Stretch Tents - Frequently Asked Questions

Why do clients like our Stretch Marquees for their functions?

Our clients love our Stretch Marquees because they are unique and easy to set up. With customers always looking for something a little bit more creative the flexibility of our stretch tents ensures each event can be tailored to the site or clients specific requirements. With our wide range of colours such as Ruby Red, Jet Black, Royal Blue, Linen White, Smokey Grey, Sand, Burnt Orange, Sunshine Yellow and now also Lime Green, they create the WOW factor at their events.

How safe are they in wet and windy weather conditions?

With this particular purpose in mind, our tents have been `engineered’ to be incredibly strong and safe. The sides can easily be pulled down to create a cosy atmosphere, or opened up to allow a cool cross breeze. Who wouldn’t feel safe when you know that our Stretch Marquees can withstand up to and exceeding 60 Knots.

Are our Stretch Marquees suited to particular functions/ events?

Well that’s the beauty of using our Stretch Marquees. They are incredibly versatile which means our custom designs can cater for the smallest function to the biggest corporate affairs with style & ease.

Our stretch tent marquees are used to re-shape any entertaining area. They can be attached to existing walls, frames, terraces, rooftops, gardens and even storage containers. Your imagination is your only limit! These structures will transform your area into an amazing wonderland!

There are also so many accessories that we can recommend. Speak to us today for more information.

What makes us different from our competitors?

We pride ourselves on producing the highest quality structures and marquees. They are designed to withstand the weather elements, the rigours that hire and event companies put their products through.

All our fabrics are manufactured exclusively in Europe

Our premium Bedouinflex fabric is a PVC free fabric. We use a polycarbonate Polyurethane in the coating as opposed to the far less environmentally friendly PVC coated fabric.

And the environmental benefits of Polyurethane are too many to cover. Some of the benefits are:

Decomposes quicker than PVC (it breaks down to water rather than the toxic byproducts of PVC)
Incinerates more safely
Emits a lower level of VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
It is phthalate-free (phthalates [pronounced thalates] are a group of chemicals added to plastics for flexibility and durability, aka plasticizers) - See more at: http://www.stancehealthcare.com/blog/2014/09/pvc-free-fabrics/#sthash.CnLzM8Or.dpu

In conjunction with our fabric partners we are committed to the European Reach Standard; for improving the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals. Details on this standard can be found here http://echa.europa.eu/regulations/reach/understanding-reach

To this end in our efforts to take the ecological road we use a flame retardant coating unequalled today on the market.

This is a revolutionary development as it complies with the highest ecological requirements set by Oekotex. The Oekotex Class 1 Green FR consists of a 100% polyurethane flame retardant coating, of which the flame retardant component is registered in the Oekotex files under Class 1.

Up until today, no other company in the world has been able to offer this distinctive product. These article reflects our deep interest and dedication to launch products on the market that ensure a greater commitment to producing environmentally friendly products.

What kinds of events are these tents being used for? What kind of clients are asking for them?

Because they are so versatile they can be used anywhere; from small backyard functions and weddings to large corporate events, product launches, music festival or sporting event, attracting attention and leaving clients & guests with that WOW factor.

Can you clarify details of our fabric range and the different colour options available?

There are a two fabric options.

1 Premium flagship fabric, BEDOUINFLEX or

2 Standard STRETCHFLEX fabric; Available in both a twice (PU coated on both sides) and also single coated STRETCHFLEX LITE version

Both the Bedouinflex and Stretchflex look and appear the same and have similar performance with regards to stretch, fire ratings, anti-bacterial and UV stability along with installation.

The differences between the fabrics are in the width of the fabric and the grade of PU used in the fabric coatings. The Bedouinflex fabric has a far higher and more expensive PU grade which results in a better fabric memory (ability and speed in recovering the tents shape after stretching) and a greater durability in the hydrolysis. The higher grade PU will ensure the fabric lasts in excess of 7-10 years under normal use.

Whilst the Stretchflex is an almost identical product, we have made savings in the cost by using a slightly different base fabric and coating, the fabric performs almost as well as the Bedouinflex though is a little slower in its recovery and overall fabric memory. The slightly lower grade PU also does reduce the overall expected life in comparison to the Bedouinflex. With regards the fabric width, the Bedouinflex fabric is 1.5m wide whilst the Stretchflex and Stetchflex LITE are both 2.2m wide so there are far fewer seams in the Stretchflex tents. Though the narrower Bedouinflex fabric is stronger due to a more even spread of the PU in the coating process.

