Sidewalls can provide a quality source of revenue as well as a safe exit for events

Sidewalls may not be your first consideration when renting a tent, but they deserve just as much attention when it comes to quality and maintenance. In fact, maybe even more. With customer standards increasing in all areas of the party rental segment — from linens to décor to lighting — treating sidewalls as a throwaway item may soon become a method of the past.

“Over the years, there have been many discussions on whether sidewalls are expendable, disposable items or a long-term investment that requires proper care and maintenance,” says Dan Dunstan, general manager, The SEC Group, Wilson, Ore. “In the case of sidewalls, the answer depends on the original purchase, the initial panel quality, how you intend to use it and the time and effort you are willing or able to invest in maintaining it.”

“Sidewalls are often overlooked because they are not the tent,” says Alex Kouzmanoff, vice president, Aztec Tents, Torrance, Calif. “They stand almost as an accessory to the tent. I think some rental gravitates toward cheaper sidewalls, considering them almost disposable, because they want it to last a season and throw it away. Others say, ‘I’m going to buy a sidewall that will last four seasons and not pay as much.’”

Michael Tharpe, sales and marketing director, TopTec Products, Moore, S.C., agrees. “Sidewalls, unfortunately, are considered throwaway products by most rental stores due to its exposure and use in the most adverse weather conditions. A good quality sidewall is manufactured from the same material that the tent is manufactured. The use of stainless-steel clips, d-rings or other connectors, will assure positive attachment and eliminate rust. Quality wall hangers can be either plastic or keder style to assure a tight fit. All attachments should be reinforced, not simply sewn to the tent,” Tharpe says.

Because of the small size of sidewalls and variety — solid, clear, screen, mesh, windows — many are custom-manufactured based on customer requirements, says Hal Lapping, owner, Economy Tent International, Miami. “There are virtually unlimited variations of sidewall styles.” This makes them a flexible upsell on the main tent.

However, since there is more interaction with sidewalls than the tent top, the sidewalls take more abuse and may weather quicker. This is where quality may help determine its lifespan.

“The bottom is not attached, so they can flap in the wind. They are the first thing to be ripped down and left on the ground. They can get stepped on and get barbecue grease on them and so on,” says Chad Struthers, sales manager, Warner Shelter Systems, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “Our walls have aluminum battens on either side, so it stays taut. Our bottoms are reinforced and include grommets for optional staking. Our tops have both clips and VELCRO®. If it’s a wall that never is going to be opened, some use the VELCRO®, then clip to make sure it doesn’t open.”

As for attachments, he says, “Metal lasts longer than plastic. Look at the size of the metal clip. The safety can snap off or it can bend. A thicker, flatter clip better slides over the cable and will last longer.”

Kouzmanoff says rental owners need to look at the details of the construction of the sidewalls. “Look at the hooks, the grommets and the material of the wall. The second step is to ask questions. How are the tent sidewalls constructed?’ Will they be a tough add-on to your fleet? How is the stitching done, how are the reinforcements made and how are the buckles attached? All those things make a difference.”

“The majority of sidewalls for frame tents are manufactured using 14-oz. vinyl,” Lapping says. “Always make sure the material has the same properties as the tent top, including flame retardancy, UV inhibitors and mildew resistance. Most rental companies seem to prefer lightweight vinyls as they weigh less and are easier to handle, although 18-oz. blackout also is available as well as colors.”

Since tent sidewalls are so similar to tent tops, maintenance methods are not much different. In fact, it may be easier to clean sidewalls because they are smaller. Maintenance starts with installing sidewalls correctly on job sites and keeping them free from dirt, grease and safety risks.

“Wind and cold are the major culprits and cause of most of the sidewall failures,” Tharpe says. “It is very important that you be diligent about securing the walls as tight as possible to limit how much they are allowed to flap in the breeze. Special attention should be placed on securing the bottom of the walls to make the connection as tight as possible between the leg uprights. Curtain ropes also should be tight to limit the sidewall movement at the top. Excess movement can cut the curtain rope.”

After a job, says John Fuchs, sales and marketing manager, Anchor Industries, Evansville, Ind., walls can be washed just like tent tops. “We manufacture the walls with the idea in mind that they need to be a continuing source of revenue,” Fuchs says. “As far as care, they can be washed and maintained the same way as the tent. Many companies do repair maintenance on walls since they are flat pieces and fairly easy for them do to minor repairs.”

Struthers of Warner Shelter Systems warns rental owners to beware of putting some sidewalls in a tent washing machine. “If you clean them by hand, it’s better. If you put them in the machine, they have buckles and clips that can rip the vinyl. Also, it may be a thinner vinyl,” he says.

Sidewalls can be used not only for looks, but also for safety. When it comes to egress out of a tent, local fire marshals may require a special sidewall or door to be installed, making an emergency exit clear.

“The problem is the code is pretty vague about what constitutes an emergency exit,” Aztec’s Kouzmanoff says. “As a result, it’s interpretive to what the official is going to require as far as an exit. We do custom work on emergency exits, but not a standard product, because what works in one area may not work in another. There are products available out there that are fabric walls with emergency exits. Talk to your code official and find out what they require first.”

Many fire marshals require some kind of door or sidewall that will give way for traffic to move out of the tent in the case of an emergency.

“The most commonly used are glass doors or push-out VELCRO® emergency doors to aid in rapid exit from the tent,” Tharpe says. “These are often trimmed in red, making it easier to spot the emergency locations. Some municipalities require an 8-ft. eave height in all tents for ingress/egress. Some also will require ‘panic’ bars on doors. The local code official will be the deciding factor in all of these applications, so be aware of what the codes are in your area.”

“Verbiage also is added to make everyone aware that this is an emergency exit and the design is as such that it can be used over and over,” Fuchs adds. “One of the things we battle is the variety of codes and regulations that must be met across the country. Typically the number of points of egress is determined by the size of the tent and the number of people attending.”

Struthers says the exit rules are more stringent in Canada. “Everyone has different rules. For us, anything over 593 sq. ft., or a 20-ft.-by-30-ft. tent, requires a building and development permit, and an engineering stamp. The fire marshals require means of egress from the tent, which means having emergency panic hardware and exit signs with lighting, as well as a method of alerting people to the situation, such as a microphone, bullhorn or PA system. These regulations will likely be established in the U.S. in two years or so,” he says.

Moving toward the door

Sometimes, fire marshals want more than a push-out sidewall. They want a door — a real one. Real doors can be installed on vinyl tents, but they also require special storage and care.

Single and double doors made of glass and aluminum are typically used on high-end events or more permanent installations. They are mostly used on frame tents and clearspan structures, but also can be adapted to pole tents,” says John Fuchs, sales and marketing manager, Anchor Industries, Evansville, Ind. “There are a couple of ways to store or transport these types of doors. One is an individual crate that the door can be shipped or stored in and the others are door racks that allow for multiple doors to be stored and shipped vertically. Because of the weight and the materials used, care must be taken to insure they are transported in a safe manner.”

Using doors on a tent can help with some fire marshal regulations, says Alex Kouzmanoff, vice president, Aztec Tents, Torrance, Calif. “It’s really the only way to have a closed event space that works for most fire officials. It’s a rigid door with a height and width. You can push it open — and that’s what a fire official wants.”

Photo courtesy of Aztec Tents	Photo courtesy of TopTec Products	Photo courtesy of Ideal Canopy & Tent Structure Ltd
Photo courtesy of TopTec Products	Photo courtesy of Aztec Tents	Photo courtesy of Ideal Canopy & Tent Structure Ltd
Photo courtesy of TopTec Products	Photo courtesy of Economy Tent International