Ditch Traditional Shade Sails For A Home Depot Solution That Protects Your Patio From Rain

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Taking in the outdoors from your thoughtfully curated patio is a wonderful way to pass the time. When rain clouds roll in, however, you might be left with no choice other than to reschedule your outdoor plans until a later time. While traditional shade sails can provide you with protection from the sunlight, they'll do little to stop the rain. Instead, there's an affordable solution to replace your outdoor shade sail and keep you dry, available at Home Depot: the ColourTree Waterproof Canopy.

Retailing for $59.99 at the time of writing, this elevated sun shade measures 14 feet by 14 feet and is designed to block out water to keep your space dry. It is also advertised to block out 95% of UV rays and lower the temperature in the area underneath the shade by 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Each corner of the sun shade has a stainless steel ring, so you can hang it from a post or the corner of your house. Since it is made to be impermeable to water, the company says you won't have to worry about mold or mildew, and the product also comes with a 3-year warranty.

Customers have given this product a 4.5-star average from nearly 150 reviews, praising its appearance and quality. One five-star review on Home Depot's website states, "The fabric of the sail is like heavy patio umbrella fabric and it's coated on the underside with waterproofing. Shades like this are so helpful in rainy seasons like we get in Florida, where every afternoon we have rain for at least a half an hour."

The ColourTree canopy can help to transform your plain patio into an outdoor oasis that is usable even during rainy times. While you can keep things neutral and classy with the beige color, it also comes in a number of other brightly colored options — read up on the best color shade sail to keep your patio cool before choosing one — though prices may vary. One customer review on Home Depot's website states, "This is a beautiful sun shade! The coloring of this lovely shade cloth really adds to a clean look and can combine with outdoor decor." 

If you have a larger area that you'd like to cover and protect from sunlight and water, you can purchase multiple canopies and position them close to one another. This could be a good option for larger outdoor living areas or backyards where you like to congregate.

As the shades are meant to keep water from dripping through, some customer reviews point out that they can be prone to pooling water. One customer writes, "We have to take it down whenever it is likely to rain as rain will pool on the cover and make it sag. We slanted the cover to allow water to run off, but over time it gets a small puddle which then grows to an area that sags in the middle." It may be worth hanging it in a place that is easy to remove if it begins to collect water, thereby preventing it from getting too heavy or ripping. Ready to install one? For a successful patio shade sail installation, try these simple tips.