Over the life of your canopy, you may want to do some adjusting to maximize its lifespan, keep it level, and secure/repair it using various means.
We’ve put together this DIY page with some tips and tricks for you to help secure your investment.
Here are some scenarios you may run across with tips how to tackle them efficiently.
How do I secure my canopy in case of storms or high winds?
We recommend removing the tarp in case of high winds- this will help prevent the frame from bending and the tarp from tearing. Without this tarp acting as a kite, most winds unless very extreme will blow through the frame, leaving it unbent. The frame itself is meant to give with the wind, so a little rocking back and forth is fine, however in extreme cases our canopies are meant to be able to come apart easily, allowing you to disassemble and reassemble at your discretion.
My tarp ripped- what can I do?
We do sell replacement tarps for all of our kits at reasonable prices (see price list)- however, in a pinch, you can remove the tarp, placing it flat on the ground. Line up the ripped sides as exactly as possible- this is important so your tarp will fit back on your canopy as it was. Use Gorilla tape (found at your hardware store) across the rip, flip it over, and repeat across the other side before replacing the tarp back onto the canopy. This is a reliable short term solution that can be used to extend the length of life on your canopy.
What happens if my pipe bends?
In the event any damage to the pipe occurs, we sell replacement pipe compatible with all of our standard canopy sizes. See price list for details.
How can I secure my canopy without using ratchet straps, rope or tiedowns?
Sinking the legs into a couple feet of concrete poured into a hole dug where each leg falls, then screwing the leg posts to the connectors (3 and 4ways) will eliminate the need for ratchet straps. This method, however, will cause a bit of loss of height. Alternatively, you can do the same by sinking 4x4s next to the legs and attaching the legs with pipe straps found at your hardware store. Remember to follow this up by screwing the connectors to the legs.
My leg posts are sinking into the ground, what can I do to keep them level and prevent sinkage?
There are several ways to achieve this.
One such way is by purchasing our feet, which attach to the bottom of your leg posts to give it a bit of a base and prevent sinkage. This can either be paired with stone pavers dug down underneath each leg base or just burying the pavers themselves.
You can also sink 4×4 posts next to each leg and strap the pipe to them at the desired height by screwing them in with pipe straps (found at your local hardware store). An added bonus of using 4×4 wooden posts is that you can cut them to any length you want and even increase the height of your canopy by strapping the legs to the posts higher off of the ground.
I’d like to lift my canopy higher off the ground, what are my options?
Depending on how high you need it, there are different techniques. If you only need a difference of a few inches, our feet (sold separately, see price list) have screws that tighten and loosen, screwing into the pipe. By loosening the screws, pulling the leg up a smidge and screwing them back into place at the desired height, this can help keep your canopy level on uneven ground.
We also sell different leg lengths compatible with the canopy, allowing you to switch them out. Our standard kits come with 6ft legs, but can be swapped for our 7ft and 10ft options (see price list).
Another option is to sink in 4×4 posts next to the legs (we recommend sinking them at least 1.5 ft down), raising the legs to the desired height then strapping them securely to the 4x4s using pipe straps. You can lift your canopy as high into the air as you’d like using this method.
Canopydan.com
386-343-9419