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Historically, reports say that most accidents at trade shows or farmers markets are caused by tents, canopies and umbrellas that are being blown away by the wind or other external factors. That’s why it is important that you use weights to hold down your canopies — be it a large 10×20 pop up canopy or a small logo canopy — at all times. Ideally, the canopies must be sufficiently and safely anchored to the ground from the time it is being put up to the time it is taken down.
But then, canopy tents can come in different dimensions and sizes. So how do you ascertain how much weight is needed to weigh down different varieties of canopies? Luckily, we are here to help you.
But before we dish out all the details, we must tell you that even a 10×20 heavy duty canopy that is properly secured can also get blown away or flipped in certain inclement weather conditions. So if you see face such precarious conditions and feel that your 10×20 canopy needs to be taken down in the middle of the trade fair or market, you must take it down immediately. Another pro tip is to ask your customers to move out of the way so they are not injured.
Does a large canopy tent require more weight?
A 10×20 pop up canopy tent is a popular option when you want to host a party or a wedding. Sports teams, especially cross-country teams, also use them because they offer twice the square footage of a traditional 10×10 canopy. However, it also means that the canopy would need more weight to anchor it down properly.
To make you understand better, larger tents are heavier and have a larger surface area. And this negatively impacts the wind rating and that’s the reason you need the extra weight.
Typically, to achieve a 35mph wind rating, a 10×20 canopy needs 370 lbs for ballasting or anchoring a canopy to the ground. This is essentially 170 lbs more than what’s needed for a 10×10 or a 10×15 canopy tent, despite the 10×20 being more than 30 lbs heavier. Similarly, a 13×26 canopy tent would require 400 lbs of weight. We would like to mention that the wind rating mentioned is only for a 10×20 heavy duty canopy with no walls.
Options to weigh down 10×20 logo canopy
These days, you can use logo canopy to attract the attention of your customers and promote your business. But then it often becomes embarrassing if your canopy gets toppled or flipped over. So how do you anchor the canopy?
Your 10×20 large tent will come with a staking kit because it is always the preferred way of ballasting a canopy. It is generally calculated that a properly installed single stake is equivalent to 200 lbs of weight. Therefore, 800 lbs of weight from four stakes are more than twice the weight required to achieve optimal wind rating.
Staking is a good option if you want to set up the tent on grass or dirt, but you might face a problem if you want to set up the canopy on concrete. So you can use 50-pound footplates to install the tent. With a 10×20 pop up canopy featuring six legs, a footplate on each leg will take the weight to 300 lbs. While it might be 70 lbs short of the ideal 370 lbs calculation, it will still help you achieve a respectable wind rating. However, if you’re still bothered about the stability of the tent, you can always add two extra footplates.
Additionally, sandbag weights that are made for securing canopies and weighing at least 24 pounds can be used. These weights can be strapped to the legs of the canopy.
Safety hazard
The weights anchoring the canopy should be secured in a way that does not create its own safety hazard…
- The weights shouldn’t be a tripping hazard
- They should be tethered with clearly visible lines
- Try to use weights that have soft edges so that it doesn’t cause cuts
- Weights should be attached properly
Be on alert
Now that you understand the amount of weight you need to secure a 10×20 pop up canopy, we must warn you to be always on alert for high winds. The idea is to always have your canopy secured to the ground. It’s simply not enough to have the necessary tools at your disposal to secure your canopy if you do not employ them on time. Strong gusts of wind can come up at any time and it might become too late if your canopy gets blown away.
Another important tip is to secure the canopy properly during installation and breakdown. You must be completely sure to secure your canopy and must not let yourself be interrupted by anything because a half-secured canopy is as dangerous as an unsecured canopy.
