There’s nothing better than a sunny day spent outdoors soaking up the warm rays and breathing in the fresh summer air. But sometimes, when midday hits and the sun becomes a little too much to bear, we need to find somewhere to cool down and have a break from the sun.

Instead of having to resort to staying indoors, why not create a shaded area so that you can keep cool whilst still enjoying the freshness of being outside.

If you’re thinking about how you can keep shaded in summertime but aren’t sure what’s best for you, we’ve listed a whole range of affordable outdoor shelter ideas that’ll keep you protected from hot sun on especially hot days.

–

Pop Up Gazebo

A pop-up gazebo is one of the most popular outdoor shelter ideas, especially for outdoor events and garden parties. Due to their convenience and easy set up, pop up gazebos are usually the go-to for people planning a party in their outdoor space. With a frame that’s already assembled, it just takes a couple of people to walk out the frame, adjust the height, and attach the canopy to get it set up and ready to use.

If a convenient, budget friendly outdoor shelter is what you’re looking for, check out our full range of pop-up gazebos to find one that suits you.

–

–

Metal Gazebo

More robust than a pop-up gazebo, a metal gazebos is a semi-permanent structure that’s designed to handle longer periods of use. Metal gazebos are more decorative than a pop-up gazebo, suited to those who want a stylish shade for their garden that they can leave up all summer.

Setting up a metal gazebo takes a bit of work and time but as it’s built to last, you should only need to set it up and take it down once throughout the year. When the weather is especially windy, simply remove the canopy to protect the structure from wind damage.

If you’d like a decorative semi-permanent shelter to stay cool under, take a look at our stunning range of metal gazebos.

–

–

Parasol

A parasol is ideal for keeping garden furniture sets shaded whilst wining and dining with friends and family. Parasols are low maintenance outdoor shelters as they have minimal set up and they can be kept up all throughout the summer. You’ll only need to set up and take down your parasol once a year which can done in a matter of minutes.

If you choose to buy a parasol with a crank mechanism, you can open and close the umbrella in seconds using the crank. You’ll want to keep the umbrella closed and protected with a parasol cover when not in use or during periods of high winds. 

There are different styles of parasols, including cantilever parasols and traditional standing parasols. Many outdoor tables have a hole in the middle for a standing parasol to fit into, however for sets without a parasol hole, a cantilever parasol is ideal.

–

Sail Shade

An outdoor shelter idea that’s simple and convenient, a sail shade is a modern and stylish solution to keeping shaded. Depending on your budget, you can get shade sails of different qualities, ranging from budget-friendly portable shade sails to high grade commercial shade sails.

A shade sail is a piece of thick breathable material that’s kept in place by tension created with guy ropes. Shade sails are usually attached to permanent structures but they can be set up using poles.

Our shade sails are designed for those who want an outdoor shelter that they can easily take away with them on day trips. Not only are our shade sails lightweight, they also come with a carry bag to ensure easy transportation on day outings.

–

–

Seated Arbour

If you have limited space in your garden or anticipate difficulties with having to set something up and take it back down every year, a permanent structure like a seated arbour is an ideal solution to keeping shaded in hot weather.

A seated arbour is a shaded seated area, usually a bench that has a built-in roof. Seated arbours not only provide somewhere to keep shaded, they also offer a private and intimate space for you to relax in comfort. Once it’s assembled you can leave it out all year round, you’ll just want to give it a lick of paint every now and then to keep it looking fresh.

Our seated arbour features a handy storage compartment underneath the seat to keep any blankets and cushions stored neatly away when not in use. Unlike the other outdoor shelter ideas, our seated arbour is super versatile when it comes to its uses, offering shade, storage, and seating in one stylish piece of outdoor furniture.

–

–

Event Shelter

If you’re looking for outdoor shelter ideas for an upcoming camping trip, an event shelter is a great option for camping fanatics. The ideal outdoor shelter for camping, an event shelter is lightweight, simple to set up, and easy to transport. Our event shelters are provided with a carry bag, making them great for taking away on weekend trips and days out.

Setting up an event shelter is simple; it involves connecting poles together, attaching the canopy, and then using pegs and guy ropes to keep it in place.

–

–

Playhouse

As well as keeping yourself shaded, you’ll want to keep any little ones out of the sun too. By providing them with their own sheltered space, they can keep themselves entertained whilst also staying safe from the sun’s rays.

A playhouse is the perfect solution to making sure that your child has somewhere they can keep shaded whilst still enjoying the outdoors. Fill their playhouse with toys and make it comfortable for them so that they will happily sit inside and play for hours.

–

–

Whether you’re looking for outdoor shelter ideas for your back garden, an upcoming camping trip or for a day out to the park, we hope our post has given you some inspiration. Let us know what your favourite shelter is and how you usually keep shaded from the hot sun.

–