What materials are used to build a tension structure?
The frame and cables are typically
constructed with steel. The cables will
either be stainless steel or coated with a
clear PVC finish to protect against
corrosion. Cable terminations will exude an
elegant style such as the products furnished
by Frontier Technologies. The steel frame
will be finished with a smooth layer of
powder coat over a base of primer. If the
structure is located near a harsh marine
environment, then an epoxy wet paint finish
is recommended. The covers are usually made of high tensioned architectural fabrics such as PTFE or PVC. PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) is a
high strength architectural fabric manufactured by
Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corp.
and W. L. Gore.
PVC materials are manufactured by a variety of respected companies such as
Ferrari Textiles Corp.,
Naizil Coated Fabrics Inc.,
Seaman Corporation,
Hiraoka & Co. Ltd. and
Verseidag-Indutex GmbH.
