Thursday, September 17, 2015

Introduction to Pop-up (Instant) Tent

Introduction to Pop-up (Instant) Tent

A party tent is a great idea for that special birthday party, garden wedding, holiday celebration, or family picnic. A sturdy and reliable party tent is necessary for any event, no matter how big or small. Party tents vary greatly in price and quality, and you should carefully consider the construction materials of a tent before making a decision which one to choose for your event. The stronger the tent, the more durable and sturdy it will be in various weather conditions.


Pop-up Party Tent

Also referred to as instant canopies, pop - up party tents are convenient, inexpensive, and easy to use. These types of party tents are designed to be erected without any tools. Instead, they use accordion-style framing. They are lightweight, compact, and ideal for use in the garden, at the park, or at the beach. They tend to be smaller in size, and are used for more temporary coverage. Because they are lightweight, they are not the sturdiest type of tent in windy weather – An easy solution to the problem is to put sandbags or other type of weight to each tent leg to provide extra weight and secure the tent.

5 of our 10' x 10' Heavy Duty Pop-up Tents jointed together to formed a L-shape party tent. Note that 2 20 lbs sandbags were used per tent leg to provide extra weighting.

Your Ideal Canopy Size

Unfortunately, individual circumstances are so variable that there is no way to perfectly calculate your ideal canopy size.  It is possible, however, to get a rough estimate of how much space you need.  Generally speaking, it's reasonable to allow anywhere from 10 to 12 sq. ft. per person when you're hosting a party.  If you're willing to do a little more math, the following guidelines can give you a more situation-specific estimate:
  1. Chairs - If you plan to hold events like lectures where you'll only need seating, a good rule of thumb is to allow 5 or 6 sq. ft. per chair.
  2. Meal Seating - If your event involves a meal, the amount of space you're going to need is going to vary depending on the dimensions of the tables you use as well as how many people each one seats.  Try to allow at least 12 sq. ft. per person when using round tables and 10 sq. ft. when using rectangular ones.
  3. Other Items - If you need any extras like a podium, buffet table, or display case for your event, make sure to take the dimensions of those items into account when calculating your space requirements.

Construction

All pop up tents may have similar set up, but they are by no means all the same.  They're made with a variety of different materials and your situation and preferences are going to dictate which combination is going to be right for you.  Read on for some brief descriptions of common canopy materials.

Frame

When it comes to instant canopy frames you've really only got two choices.  You can go with aluminum or the more common steel.  It's important to note here that while many consider aluminum to be superior, there are advantages and disadvantages to using each.  Let's take a look at them.

  1. Weight - Aluminum is lighter than steel so if you're going to be doing a lot of traveling with your collapsible canopy you may want to go with an aluminum frame.  Its lighter weight is also helpful during set up, particularly if you need to put up your shelter by yourself.  But, if you're going to be using your tent in windy conditions, steel would probably be a better choice since its heavier weight will make it more stable.
  2. Strength - Aluminum is more prone to bending than steel so a steel frame is - barring poor manufacturing - going to be stronger than an aluminum one.  If you're going to be using your canopy for occasional personal use the difference in strength probably won't matter, but if you're going to do a lot of entertaining or have business purposes in mind you may want to go with steel.
  3. Corrosion- Both steel and aluminum corrode.  The difference is that when steel deteriorates it produces damaging rust whereas aluminum forms aluminum oxide, a hard substance that actually helps prevent further corrosion.  Most steel canopy frames are treated to prevent rust, but that, of course, doesn't guarantee that it will never happen.  You'll need to decide whether this potential problem is serious enough to affect your interest in steel.
  4. Cost - Aluminum canopies can sometimes cost more than steel ones, but due to the different types and gauges of steel available there's no hard and fast rule.  Prices vary significantly from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Slant Leg Vs. Straight Leg

Instant canopies come with either straight or slanted legs.  At first glance this may seem like just a minor style variation, but the type of legs your shelter has actually makes a big structural difference.  Slanted legs, while able to give your canopy a sleek, sporty look, are less stable than straight ones.  They also take up more space while providing less coverage - a 10'x10' slant-leg pop up tent will usually only offer 64 square feet of shade while a 10'x10' straight-leg model offers 100.

So why would you want to buy a tent with slanted legs?  The answer, like so many related to making a major purchase, has to do with money.  Slant-leg structures are generally cheaper than ones with straight legs.  Therefore this is yet another instance where you're going to have to decide whether performance or cost is more important.

Waterproof Party Tents

You should be sure to identify if their tent is water-resistant or waterproof, as there is a significant difference. The general rule is that polyester tends to be water-resistant and vinyl tents are waterproof. The heavy duty pop-up tent top available at ABSO Rental are made of Vinyl.

