This post documents the best shade structure that I’ve seen or used at the desert Burning Man event. Over the years, I’ve used a geodesic dome supporting silver shade cloth and cotton tarps, various frame tents covered with white, opaque PVC fabric, and rectangular metal frames of EMT tubing covered with black shade cloth. Also, I’ve seen people use gray tarps. (Images from Burning Man Black Rock City Aerial Stitch 2024 by Jamen Percy.)
Comparing all of these, considering ease of assembly and temperature-controlling capability, the best solution for me is using metal frames of EMT tubing and black shade cloth. Under the shade cloth is room for camping tents and a common area for dining or just hanging out.
The top-left photo above shows the camp that I was in during 2024. I arrived first and assembled the white 10’⨉10′ kitchen frame tent in the lower-right corner of the photo. Then I assembled one square of shade nearby and pitched my tent under it. As others arrived, additional squares were added. The center of the structure had common seating and dining areas in the middle with tents pitched along the perimeter.
Using metal frames of EMT tubing and black shade cloth has these advantages:
- Relatively low cost. Although EMT tubing is not the cheapest, using EMT tubing for a frame is less expensive than using a full frame tent with its 2″ aluminum tubing.
- Easy to assemble. EMT tubing and its fittings are lightweight, and they can be assembled by a small crew. A single person can assemble a two-square shade.
- Can add to the perimeter incrementally. Using EMT tubing frames lets you add shade one 12’⨉12′ square at a time. Ideally, after assembling a common core, then each person who brings a tent to your camp brings their own “add-on cube” (see below). As they arrive, they can attach their portion.
- Easy to store. You can store the parts needed for a starter cube or an add-on cube in a 14-gallon plastic tote.
Parts List for a Shade Cube
There is more than one way to create a shade “cube.” Some people put the shade 10′ above the ground, but a frame that is that high is more difficult to assemble. Other people use larger sizes of shade cloth spanning multiple grid squares, but then adding shade as more people arrive becomes a more difficult task. The parts list below creates a frame that supports a 12’⨉12′ square of shade cloth 8′ above the ground.
You’ll be buying EMT tubing and fittings for the frame, a piece of shade cloth with grommets, earth anchors that work in the hard desert playa, and ratchet straps.
The first cube that is assembled has a complete, square frame and 4 legs. Additional cubes can have fewer parts because they attach to the edges of existing cubes. A single add-on cube needs to add only 2 or 3 edges and only 1 or 2 legs. If the quantities below are different for the first cube and for a 2-leg add-on cube with 3 edges then they are shown in different colors.
If you are buying for a large structure with A ⨉ B = C squares of shade cloth, then use the equations at the end of this post.
tarps.com
- Qty 4 for first cube (qty 2 for add-on) — 5-way fittings (link)
- Qty 8 for first cube (qty 5 for add-on) — 2-way fittings (link)
- Qty 4 for first cube (qty 2 for add-on) — Feet (link)
greenhousemegastore.com
groundgrabba.com
- Qty 4 for first cube (qty 2 for an add-on) — Ground anchors. I’ve found that GroundGrabbas are the best anchors for the desert playa. You can buy a set of 4 anchors, 4 “closed hooks,” and a hex driver (link).
- Qty 1 Drill bit to make a pilot hole for the anchors (link). This is required for inserting GroundGrabbas into the playa.
Home Supply Store, Hardware Store, or Amazon
- Qty 8 for first cube (qty 6 for add-on) — 10-foot lengths of 1″ EMT tubing (link) (Cut each 10′ length into a 6′ section and a 4′ section.) Do not get 3/4″ tubing. Get 1″ tubing. Tubing dimensions are “nominal”, that is, the 1″ tubing actually is 1-1/8″ in diameter.
- Qty 1 — Strong electric drill and a charged battery.
- Qty 4 for first cube (qty 2 for add-on) — Ratchet straps with “S” hooks (link).
- Qty 1 — Roll of fluorescent flagging tape (link). You tie flags to the GroundGrabbas so that you don’t fail to remove any at the end of the week. (You probably should count the number of GroundGrabbas that you arrive with and be sure to have the same number when you leave.)
- Qty ≈28 — Ball bungees, 4″ or 6″ length. You need ≈28 bungees, total. The length of the ball bungees depends on the grommet-to-grommet distance across the shade cloth, and so it would be best to get one set of 4″ bungees and a second set of 6″ bungees. Then during assembly you can see which is best: 4″ all around, 6″ all around, or 4″ and 6″ on opposing edges of the shade cloth.
Parts for a Multi-cube Shade Structure
If you are planning a multi-cube shade structure with a grid of A ⨉ B = C squares of shade cloth, then you will buy:
- Qty A+B+C+1 — 5-way fittings
- Qty 2A+2B+3C+1 — 2-way fittings
- Qty A+B+C+1 — Feet
- Qty ≈28C — Ball bungees (4″ and/or 6″)
- Qty C — 12’⨉12′ shade cloth
- Qty 2A+2B — GroundGrabbas/Closed hooks
- Qty 1 — Hex driver (if not included in GroundGrabba kit)
- Qty 1 — Drill bit (if not included in GroundGrabba kit)
- Qty 2A+2B+4C — EMT Tubing (1″ diameter, 10′ long)
- Qty 1 — Strong electric drill and a charged battery.
- Qty 2A+2B — Ratchet straps
- Qty 1 — Fluorescent flagging tape.
For example, a shade structure with a grid of 2 ⨉ 3 = 6 squares of shade cloth will use:
- Qty 12 — 5-way fittings
- Qty 29 — 2-way fittings
- Qty 12 — Feet
- Qty ≈168 — Ball bungees (4″ and/or 6″)
- Qty 6 — 12’⨉12′ shade cloth
- Qty 10 — GroundGrabbas/Closed hooks
- Qty 1 — Hex driver (if not included in the GroundGrabba kit)
- Qty 1 — Drill bit (if not included in the GroundGrabba kit)
- Qty 34 — EMT Tubing (1″ diameter, 10′ long)
- Qty 1 — Strong electric drill and a charged battery.
- Qty 10 — Ratchet straps
- Qty 1 — Fluorescent flagging tape.
Building Bigger?
Finally, these instructions are for shade structures that are easy to assemble incrementally as camp members arrive. If you have a dedicated crew for assembly who are going to assemble the whole shade structure in one day, then you can use larger pieces of shade cloth, such as 24’⨉24′, to reduce the number of ball bungees that need to be attached. Also, you can eliminate the 2-way fittings if you decide to make 10’⨉10’⨉10′ cubes and not cut the EMT tubing. (If you aren’t going to cut the EMT tubing, making 10’⨉10’⨉10′ cubes, then use the Qty of 2-way fittings as the number of EMT tubes to buy, and buy zero 2-way fittings.) Adjust the size of the shade cloth to fit whatever frame you assemble. Since I have no experience with using “multi-square” pieces of shade cloth, I recommend assembling a part of the structure to measure the frame before buying shade cloth and bungees.