Preparing a Traditional Tent for Inclement Weather on Party Day

Whether using a traditional canopy, or even high peak tent or tension tent canopies, rain can become a problem at your event. It’s not enough to simply trust your tent cover to protect guests and the equipment or furniture that is inside your tent. Rain can still enter from the sides, quickly turning a well-planned event into something that resembles a natural disaster.

The easiest way to minimize the impact of rain is to install sidewalls on your tent. This will give you a fully enclosed area that is safe from inclement weather. Even with the rain, your party can keep going throughout the day and into the night.

Not every commercial tent is available with side panels, so it’s critical that you choose a system that works. All vinyl tops manufactured by Economy Tent International feature wall ropes within the perimeter of the covers. Ropes allow for the hanging of wall sections to create self-contained enclosed temporary structures. Wall sections can be made from 18 oz. blackout white vinyl for a classic esthetic, or there are also options for colors and stripes to match or contrast with traditional covers.

There’s also the option to use the unique Slidewall Trac System® developed by Economy Tent International. This system is suitable for retrofitting to most commercial tents on the market including Trio® tents. The Slidewall Trac System® allows for the hanging of sidewalls in a faster and more convenient way. The system works just like manual curtains in the home, is easy to install, and will help to provide all-weather protection for guests and any items inside of a commercial tent.

If there’s any risk of rain on your party day, make sure that you are prepared. Sidewalls are the most effective way to make a tent safer and dryer during inclement weather.

Cold and wet weather is often accompanied by wind. Most light commercial tents can resist strong breezes but can become unstable with heavier winds. The absolute best tents, like those produced by Economy Tent International, are made to resist high winds, giving party organizers complete peace of mind.

Take the Trio® system as an example. This innovative tent system is compatible with traditional commercial tent covers as well as high peak and tension covers.

In the basic configuration with a frame up to 20 ft. x 20 ft. a Trio® tent can resist wind loads up to 75 mph. Larger tents with more surface area are typically not as resistant as some smaller tents, but this can be addressed with the use of a cross-bracing system. Cross-bracing a Trio® tent can maintain the 75 mph wind load rating at any length.

A tent must be able to withstand rain. With the use of sidewalls, it’s possible to protect the interior from rain, even during some of the worst weather. By choosing Trio® tents from Economy Tent International, you’ll also gain the advantage of having the industry’s best wind resistance for a commercial tent.

Anchoring a commercial tent is essential if you expect that the weather could turn bad during your party or special event.

Stakes and ropes can secure your tent, and you can order the right equipment from Economy Tent International to work with your Trio® tent or similar commercial tent. Lines should be pulled taut when wind and rain are expected, with no excess or slack rope. Ropes can be secured to stakes in soft ground, or weighted bags or drums when a tent is assembled on solid ground.

• When using ropes, they can be looped onto exterior rings. A double-loop clove hitch knot is the most stable and efficient way to secure ropes to stakes.
• Ratchets can also be used. Ratchets are more expensive than ropes but they’re easier to work with, reducing the handling time needed to secure a tent. Always apply ratchet straps working from the corners of a tent, and then inwards towards the center sections.

Avoid buying a commercial tent that doesn’t offer compatible rings or other systems where ropes and ratchet straps can be attached. If a tent can’t be tied and staked, then it will always underperform in inclement weather.

Trio® tents are compatible with stakes, ropes, and ratchets, which are available as optional accessories.

To eliminate any uncertainty, always insist on the highest quality commercial tents. Economy Tent International Trio® tents are designed to provide unrivaled performance with durability and safety during inclement weather and even winds up to 75 mph.

Keep the above points in mind when choosing a durable commercial tent, and you’ll have confidence knowing that your party won’t be spoiled, even if the weather takes a turn for the worse.