Sorry about not responding too quickly, HT, I have a month long project of rebuilding and building dumpsters and sea containers along with keeping the business going... sixteen hour days back to back have been kicking my butt.

As far as "do it yer self" type shade structure... yes and no. The fittings are 1-3/8 manufactured fittings (for those who don't know what "fittings" are they are the joints that hold the tubing at various angles with a little thumb screw). I guess the "do it yer self" thing here is deciding what fittings/design one wants to have.

The tubing is 1-5/16, fits the fittings perfectly. Rolled and welded galvanized thin wall steel tubing (Yes, it is manufactured, too :) ) I cut it to the size that is needed. This is strong tubing that weighs almost 1.5 pounds per foot. I think I showed you some of it at the RWB, didn't I? It can easily handle whatever the Playa throws at it.

Coverings... your choice depending on your budget, basically. I prefer the 90% sunblock nylon mesh truck tarp. They are expensive at 50 cent a square foot custom made with gromets (eyelets) every foot. These tarps are made for trucks so they are super strong, handle the wind excellently, breath and don't make the gawd awful rattling sound of plastic. ....

You can put whatever covering on the frame that you like. I can get the plastic down to about 3 cent a sq. ft or you can buy a manufactured vinyl and have the frame to that.

To answer the rain question with the mesh... no it does not keep the rain out, so we buy the cheap blue plastic tarps and just clip them to the mesh if it rains.

Side walls are the same as the top covering... whatever your budget and liking is. This year I am using ballisters at 45 degrees and putting the billboard vinyl on as sidewalls. Of course these are do it yer selfers as they come in 14x48 pieces and need to be adapted to what is needed. Of course you can get them manufactured at about 60 cent a sq. foot. My idea with this is that it will block the wind and dust with the mesh giving the breathing and cooling on top.

We are planning on going to the beach burn next week. I might bring one of our structures down or maybe the little demo frame and one of the mesh tarps.

Sorry, the mesh only comes in trucker colors... beige and black

KC