Please see our webpage for our different fabrics and their differences.

The following standard colours are available in our fabric ranges: Linen White, Silver, Royal Blue, Smokey Grey, Satin Pink, Champagne, Forest Green, Ruby Red, Sunshine Yellow, Jet Black & Sand but we can match any custom colour a client requires.

Are our Stretch Marquees fire safe?

Yes both our BEDOUINFLEX & STRETCHFLEX fabric range are one of the only marquees to meet the stringent conditions of various international regulations. Speak to us for full details.

How long does a tent tend to last?

Depending on how well the marquee is treated, they can last over 7 years.

What is the best way to clean these types of tents?

Unlike most competing products we have a machine washable stain resistant waterproof coating applied to both sides of our fabric which makes them very easy to clean. We will provide a comprehensive cleaning guide when you purchase one of our structures.

What is the recommended sizing for freeform stretch tents? What sizes do they come in?

We have a rough guide to assist you work out the right size marquee configuration for your function. We have standard sized marquee packages but can custom design any shape that would suit your needs. Speak with us today for more information.

How easy are they to install and anchor? (How does this differ from traditional tents?) Do they require any special equipment?

The tents are incredibly easy to install. We can provide easy to follow instructions to assist you with the set up or we can arrange a training session to assist you (fees apply).

You can also find to the right a handy CAD animation that we produced for Bedouin Tents :

What is the warranty on our products?

We offer a one year warranty on the workmanship of all products and up to three years warranty on the fabrics. Please check the details on our website.

When making a decision to purchase a tent, should you take into account the weight of the fabric?

There are two main fabric options in our range. The Bedouinflex weighs 380gsm and the Stretchflex weighs 330gsm.

Weight however is not a very good comparison as it is in general not a good indication of fabric strength or durability.

Bedouinflex is our premium fabric and although less than 15% heavier than the stretchflex, the fabric has a tear strength of over 1200N, which is over 40% greater than the Stretchflex fabric.

Along with being stronger, the Bedouinflex fabric is far more durable and easier both for installation and cleaning. We have seen competitor fabrics that are as heavy as 900 gsm though this added weight does not translate into a higher tensile or tear strength. It does however result in tents being very heavy and far harder to install, costing more in labour and maintenance

Generally heavier fabrics are an indication that the fabrics are PVC coated rather than PU or TPU. The PVC, as well as being less environmentally friendly, is a far lower cost fabric and due to its harder brittle nature, it will not have the same durability or fabric memory (ability to shrink back into shape after use) as the higher quality PU stretch tent fabrics.

The same effect is demonstrated in our pole packs. We use a 6005 T6 aluminium, which is far stronger than the 6063 T5 aluminium generally available from many of the other suppliers. The following comparison chart demonstrates this. The 6005 T6 aluminium tensile strength to weight ratio is almost twice that of the 6063 T5 so a lighter pole set can offer a far higher strength. This is even more evident when comparing our carbon fibre poles to the aluminium versions, as the carbon fibre poles are far stronger and less than a quarter the weight.

How long does it take to install and dismantle the tent and how many riggers/ installers are required?

The time taken to install and dismantle a tent is hard to estimate as it depends on the experience of the installers, the requirements/ set up of the marquee, conditions that the marquee is being put up in and the available people to assist. Please refer to the our sizing guide which will outline the recommended riggers required for our standard size marquees.

How much ballast weight would they need to secure ie. 10m x 15m tent?

Below is a table to assist with minimum weight requirements but you would need to refer to an engineer and your local council or we can provide you with a structural certificate that outlines the specific requirements. We also provide ballast placement guidelines and CAD designs to help design the tent for you.

Please find some more information about ballasts here.

Table - Minimum required ground peg anchorage

Tent (m x m)	Total pull-out (tonnes)	Hold-down force required per leg (max. 5m centres) (kg)	Number of pegs per leg	Hold-down force required per peg (kg)
10 x 12	5.6	640	2	360
10 x 15	7.0	700	2	350
12 x 18	10.1	840	2	420
15 x 15	10.6	880	3	293
15 x 20	14.1	1010	3	390
20 x 20	18.8	1170	3	390
20 x 30	28.2	1410	4	353

Stretch Tents - Frequently Asked Questions

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