The outdoor living net, especially on a terrace, is a perfect blend of safety and aesthetics. We talked about this in our article on the benefits of terrace nets. However, to ensure the longevity of your outdoor net, it’s important to choose materials that can withstand the assaults of time and weather. Feelnets explains how to choose these materials wisely.
Choosing the Material for the Mesh of your Outdoor Living Net
It’s crucial to choose the right mesh material when opting for an outdoor net, for your terrace or garden. Not all materials are equal in terms of weather resistance (rain, wind, snow, sun…).
The mesh must be both tear-resistant and weight-resistant (especially when you opt for a horizontally installed living net) but also maintain its quality under strong sunlight or rain. Thus, by choosing the right material, you can be sure to keep your living net for as long as possible.
The Main Materials for a Living Net
There are three main materials used by living net manufacturers. Each has its own specificities. Polypropylene is ideal for large nets. Polyamide, which tends to stretch a bit when left outside, is recommended for indoor use. And finally, polyester, which is very resistant and preferred for outdoor use. Generally, all these materials are treated to be UV-resistant, fire-retardant, and waterproof.
At Feelnets, we offer an even wider range of materials for our custom-made living or boat nets: polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, or even dyneema. We also offer custom-made technical fabrics in PVC materials such as precontraint 492, 392, 362 or Batyline from Serge Ferrari.
Why Choose Polyester for your Outdoor and Terrace Net?
Polyester provides a flexible and very comfortable mesh. But most importantly, it’s a material that resists (almost) everything.
Brief scientific explanation: polyester is short for synthetic artificial polymer, also called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It is manufactured by mixing ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. Polyester is therefore a plastic and thus possesses all the qualities of resistance.
Thermoplastic or heat-sensitive, polyester fibers are durable and resist many chemicals. They also resist shrinkage, stretching, wrinkles (thanks to their exceptional elasticity), abrasions… These fibers, both strong and light, dry very quickly. This is very practical for an outdoor net and can thus prevent mold.
Finally, thanks to all these advantages, polyester is a material that has a very long lifespan and ensures that you will keep your outdoor net for years.
Choosing Materials for the Fixing System of your Terrace Net
On your terrace or in your garden, whether it’s for a guardrail, a protective pool net, or an outdoor net in “sun bed” mode, it’s necessary to properly secure your net. Once you’ve chosen the support (steel, wood, concrete, but never plaster) on which you want to fix your outdoor net, you then need to choose the most resistant fixing accessories.
The fixing rope is a crucial element, as it must ensure the durability of your net’s tension. At Feelnets, all our ropes are made of polyester multi-strand, 6mm, 8mm, and 10mm, in different colors. Our ropes are therefore highly resistant. Once placed in lacing around the entire perimeter of the net, they allow for the best possible tension over the entire surface.
The fasteners: you need to position the fasteners every 150 mm to achieve a good distribution of load and tension across the entire surface. Two types of fasteners are available depending on your walls.
You can choose between closed eye bolts made of galvanized steel or stainless steel (for outdoor use) to be screwed into wood or placed in a plug for solid material. The second option is to install stainless steel deck plates every 150 mm as well.
Our various professional fastening products ensure, through their durability, that you can best install your outdoor living net.
