Introduction: PVC Extended Shade Frame for Craft Show Tents

By Waterfall Mountain Art
About: My wife and I love making things with wood. We build a musical instrument called a Kalimba or Thumb Piano and Wooden Barn Stars, Barn Quilts and old Rustic Signs.

If you do craft shows to sell your arts and crafts you no doubt are aware of how hot the sun can get at the back of the tent at times not to mention rain showers that often plague us. Over time I worked out a simple way to use the existing tent side flap to advantage for shelter when needed.

Here are the plans for making a simple and effective tent shade frame that uses your tent side wall or a spare 10" x10" tarp to extend your shade on the back of your tent either 5 ft or 10 ft. This will keep that hot morning or afternoon sun or rain off you. It's quick and easy to set-up!

Step 1: What You Need.... Tools and Materials

Tools:

PVC cutters or a saw to cut pipe into lengths needed.

Drill

Heat Gun (careful use of a torch flame can substitute)

Parts:

4 - 10 ft pieces 1" sched 20 or sched 40 PVC pipe

4 - 1" pvc 90

3 - 1" pvc tee

2 - 1" pvc cuplings

1 - small can PVC cement

some small 1/2" #10 washer head screws (to attach velcro to PVC)

about 6 ft of 2 sided Velcro 2 inch wide

2 - 3' bungee cords with hooks

2 - 1' bungee cords with hooks

6 - Heavy duty Python Tarp Clips They will make setting this up so easy.

They are so handy for setting up ways to grab and stake down tarps and tent flaps!

All in.... less than 50 bucks and provide 5 ft or ten foot of shade/rain flap!

Step 2: Cutting the PVC Pipe and Assembling the Parts

Cut 2 pieces of 1" pvc pipe 16" long

Cut 4 pieces of 1" pvc pipe 58" long

Glue a 1" 90 deg fitting to one end of each 16" piece of pipe

Glue a 1" 90 deg fitting to one end of 2 of the 58" pieces piece of pipe

Glue a 1" coupling fitting to one end of the two 58" pieces of pipe that remain

Cut 4 - 12" pieces of Velcro and attach to the 16" pieces of pipe as shown in drawing.

Drill 3/8" hole in the 16" pipes about 2" from the end as shown in the drawing

Cut one of the 3' bungee in half and insert the end of one into the hole in each 16" pipe, push thru and knot the end of the bungee.

Step 3: Putting IT All Together

Attach the 16" pieces to the tent frame as shown by wrapping with the Velcro (90 deg fitting at top)

Take the Bungee hook and attach to the tent framework above.

Insert a 58" piece with a 90 deg fitting on each side.

Join the two remaining 58" pieces at the coupling and assemble as shown.

Note: none of the parts get any glue... (you will want to be able to disassemble for transport)

Leave the side flap attached to the tent as if you were closing the tent as usual. Pull the side flap over the frame as shown... attach the Python Clips to the 2 corners and 1 to the the middle of the tent flap. Use the 12" bungees to attach the corners to the tent frame and the 3' bungee from the middle of the flap to the tent frame by hooking the bungee cord to the Python clips and tent frame.

The remaining piece of PVC can be used to form a support for the frame if needed. (see pictures for details on how to do this)

Step 4: Enhancements

The drawings and pictures show some enhancements you can make to make the setup and knockdown quicker and more convenient.

First... if you drill a 3/8" hole where shown in the pictures and use something like knotted clothesline cord you can keep the parts together for quick assembly.

Then... if you install the Velcro in the appropriate spots it make wrapping the parts for transport very quick and convenient.

With a heat gun... you can form the PVC in a shape that will form a clip to attach the support pole to the back.

Alternatively... if you install 1" PVC tees near the 90 deg fittings of the side corners you can insert the 1" PVC support poles there.

Lastly.... you can use tent stakes and cord to hold the flap down to the ground instead of pulled under the frame and attached to the tent frame as another way to use the setup.

That's it!

Enjoy.... stay cool and dry!