Engineered vs. Non-Engineered Cabanas: What’s the Difference?
If you work in the resort industry, you likely fall into one of two camps during these COVID-19 times. You might be using the downtime in guest bookings to improve your property. If not, you’re certainly planning to resume at full steam when life returns to a new normal If you’re in the market for a new cabana, you’ve likely seen the words “engineered” and “non-engineered” used frequently. But what does that mean, exactly? Whether you’re a resort manager, or just looking for something for private use, the type of cabana you should buy varies by your own specific needs.
Here’s the difference between engineered vs. non-engineered cabanas:
Framing
Engineered cabanas are built to last. The go-to for the hotel industry, these units must be able to withstand constant wear from guests day after day. As such, they require a robust frame that can handle anything that’s thrown at them. It’s why we build our engineered cabanas with fabricated steel-framed construction for strength and durability. It’s a common presumption that the quality of a cabana is linked purely to the fabrics used in its construction. This is indeed a major factor. It also must be understood that the frame makes up the “bones” of the assembly and plays just as big a role.
While we love the strength that comes with engineered cabanas, non-engineered units are also a great option, especially if you don’t mind compromising strength for aesthetics. All of the models we sell are also steel-framed, but the non-engineered units aren’t approved to withstand the stress that engineered versions are known for. Instead, what adds value to non-engineered cabanas is their versatility. Because they don’t need to meet as high a strength standard, they can be more ornate in nature with creative design touches that include trellis and grid patterns.
Wind Resistance
One aspect that’s most important when stress testing cabanas is their ability to deal with high wind speeds. If your property is located in an area that doesn’t normally have much severe weather, then it’s nothing to worry about. But if you are like many of the coastal resorts we supply, hurricane season is a very real concern. That’s something that a non-engineered cabana’s lightweight design simply can’t handle.
Luckily, engineered cabanas do a great job of mitigating these risks. Built to handle whatever nature throws at them, engineered cabanas are structurally designed and approved for wind-loads between 60 to 180MPH. This means that they’ll be able to stay in one piece and withstand some of the strongest storms to hit your pool deck. When it comes to resilience, their reliability cannot be beaten.
At the end of the day, it really boils down what your specific needs are. If you’re looking for a little more flexibility when it comes to the design aesthetic and don’t have wind as a major factor on your property, then non-engineered cabanas are a great purchase. If you’re more focused on strength and durability in the face of the elements, then an engineered version may be the better choice.
Upgrade Your Hotel’s Pool Deck With Eide Industries
At Resort Cabanas (a division of Eide Industries, Inc.), we specialize in designing, manufacturing, and engineering custom commercial cabanas and pre-engineered options. With almost 80 years of extensive design, construction, metal fabrication, industrial sewing, and installation experience, we are proud to offer the highest quality products possible, made right here in the U.S.