Our client trust our tents when it comes to a piano exhibition held at a park. Although it was raining for a couple of hours, the product of our client are just fine

Party Tent Walls

The majority of party tents are available with additional side walls. Side walls are ideal for use in cooler weather and when the tent will be used at night, as they keep insects to a minimum. Some people choose to have just one or two side walls, so that they can be used as a wind stop when necessary.
Unexpected change of weather condition? Our Heavy Duty Pop-up Tents got our client and his guess covered!

Party Tent Flooring

It is important to consider whether a party tent needs flooring. Many special events need a dance floor or stage. Choosing to have flooring or not depends on the weather and the type of event being held. Flooring can provide protection from cold temperatures, windy conditions, wet ground, and insects. While portable dance floor is currently not available at ABSO, we do have plywood and floor mat as alternative solution to tent flooring.

This event was held on an uneven soil ground - we managed to use a giant tarp, plenty of plywood and floor mat to form a temporary flooring so that our clients and their guests would not have to get sunk into the soft ground. Also note the straight globe lights we provided to use as lighting solution - the party will go on with our 100' (100 C7 bulbs) globe lights.  

Party Tent Permits

Some council and governing bodies require a permit for those wanting to set up any type of large sized party tent. These permits generally relate to the safety of the tent and fire safety regulations. It is recommended that clients always find out from their local governing body whether a permit is required, before they set up their party tent. Read our article "Do you need a special permit for your event?" for further information.

Conclusion

Party tents are a popular choice when it comes to hosting a special event. Party tents can be used for weather protection, from both sun and rain, to house food supplies, or offer party guests a comfortable place to sit and relax (or dance the night away).


Sources: www.ebay.com / http://www.ecanopy.com/pop-up-canopy-guide.html

Table Seating Layout, Linen Sizing Chart, Party Tent Size

Table Seating Layout & Linen Size Chart


One of the most frequently asked questions from our clients is – How many people can I fit at 1 table? Often, people overlook how much space is required between seating; not having enough room for your guests could lead to disappointment. For example, a 60″ round table could technically fits up to 10 people – but is there enough room for your guests to walk around and gain access to the buffet tables? After all, your guests are not going to sit at the table all night; they might want to chat with guests at other tables. Below is a table seating layout that indicates the number of people you could fit per table:
- 36″ Round Table: seats 4-6
- 48″ Round Table: seats 6-8
- 60″ Round Table: seats 8-10
- 72″ Round Table: seats 10 – 12
- 6′ Rectangular Table: seats 6-8
- 8′ Rectangular Table: seats 8-10

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Table Linen Sizing Chart

We hope that the table linen sizing chart below will be a useful resource for you to determine the best choice for your table shape and size. For the purposes of the charts below, a standard banquet table height of 30 inches is assumed.


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Party Tent Size
Party tents range significantly in size. The size people require depends significantly on what type of event they are holding. Events that require seating for guests to eat a meal need more space than an event that will offer little seating or food. For special events, remember to take into account any added space needed for a dance floor, band, DJ, or catering table. The size party tent one requires is depending on how they plan to use it. Many people find a 10' x 10' / 10' x 20' tent to be sufficient for general use; while some special event require larger size tent.

Party Event
Space Per Person
Wedding
approximately 15 square feet per guest
Cocktail Party
approximately 10 square feet per guest
Garden Party
approximately 12 to 14 square feet per guest
Ceremony Seating
approximately 8 square feet per guest

Do I need a special permit for my event?


Outdoor Special Events
Not everyone has a giant backyard to hold a party that fits 100 people. To those who are not expecting to pay top dollars for renting a venue, you may be interested in holding a small to medium sized event in a City of Toronto park . While having an outdoor party can be lots of fun, you should pay attention to special permit / licensing requirements in order to avoid unnecessary disturbance.
I. Outdoor Event Permit -
According to City of Toronto official website, application deadline for a permit / license is 8 weeks prior the date of your event. (minimum 8 weeks notice). Outdoor event permit rates are based on the attendance of your event. Set-up and clean-up fees may be applied and a damage deposit may be required for larger events.
Picnic sites are available from 10:00 am to 8:30 pm.
Number of PeopleRate
Up to 200$81.37
201 to 300$133.82
301 to 400$165.78
401 to 500$237.85
501 to 600$299.60
601 to 2,000$425.82

II. Special Occasion Permits (SOP) -
Special Occasion Permits (SOP) are for the sale and/or service of beverage alcohol at special occasions such as weddings, charity fundraisers, receptions etc. An SOP is needed anytime alcohol is offered for sale or served anywhere other than in a licensed establishment or a private place (for example, a private office or a residence).  Special Occasion Permits are issued through select LCBO stores throughout the province.
For more information regarding permits and licensing, please refer to www.toronto.ca / www.lcbo.com