# Forum Home Renovation Fences & Screens  How to make a fabric screen/balustrade like this?

## paddyjoy

Saw this the other day and was wondering how you could make something like this in a way that it would be safe and comply with regs. Maybe glass or horizontal cables behind it? 
Any ideas?

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## lazydays

Shadecloth is a good material of choice. I have a side fence with the neighbour of shade cloth and it's just about as good as the day I put it up more than 15yrs ago.

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## METRIX

What drop off will you have behind it ?

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## paddyjoy

> Shadecloth is a good material of choice. I have a side fence with the neighbour of shade cloth and it's just about as good as the day I put it up more than 15yrs ago.

   Thanks that's good to know.    

> What drop off will you have behind it ?

   3m drop off so needs to safe ha ha

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## Marc

Sure a fence at ground level made with shadecloth is just a screen for visual purposes, does not need to contain anything in theory anyway. I had a neighbour who used to kick in the colorbond fence to pass through my backyard and sit on my jetty when he was drunk. (lovely)
A barrier that needs to have some additional safety purpose  and contain kids or adults from falling, will need to be of some approved material that maintains a consistent strength after years of exposure to sun and rain. When the shadecloth may remain strong for years, the way it is fixed to the post may not last that much. I think that the only practical way would be to have a standard balustrade or fence with wires, timber or whatever the go is for the case and cover it with the shadecloth for visual effect. Anything else is a gamble and the council or the insurance company will not have a bar of it.
PS
3m !!! 
Well ... you can have a balustrade of shade cloth and a safety net under it the way the circus has it.

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## paddyjoy

> I had a neighbour who used to kick in the colorbond fence to pass through my backyard and sit on my jetty when he was drunk. (lovely)

  Yeah that doesn't sounds like a good situation!    

> I think  that the only practical way would be to have a standard balustrade or  fence with wires, timber or whatever the go is for the case and cover it  with the shadecloth for visual effect.

  Yes I'm thinking this is the only way, with a light coloured fabric you would potentially want to take it down and clean it every now and then. Glass might be the best option as it wouldnt cast a significant shadow on the fabric.

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## Marc

I fenced off the balustrade that goes up the cubby house for the kids with commercial fishing net picked up from the dumping ground in the Eden port. they have a large pile of fishing net strong enough to hoist up a car in it. Looks pretty decent too, particularly the one that is diagonal. I imagine that covered with shadecloth would be even nicer. Even better if it is new and not from the dump, cargo net would be the go too.

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## paddyjoy

> I fenced off the balustrade that goes up the cubby house for the kids with commercial fishing net picked up from the dumping ground in the Eden port. they have a large pile of fishing net strong enough to hoist up a car in it. Looks pretty decent too, particularly the one that is diagonal. I imagine that covered with shadecloth would be even nicer. Even better if it is new and not from the dump, cargo net would be the go too.

  Not a bad idea, thanks Marc.

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## METRIX

You could go for X-TEND Mesh or similar behind the cloth

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## ringtail

What's the approx mesh size of the net Marc ? I'm looking for windbreak material. The hessian I'm using now is flogged and it's too restrictive.

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## paddyjoy

> You could go for X-TEND Mesh or similar behind the cloth

    Thanks METRIX another good idea.

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## OBBob

You'd have the shades made up to the correct size, so can you just have eyelets put in every 200mm for connection top and bottom?

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## paddyjoy

> You'd have the shades made up to the correct size, so can you just have eyelets put in every 200mm for connection top and bottom?

  Yes that's the plan, we are pretty sheltered here and don't get much wind so it should stay in place.

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## OBBob

> Yes that's the plan, we are pretty sheltered here and don't get much wind so it should stay in place.

  I meant more from the perspective that it closes up the gaps more than the example you posted above.

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## Marc

> What's the approx mesh size of the net Marc ? I'm looking for windbreak material. The hessian I'm using now is flogged and it's too restrictive.

  I chose pieces from a net that had the ropes about 6mm thick and the holes some 75x75 but they had all different sizes, some way too big to lift by hand. 
Consider that the fishing nets are very expensive and when they throw them out they are torn and burned by sun and salt, however for my purpose they were perfect and they are still there after 1o years like the first day I nailed them up. 
if you have a fishing port nearby, go and ask one of the skippers where they throw the nets that are no longer safe to use.

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