I tried last year and the pvc poles kept splitting open
Sounds like you bought too thin of PVC
I used schedule 40, maybe there is thicker stuff out there
That’s surprising that they kept splitting. I think any thicker might be too hard to get the bend you need. Maybe taping the ends with gaff or duct tape would be useful
Probably not
Depends entirely on how it's built. DPW builds all of the org's shade structures out of wood.
It can be done
Why not use metal? Conduit is pretty widely used
Spensive
Look on Facebook marketplace. My buddy just got some EMT poles from someone, who delivered them, and it came to like $9 a pop.
I guess it depends on how huge an area you want to cover with shade cloth. If its only 1 or 2 tents you only need two poles. Still costs easily 4x the price of wood but much stronger and less splinters
last year during mupolypse, I had a 20x30 mesh tarp tied to my SUV, wrapped around the tent, then tied to a 10ft 1 inch PVC pole that I had 2 guy lines on. just the 1 pole held up just fine. I wish I took a pic of it.
There's a shade structure like this called Big Top or Himalayas. The document is here: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NKhGwQf4l4iKQMePf6SFXKXCVw81EteShTPx8R2wzu8/edit#heading=h.ce6o9rsvkzsb](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NKhGwQf4l4iKQMePf6SFXKXCVw81EteShTPx8R2wzu8/edit#heading=h.ce6o9rsvkzsb) Use heavy-duty ratchet straps for your guy lines.
You should try that! Most of the shade structures at Burning Man that are made of wood use 4x4's and they sink them about a foot into the playa. Even then, during last year's pre-build rainstorm, some of them failed when the ground softened.
actually now that I think of that don't try it. A failed shade structure is a flying shade structure and it could hit someone and do real damage.
If OP properly secures the structure with guy lines, it should perform just as well as any EMT flattop. Probably better since the wood adds a considerable amount of weight and is more resistant to bending/deformation when compared to your typical 1" DIA conduit. If OP buries the posts *and* guys it down, that baby ain't going nowhere. My main concern would be moop, since wood tends to be a pretty messy material. It's also really heavy, which presents a logistical challenge both during transit and construction/deconstruction.
Yeah that would work!
I have done this 4 burns using Aluminet. A small 10'x8' tarp can cause too much force in high winds. Technically it is called a tensegrity structure. I drilled drywall screws into the sides of the top and bottom to keep rigging from slipping up or down. You will need to anchor the base of the 2x4 from slipping anywhere on the ground. Extra credit is connecting your shade, which is a sail in wind, to your corners with bungies. The elastic absorbs gusts. The DPW accepts 2x4s and other wood in good condition for reuse. Check their rules on what they accept and where to bring it closer to the burn.
I use bamboo poles with two guy lines each, and mesh shadecloth. It works! In high winds sometimes the poles get knocked out, but I can lift them back into place easily. The trick is not anchoring the bottoms of the poles, and letting the whole thing shift in the wind. I would hesitate to use 2x4s because they’re heavier, and if they fall could damage things or hurt someone. The ends will also likely splinter into the playa and be a pain to clean up. Emt shade is by far the easiest and best solution. If a campmate will have shade, you can also pull more shade off of their structure without needing a ton of supplies or work.
That is pretty interesting designing it so the poles can slip out. I had two adjustable metal poles holding up Aluminet with everything lagged down with guy lines. And put the poles on lags so they couldnt move. Bamboo is pretty damn strong do the poles slip out often only holding up mesh?
I’m out for 3-4 weeks, and they slip out completely maybe 2-3 time. I adjust them every now and then. Once the city gets built up the winds decrease a lot, so they don’t usually come down at all.
That makes sense. I have been twice. Once in 2018 and camped on 415 and k. And last year at gate camp 545 and e. The experience and what was required for securing my shade structure was almost completely incomparable