When It Comes to Tent Sidewall, Do You Know Your Options?

When it comes to renting a tent for your party, every discerning host considers the type of tent to select, sure, but the selection shouldn’t stop at the ceiling.  Just like a house, the style of the tent walls are just as important. Walls or “sidewalls” as they are called in tent equipment terminology, are a must-have functional element that protect the inside of the tent from inclement weather like rain, wind, heat and cold.  Which means, having tent sidewall secured for your event is not up for debate.  You need it.  But do you know which style of sidewall you prefer for your tent?

Thankfully, there are sidewall options available to suit every host’s sense of servicable style.  Such as:

CLEAR SIDEWALL.  Clearly, the most popular sidewall choice because it allows  you to see through it into the outdoors beyond.

CATHEDRAL SIDEWALLS.  Not as popular as they once were, these white sidewalls with their arched-paned windows can be used to simulate a house or ballroom quite effectively.  Combined with other types of sidewall, such as solid white, Cathedral Sidewalls can focus attention where it needs to be and hide everything else.

SOLID WHITE SIDEWALL.  Used to create privacy, hide unsightly equipment or to create clear divisions in spaces, white tent sidewalls are the hard workers in the world of sides.

All standard party tent sidewalls discused and shown above are made from commercial grade vinyl for durability, movability and flexibility.  Yet, with structural tents there are glass window options that can take tent side walls to a whole other level.  (See below).

As for how these tent sidewalls get installed on your tent?  Well, here again, you have several options to choose from when it comes to sidewall management, such as:

• Fully installed and closed.  We install all the sidewall and fully close it against the elements. The host will have to open all sections of the sidewall they would like open prior to the event;
• Not installed at all.  We will deliver sidewall panels to the event site in bags and the host will install the sidewall themselves, as needed;
• Fully installed, draped back and tied to the tent legs. This is a good compromise for the discerning host.  When all the sidewall is already in place but swagged back like drapes to the side poles, all that’s needed is a quick pull and seal when weather gets wet.
• Bottom battening. Securing the bottom of the sidewall with rope or wooden boards to prevent it from flapping in the wind is not automatically done at every installation.  And, contrary to popular belief, even when your tent is battened down, water will still come in under the sidewall!  No tent is waterproof! and
• Renting a bigger tent.  Some people prefer not to get sidewall at all, but rather have a tent large enough that their tables, bars, equipment, etc. can be moved away from the weather-threatened edges.

Now, what party host or event planner has time to think about hanging or untying tent sidewall?  Not many.  Which is why our tent specialists strongly urge our customers secure at least one of our tent attendants for the event.  That way, the tent attendant(s) will be on hand to open and close (or install and uninstall) the sidewall, as well as perform any other tent-related duties during the event so that you don’t have to.

For more information on tent sidewall options that best suit your party tent, please call our office at  215-368-6700.